Schulische Zweitsprachvermittlung und Zweitspracherwerb während der Covid-19-Pandemie

Abstract During the first months of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, German schools were predominantly closed and students were supposed to be taught at home. This also applied to German as a second language classes (GSL). Considering the fact that second language acquisition crucially depends on a high amount of input in direct interaction and that online learning methods were not common in Germany before the pandemic, we assume that school closures had a high impact on second language teaching and learning. In particular, we hypothesize that the shift from classroom to distance learning has significantly affected a) the teaching methods of second language teachers, b) the language skills covered in these classes and c) the growth of students’ competencies in their second language. To verify these assumptions, we conducted an online survey among GSL teachers. The survey consisted of retrospective questions about the amount of lessons taught and teaching methods as well as students’ language development before, during and after the school closures. Data from 166 GSL teachers who stated that they provided distance teaching for their students during school closures shows that during the school closure a) communicatively oriented methods were used significantly less than before and after, b) the teaching of oral skills was considered significantly less compared to the teaching of written skills, c) teachers predominantly evaluated the development of the students’ competencies in most language skills as unchanged or even reduced.