Multilingulism-Sensitive Reciprocal Teaching to Foster German Reading Skills: Evaluation and Implementation of an Innovative Approach

• In Event: Moscone Center West Roundtable Session 4
  In Roundtable Session: Division K Roundtable Session 2

Abstract

This study aims at fostering primary students’ German reading skills by activating students’ multilingualism in the classroom. We thus developed an innovative teaching unit that combined multilingualism-sensitivity and reciprocal teaching. Students working in small groups acquire reading and learning strategies (Rosenshine & Meister, 1984). Multilingual students were stimulated to use their heritage language while practicing the strategies. Prior studies suggest that bilingual children can benefit from reciprocal teaching using their heritage language as well (e.g., Fung et al., 2003). In this study, teachers participated in three-days workshops and implemented the teaching unit in their regular classes (38 classes, 619 students). Results focus on the evaluation and implementation of multilingual-sensitive reciprocal teaching in the classes.

Authors

• Jasmin Decristan, University of Wuppertal

• Dominique Patricia Rauch

• Victoria Kramer, DIPF, Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education