Abstract
The following contribution analyzes language transfer promoting instruction in the context of English as a foreign language (EFL) instruction in 9th grade secondary classes in Germany. By combining data from questionnaires, tests, and video-data, the article sheds light on learning outcomes in the context of language transfer promoting instruction and presents teaching practice of interlanguage reflection in ESL-teaching. Results indicate a positive correlation of language transfer promoting teaching with EFL listening comprehension at the beginning of grade 9. A correlation between language transfer promoting teaching did not show up with text reconstruction. The analysis of selected videos revealed sequences that hint at an attempt to promoting language transfer actually take place in classes of teachers reporting high importance for language transfer promoting teaching. However, these sequences do not display an elaborated language transfer promoting teaching. Language transfer promotion is implemented in a rather implicit way, while referring to German language only. Results indicate the need for elaborated strategies of implementation of language transfer promoting teaching.
Highlights
The following contribution analyzes language transfer promoting instruction in the context of English as a foreign language (EFL) instruction in 9th grade secondary classes in Germany
The results show a positive link of language transfer promotion with EFL-listening comprehension at the beginning of grade 9
Classes with a higher average achievement in the sub-domain of listening comprehension were more likely to be taught by teachers who reported more promotion of language transfer in EFL, but language transfer promotion was not a precursor to learning gains in the subdomains examined
Summary
The following contribution analyzes language transfer promoting instruction in the context of English as a foreign language (EFL) instruction in 9th grade secondary classes in Germany. Results from a large-scale study in primary schools in Hamburg (KESS-Study) reports a language learning advantage for immigrant learners (May, 2006) Analysis of another German large-scale study focusing on the language proficiency of 9th graders (DESI-study) can arguably likewise show the positive effect of a multilingual background on foreign language achievement (Hesse, Göbel, & Hartig, 2008). The so-called “monolingual habitus” of German schools (Gogolin, 2008, 2013) entails a systematic lack of social esteem for multilingual students It denotes an unexpressed habitual presupposition of homogeneity of students’ linguistic and cultural experiences, while presupposing the normality of a monolingual socialization in the majority language. Results on EFL-teachers’ perspectives on language transfer promoting conceptions reveal that teachers agree about the relevance of language transfer promoting instruction but they report little use of this strategy in their teaching (Göbel, Vieluf, & Hesse, 2010). Tests, and video-data, we want to know which learning processes language transfer promoting instruction mediates and how teachers encourage interlanguage reflection in ESL-teaching
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