The relation of inclusion and academic language learning

An Insight into a Module on “Inclusive Academic Language Teaching” in the Context of the Research Project FDQI-HU [Qualification of Pre-Service Teachers at Humboldt-University Berlin in Inclusive Subject-Specific Didactics]

Abstract

Teacher training is currently facing the task of anchoring various cross-sectional topics in its curriculum and planning of teacher training courses. This paper deals with the process of anchoring two cross-sectional topics – inclusion and academic language teaching – in their relation to each other. In the project “Fachdidaktische Qualifizierung Inklusion angehender Lehrkräfte an der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (FDQI-HU)” [Qualification of Pre-Service Teachers at Humboldt-University Berlin in Inclusive Subject-Specific Didactics], academic language teaching is understood as an integral part of inclusion in classroom context. On the premise of a broad understanding of inclusion, inclusion-sensitive, subject-specific didactics courses were developed in an interdisciplinary team. Special consideration was given to language-sensitive education. For a number of subject-specific didactic seminars, flexible modules were developed and tested. These modules are based on content relating to heterogeneity, didactics, and diagnostic competence, class leadership, and inclusive academic language teaching. This chapter presents the module on “Inclusive Academic Language Teaching” in the context of the general conception of the research project. In addition, an insight into the evaluation of the module is given and first implications for continuing in the future use are outlined.