Multiliteracy

This project investigated the interrelation of writing abilities in the first (L1) and second language (L2) of bilingual 9th and 10th graders with the heritage lan- guages Turkish, Italian or Greek. The aim was to illustrate the impact of extra-linguistic factors (such as language attitude, literacy practices, language use) and metalinguistic awareness1 on textual competen- ces in both languages. In this context, the following hypotheses were tested:

• Writing abilities in L1 (heritage language) and L2 (German) mutually influence each other; a high level of textual competence in L1 corresponds to a high level in L2.
• Extra-linguistic factors and metalinguistic aware- ness have an impact on writing abilities in both L1 and L2.

Data was collected from a total of 206 participants having either Italian (n=68), Greek (n=60) or Turkish (n=78) as a first language.

To determine textual competence, writing tasks were assigned to elicit narrative and argumentative texts in the L1 and L2. A model was developed to capture overall writing skills. This model considered textual macro- and microstructures, discourse mode (oral conceptual vs. written structural), and discourse stance (involve- ment vs. detachment). Based on these criteria, a detailed analytical grid including five writing levels was developed for each writing genre.

A test for measuring metalinguistic awareness was developed to assess semantic, pragmatic and textual knowledge in the L1 and L2. Responses were ranked on a scale from 1 to 4 with regard to appropriateness.

To explore the impact of extra-linguistic factors on textual competence, interviews with the participants in L1 and L2 as well as with their parents were conducted to gauge language attitudes and levels of use.

Participants from all three heritage language groups achieved higher levels in the argumentative texts in the L2 (German) than in their L1 (heritage language). The argumentative texts composed in the L1 differ in terms of textual structure (macrostructure), which can be explained by culture-specific patterns not acquired in the respective language. Compared with the argumentative texts, participants attained higher scores in writing abilities in the narrative texts in both languages. In general, subjects who achieved high scores in their L1 attained equally high (or even higher) scores in the L2.

A significant correlation between metalinguistic awareness and writing abilities were also found.

The correlational analysis of the extra-linguistic data indicated that formal heritage language instruction has a positive impact on writing abilities in the L1 only when attended for six years or more. However, this may also relate to other factors, such as les-on design and quality of instruction (especially in afterschool programmes). Overall it can be shown that instruction in the heritage language has no negative effect on the development of L2 writing abilities.

A further finding is that reading books and writing complex texts, such as essays and stories, exert the highest impact on writing abilities in both the L1 and L2.

•  Linguistic support for bilingual children ought to be carried out in both languages.
• The L2 does not suffer when the L1 is supported; rather, it can be strengthened.
• The promotion of metalinguistic awareness, i.e. a differentiated knowledge of linguistic structures and rules of language usage, ought to be implemented more intensively in the language classroom
• Literacy development should be an integral part of multilingual education. Here, concepts can be developed, for example in contrastive language didactics, where different genre patterns and rhetorical functions in the respective languages are contrasted.

Riehl, C. M. (demn.). Multiliteracy. The interdependence of L1 and L2 and extra-linguistic factors. In The Heritage Language Journal.

Riehl, C. M., Yilmaz-Woerfel, S., Barberio, T. & Tasiopoulou, E. (2018). Mehrschriftlichkeit. Zur Wechselwirkung von Sprachkompetenzen in Erst- und Zweitsprache und außersprachlichen Faktoren. In B. Brehmer und G. Mehlhorn (Hrsg.) Potentiale von Herkunftssprachen: Sprachliche und außersprachliche Einflussfaktoren. Narr: Stauffenburg, S. 93-116.

Yilmaz-Woerfel, S. & Riehl, C. M. (2016). Mehrschriftlichkeit: Wechselseitige Einflüsse von Textkompetenz, Sprachbewusstheit und außersprachlichen Faktoren. In C. Schroeder und P. Rosenberg (Hrsg.) Mehrsprachigkeit als Ressource in der Schriftlichkeit. Berlin: de Gruyter, S. 304-336. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110401578-015

Barberio, T. (2019). Schreiben in zwei Sprachen: Argumentative und narrative Texte bilingualer italienisch-deutscher Schülerinnen und Schüler. Dissertation: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, München.

Barberio, T. (2020). Sprachkontaktphänomene bilingualer italienisch-deutscher Schüler am Beispiel argumentativer Texte. In P. N. A. Hanna, B. Sonnenhauser, C. Trautmann & D. Holl (Hrsg.) Diskussionsforum Linguistik in Bayern: Mehrsprachigkeit und Variation (PDF), 7, S. 1 – 25.