Page 102 - Diversity in Action

Natascha J. Taslimi, Ursula Maurič, and Karin Steiner

development for young learners, including hiring more staff in kindergartens
and primary schools.
A major shift is underway – from isolated German language support pro-
grammes to language-sensitive teaching integrated into everyday activi-
ties. This approach builds on children’s natural language learning processes
and values their family languages as part of their development (Hachfeld &
Wieduwilt, 2020). Despite this progress, language support is still often seen
as compensating for a lack of German language skills in plurilingual chil-
dren. Home languages are frequently ignored or even viewed as obstacles
in school (Krumm, 2020; Gogolin, 2005; Hu, 2003). Misunderstandings about
how languages are learned, the importance of first languages for acquiring
additional ones, and the emotional value of these languages for migrant chil-
dren contribute to this problem (Fürstenau & Gomolla, 2011; Oppenrieder &
Thurmair, 2003). When children sense that their first languages are under-
valued, it can harm their motivation and learning (Göbel & Schmelter, 2016;
Gogolin, 1994). This feeling of devaluation is reinforced because schools of-
ten prioritise prestige languages like French, English, or Spanish – languages
that carry social status but are rarely the first languages of many learners
(Gogolin et al., 2004).
In many educational settings, multilingualism is framed within the con-
cept of German as a second language (L2), which is clearly distinguished from
a learner’s first language (L1) when it is not German. This approach assumes
a strict sequence – L1, then L2 – and treats languages as separate entities
used one at a time. Such clear separation can be useful for tasks like language
assessment because it simplifies how language skills are measured and de-
scribed. However, this view overlooks the true complexity of multilingual in-
dividuals’ language use. Research shows that multilingual learners draw on
their entire linguistic repertoire simultaneously in many learning situations.
For example, they often switch between languages within a single conversa-
tion or even a sentence – a practice known as code-switching. Importantly,
this switching is not just a spontaneous reaction but can be an unconscious
habit or a deliberate, creative way to express meaning and style (Bailey, 2012;
Özdil, 2009; Dirim et al., 2022; Cook, 2008).
To better support multilingual learners, educators need to critically reflect
on traditionallanguagecategorieslikeL1andL2. Thesetechnicaltermsshape
how we think about language learning and influence practices such as lan-
guage support programmes and diagnostic testing. Challenging and updat-
ing these constructs can help avoid misunderstandings and improve teach-
ing approaches (Wildemann et al., 2018).

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