Mehrsprachigkeit und Schulerfolg bei Schülern mit Migrationshintergrund

As yet, no consensual answer has been given to the question of how the native languages of students of migrant background and the lingua franca (German) should be dealt with by the school and in the classroom. The article critically evaluates pertinent research, focusing on the research methods applied, and reaches the conclusion that the competence in native languages apparently does not foster the learning of the lingua franca. As far as school achievement is concerned, competence in the lingua franca seems to be very closely connected with school success. Recently published studies which contain evidence of causal relationships between language competence and school achievement are especially closely examined. Furthermore, an intervention study comparing types of treatments for language learning is discussed and the relevance of broader studies in psychological learning theory to school learning is inquired. Finally the consequences of the findings for school practice and future research are summarized and discussed: