Models in languages as additional competence

Abstract:

It has been clear for a number of years that the former education ideal regarding foreign language proficiency is no longer valid. The ideal prescribes that anyone with a Danish upper secondary school leaving exam and to some extent also other school leaving exams should to a certain extent be proficient in what used to be referred to as the three main European languages, English, German and French. Increasing globalisation adds an extra layer of complexity to this problem with a still increasing number of international students with a great linguistic and cultural diversity. The purpose of the project is partly to gain insight into the roles foreign languages play in connection with other disciplines in the education system; and partly to develop a set of models for the provision of foreign language teaching as an additional competence, ie. outside language programmes proper. As a starting point, it will be necessary to identify the needs and solutions for languages as an additional competence in relation to other subjects, educational structures and other contexts. Data to inform this project will be generated, digitally and in real time and place, via inter alia questionnaires, interviews, dialogue and teaching observation.