Language varieties and intercultural education

Abstract

Abstract In most investigations of bilingualism as well as in the teaching of a second language, it is normally neglected that L1 and L2 each consist of a whole array of varieties with certain rules and functions depending on the situation of communication, the role of the participants, etc. The present paper claims that language varieties represent an important aspect of the development of bilingualism. This will be shown regarding the situation of migrant children in West Germany. Thus language varieties have also to be taken into account with regard to language teaching (here: German as a second language). Three kinds of competence will be expected of migrant children with respect to the different varieties: productive, reactive and receptive competence. It will be shown that most of the language varieties — especially situational ones — are connected with cultural developments. Therefore, they often show many sociocultural implications for language and behaviour rules. Migrant children who fail in the...