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„Intercultural and multilingual foreign language teaching - presentation of the concept and empirical findings of the Franzimo project“

The lecture took place online on Friday, October 18th, 2024 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. No prior registration was necessary.

Abstract: Foreign language teaching in Germany is carried out with the aim of developing individual multilingual profiles as well as treating multilingualism due to origin in an appreciative manner. So far, however, multilingualism has been taken up in lessons rarely and mostly unsystematically. As part of the interdisciplinary project “Franzimo – Französischunterricht interkulturell und mehrsprachigkeitsorientiert” (funded by the DFG), a quasi-experimental intervention study on multilingualism orientation in French lessons for textbook-based teaching was designed and implemented in cooperation between foreign language didactics (Prof. Schmelter, Bergische Universität Wuppertal) and educational sciences (Prof. Göbel, University of Duisburg-Essen) (Göbel, Schmelter et al., 2021; Schmelter, Göbel et al., 2023; Göbel et al., 2024). The aim of the tasks developed and used in French lessons is to support the appreciation of multilingualism and language transfer strategies. Languages that have already been acquired are integrated into the tasks, in particular the students' native languages but also the foreign language English taught in school. The lecture presents the conception of the study, its implementation and its results. The findings show, among other things, that learners in the intervention classes clearly perceive the multilingual orientation in lessons on the one hand and, on the other hand, their openness to the use of different languages in French lessons changes positively; This is particularly the case for learners whose first language is German.

Publications:

Göbel, K., Schmelter, L., Neuber, K., & Struck, L. (2024). Appreciation of multilingual teaching activities by secondary school students in Germany: findings from a quasi-experimental intervention study on teaching French. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2024.2355273

Schmelter, L., Göbel, K., & Buret, J. (2023). Aufgabenkonzept zur Unterstützung von Mehrsprachigkeitsorientierung im schulischen Französischunterricht. Zeitschrift für Interkulturellen Fremdsprachenunterricht, 28:1, 409–442. https://doi.org/10.48694/zif.3571

Göbel, K., Schmelter, L., Buret, J., Frede, G., Neuber, K., & Struck, L. (2021). "Franzimo - Französisch als 2. Fremdsprache: interkulturell und mehrsprachigkeitsorientiert". Projektbericht: Zielstellung, Projektkonzeption und Projektumsetzung. https://doi.org/10.17185/duepublico/74092

This method workshop by Dr. Benjamin Herbert (Goethe University Frankfurt) took place at the DIPF Frankfurt, University Campus Westend, on November 28th. from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and November 29, 2024 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The workshop offered a practice-oriented introduction to structural equation modeling with the free software R and the package lavaan. The aim of the workshop is to enable participants to independently analyze and interpret educational research data with the help of structural equation models. Structural equation models are the basis for a wide range of analyses in educational research. In order to be able to understand, interpret and do the modeling yourself, the relevant knowledge will be presented in four blocks and directly applied in practice:

1. Theoretical basics (e.g. recap of regression analysis, ...)
2. Presentation of various structural equation models (e.g. confirmatory factor analysis, path analysis, models with latent variables, ...)
3. Assessment of model quality
4. Symbolic representation of models using path diagrams

The event was for doctoral candidates in all phases of their doctorate and postdocs (R2/R3) from all disciplines. Participants should have basic knowledge of regression analysis and R (reading data, installing packages, understanding syntax, ...). A personal laptop with a current and functional version of R was required.

The writing night took place in person on the university campus Westend on December 6, 2024 from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. The event was primarily for doctoral students of the GRADE Center Education who are interested in concentrated writing and interdisciplinary networking. It was organized by the three doctoral students Melinda Aldemir, Ina Braune and Leonie Stoll and supported by financial resources as part of the “Call for Events 2024”. In addition to focused writing sessions based on individual goals, there were short breaks to eat, exercise, and get to know each other.

The writing week took place at the Burg Stahleck youth hostel in Bacharach from December 16th to 20th, 2024. The event was primarily for doctoral students of the GRADE Center Education who work with the documentary method at an advanced level. The writing week was organized by doctoral students for doctoral students and enabled participants to write down the results of their doctoral thesis in a concentrated atmosphere and to provide each other with support. A shared schedule that leaves plenty of space for focused work on the dissertation structured the writing week. Interpretation sessions were also planned in which small groups could work on material. The material collected by participants and the interpretations and text modules developed were discussed together and then revised. Walks in the beautiful surroundings and sports sessions were offered additionally.

The financial resources for the writing week were raised as part of the “Call for Events 2024”.

This method workshop by Julien P. Irmer (Humboldt University of Berlin) took place in person at the DIPF Frankfurt, Campus Westend, on February 3rd and 4th, 2025 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The workshop offered a practical introduction to advanced structural equation modeling (SEM) using the free software R and the package lavaan. The focus was on deepening the basics of SEM and expanding it to more complex modeling approaches. Structural equation models are a central tool in educational research for analyzing complex data structures. The workshop was divided into four thematic blocks in which relevant knowledge is imparted and applied practically:(1) Refreshing theoretical basics (e.g. path models, graphical illustration, model fit, model adaptation, modification indices, ...)(2) Mediator analyzes with manifest and latent variables (bootstrapping, interpretation, ...)(3) Multigroup analyzes (multi-sample analysis, invariance testing in confirmatory factor analyzes (CFA) and SEM, ...)(4) More complex extensions of SEM (excerpt from latent growth modeling, linear multi-level SEM, latent moderation, change score models, ... - depending on time)The event was for doctoral candidates in all phases of their doctorate and postdocs (R2/R3) from all disciplines.

Participants should have basic knowledge of latent modeling and the application of SEM in lavaan, including the ability to create, adapt, and interpret models. Basic knowledge of R was also required, especially in reading data, installing packages, and understanding syntax. A personal laptop with a current and functional version of R was required.