Journal for Educational Research Online (JERO): Issue 1/2024, 16. Volume "What About Special Needs Education?!" On the Interdisciplinary Development of the Module ‘German for Students With a Migration Background’ (DSSZ) as Part of Ongoing University Developments

Publication date: 06.03.2025
Teacher education curricula vary across North-Rhine-Westphalia in terms of pre-service teacher preparation for linguistically diverse learner groups. Processes and theories surrounding language acquisition, the teaching of German as a second language and multilingualism are addressed differently depending on disciplinary discourses. The inclusion of learners with special needs into mainstream education enhances the complexity and importance of addressing language in teacher education. In the establishment process of a newly introduced Institute for Special Needs Education the interdisciplinary professionalisation of pre-service teachers requires critical examination concerning issues such as discrimination. Given that linguistic diversity has been a core issue in different disciplinary discourses at the University of Duisburg-Essen, this article aims to encourage interdisciplinary dialogue with regard to differing disciplinary approaches and understandings of linguistic diversity. Facing similar challenges such as creating differences, setting standards and labeling certain pupils, the authors plead for a visible curricular anchoring of interdisciplinary discourses in teacher training programs.

Keywords
pre-service teacher training, migration and multilingualism, university development in teaching, special needs education