Assessing English-medium instruction in German grammar schools

A survey of teachers' and students' responses

Bachelor Thesis , 2010 , 67 Pages , Grade: 1.0

English Language and Literature Studies - Linguistics

English is everywhere. Not only is it the language of science, the internet and advertisement,
for instance, but it is the lingua franca that allows communication all over the world. Thanks
to globalization, the increasing importance of the media, the changing lifestyles of the
younger generations as well as the coalescing Europe, we cannot evade its impact. Not
unnaturally, the English language has always been and still is a vital part of the German
educational system with a tendency to expand its influence throughout the next years. Ever
since it has been introduced as a foreign language to German schools, new concepts and
methods to improve foreign language teaching have evolved. Bilingual education is one of
those concepts. Being used in many countries and educational contexts to enhance second
language learning, it has also found its way into German school types.
As a method of instruction that involves a higher number of classes held in English per
week and, additionally, other subjects being taught to a greater extent in that foreign language
than in traditional educational programs, it was introduced, developed and often criticized.
Due to its success, the demand for this more intense form of second language learning has
increased and more researchers have investigated the outcomes of bilingual education. Is such
a program beneficial to children or does it have negative consequences on their overall
performance at school? Would a higher number of English classes per week be sufficient or
do other subjects have to be taught in English and, above all, what subjects should that be
without risking the students to have problems understanding their content? And finally, do
students in bilingual programs have a higher language competence than students in
comparable traditional English programs? These are all questions that are connected to the
research on bilingual programs and what factors contribute to their success or what points to
their weaknesses.
The last of the three questions emphasizes the aspect of bilingual education that will be the
focus of this bachelor's thesis, namely language competence. Due to the fact that an
assessment of the actual language competence could not be conducted in the given time
period, the center of this investigation will be the subjective point of view of teachers and
students, thus a self-assessment based on the categories of the Common European Framework
of Reference for Languages. [...]

Table of Contents

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Language Competence
• 2.1. Definition
• 2.2. Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)
• 2.2.1. Competence Levels in Education
• 3. English-medium instruction in Germany and its special case: Bilingual education
• 3.1. Definitions and Confusions
• 3.2. History and Structure
• 3.3. Bilingual Subjects
• 3.3.1. Geography, History and Politics
• 3.4. Strengths and Weaknesses
• 4. Methodology
• 4.1. Participants and Procedure
• 4.1.1. The Questionnaire and its composition
• 5. Survey Evaluation
• 5.1. Students
• 5.1.1. Advantages and disadvantages
• 5.2. Teachers
• 5.2.1. Advantages and disadvantages
• 6. Conclusion

Objectives and Key Themes

This bachelor's thesis investigates the impact of bilingual education on students' English language competence in German grammar schools. It specifically examines the subjective perspectives of teachers and students through a self-assessment based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The study compares bilingual and traditional English classes at a local grammar school in North-Rhine Westphalia, aiming to determine if bilingual education leads to higher English proficiency. The main themes explored in the thesis include:

• The definition and components of language competence
• The role of the CEFR in assessing language competence
• The implementation and characteristics of bilingual education in Germany
• The perceived advantages and disadvantages of bilingual education from both teachers' and students' perspectives
• The relationship between bilingual education and students' overall language proficiency

Chapter Summaries

The first chapter, "Introduction," provides context for the study by discussing the increasing influence of English in the German educational system and the emergence of bilingual education as a method to enhance second language learning. It outlines the research questions and hypothesis of the thesis, focusing on the impact of bilingual education on students' language competence. Chapter two, "Language Competence," defines and examines the concept of language competence, highlighting its relevance to bilingual education and second language acquisition. It explores the various components of language competence, including communicative, grammatical, sociolinguistic, discourse, and strategic competence, and discusses the CEFR as a framework for assessing language competence. Chapter three, "English-medium instruction in Germany and its special case: Bilingual education," provides a detailed overview of bilingual education in Germany, including definitions, history, structure, and different subject areas where it is implemented. It also analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of bilingual education. Chapter four, "Methodology," explains the research design and methodology employed in the study, including details about the participants, procedure, and the questionnaire used to collect data on teachers' and students' perceptions of bilingual education and their own language competence. Chapter five, "Survey Evaluation," presents the results of the survey, analyzing the responses from both students and teachers. It explores the perceived advantages and disadvantages of bilingual education from both perspectives and examines the extent to which both groups agree or disagree with the fixed educational standards set by the Kultusministerkonferenz.

Keywords

This bachelor's thesis focuses on the assessment of English-medium instruction in German grammar schools, analyzing the subjective perspectives of teachers and students. Key areas of focus include language competence, the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), bilingual education, and the perceived advantages and disadvantages of this approach to language learning. The study also incorporates insights from the German educational system, specifically the Kultusministerkonferenz's standards for language competence.

• College: Justus-Liebig-University Giessen (Language, Literature and Culture)
• Grade: 1.0
• Author: Karina Gentgen (Author)
• Publication Year: 2010
• Pages: 67
• Catalog Number: V195064
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656206224
• ISBN (Book): 9783656207962
• Language: English
• Tags: english-medium, bilingual, schools, education, bilingual education, CEFR, Europaeischer Referenzrahmen fuer Sprachen, Schulformen, bilingualer Unterricht, English-Medium instruction, Gymnasium, language, English, Sprachkompetenz, language competence, Sprachen, Sprache, competence, grammar schools, linguistics, Sprachwissenschaft