Tracking Effects on Foreign Language Learning: Identifying Underlying Processes

• In Event: Supporting the Academic Achievement of All Students Through Detracking: Lessons From the Trenches

Abstract

In Germany, as in many other European countries, students at the transition to secondary school are assigned to different tracks on the basis of their performance in primary school. The paper proposed investigates consequences of this specific form of educational tracking for in-school English as a Foreign Language (EFL) acquisition. Using longitudinal data from National Educational Standards based assessments for EFL listening comprehension (EFL-LC) as an example, learning gains in three secondary school tracks are related to indicators of student intake characteristics, student body composition at class level as well as institutional factors. Moreover, two process level variables challenging interpretations typically applied to effects of composition and institution are incorporated in multilevel predictions of EFL-LC learning gains. Implications are discussed.

Authors

• Michael Leucht, Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education (IPN)

• Jan Retelsdorf, IPN - Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education

• Jens Moeller, University of Kiel

• Olaf Koeller, Leibniz Institute for Science and Math Education