Digital media packages as a resource for cross-phase and cross-curricular development and expansion of language-reflective competencies in teacher education

Insights into the development and testing of innovative teaching-learning materials

Abstract

The article presents the results of a study from the project SprachReflex, which is developing didactically founded multimedia teaching-learning packages, so-called media packages (MP), for the professionalization of prospective teachers in the vocational education sector. The MP are intended to support prospective teachers in developing and expanding language-reflective competences, which are fundamental for planning and implementing language-conscious teaching in linguistically heterogeneous classes. The MP are characterized by a high level of applicability and a multimedia design. Altogether, three media packages are being developed: 1-Multilingualism and School, 2-Assessment of Linguistic Abilities, 3-Language Aware Teaching. MP 1 has already been implemented and tested in university teaching. It aims to improve the acquisition of basic knowledge about language, language acquisition, linguistic heterogeneity, and multilingualism, which is seen as the starting point for language-reflective action competences. 126 student teachers took part in the study. The effectiveness of the MP was tested by means of an intervention-control group design with pre- and post-testing. The results have shown a significant increase in knowledge of the intervention group, while the performance level of the control group did not improve. Overall, the results indicate that in the context of a self-regulated learning process, working through the MP can lead to an increase in the subject knowledge. This opens up possibilities for using these MP in teacher training across phases and subjects.