MEZ 2

This follow-up project focusses on the phase in adolescents’ lives in which they prepare for their professional or vocational paths (i.e. by vocational orientation courses, by vocational train- ing on the job, by following the academic track or by academic studies). The first study of its kind, it will provide empirically substantiated findings on the relationship between language — especially multilingual — development and the initial steps toward professional integration taken by young people both with and without a migration background. The main research areas of the project are:

• Language development in the transition to career paths
• The development of language skills perceived to be relevant to professional training and the labour market
• Language development strategies and their influences during this transitional phase

The principle research interest is on findings regarding the development of professionally oriented and academic language skills, which can be used in career advice for young multilinguals. The findings will further draw attention to supportive conditions in making the transition from school to professional qualification. 

A follow-up investigation into the skills and characteristics of participants collected and documented in the MEZ project is was designed. As the MEZ project was still running, 1,127 students agreed to participate in this follow-up study. Since most were no longer in their former school, the data collection must be conducted individually via a mixed-mode survey design comprising online and postal formats and with two measurement points.

Productive language skills are measured using the written tasks developed in the MEZ project. Receptive language skills are measured via a reading comprehension test, and general language skills in a C-test. The languages assessed are German (as majority and language of schooling), Russian and Turkish (as heritage languages), and English as a foreign language. Additional receptive and professionally relevant language skills are tested in German.

Within the context of school-to-career transition, MEZ­-2 investigates the educational and career aspirations, expectations, language attitudes and identities of the participants. Taken together, their perceptions of labour-market demands for language skills are further examined. Psychological resources that function as resilience factors in transitional phases are also appraised. Finally, the role of digital media in acquiring and maintaining multilingual skills, as well as functioning as information channels for career options, are considered.

This follow-up study makes it possible to investigate relations between educational success, career-related knowledge, professional orientation and language skills. These investigations are based on a substantial sample of participants in the transitional phase from school to professional orientation. The large-scale study design permits complex analyses that not only show correlations but also provide explanations for observed phenomena. Special attention is paid to aspects that can be influenced through pedagogical action and supporting measures. These are, on the one hand, skills and knowledge (e.g. language skills, career-related knowledge); on the other hand, cognitive and mental resources (e.g. language awareness, resilience). The follow-up study will thus lead to new and reliable findings on the reasons for successful (or not) transition from school to vocation or profession, which can contribute to the practical design of this transition. In particular, new insights into the problem of differentiating between migration-related and general reasons for (lack of) success are anticipated.