Influence of Content-learning in Preparation Classes on Integration Perspectives of International Students

Abstract

New students arriving from different countries present a challenge to the school system as language barriers prevent them from immediately integrating into regular classes. These students are often enrolled in “international classes” before being placed with fellow classmates. The project “Biology for Everyone” teaches science to students entering the German school system through the use of action-oriented learning, which helps to increase content-knowledge and build up language structures. The concomitant research examines this process in international classes using 17 interviews and the students’ transition using Mayring’s qualitative content analysis. Results show that students value the help of content-learning material as it encourages them to participate. Moreover, action-oriented tasks help them understand science before learning the specific vocabulary that is needed to talk about science. Additionally, the importance of providing a safe environment with a good support structure is crucial as students often describe language-use anxiety and negative experiences in their regular class.

Keywords

• Immigrant students
• integration
• science education
• “Biology for Everyone”
• preparation classes
• content-learning
• CLIL
• second language learning
• second language motivation
• Germany
• secondary school