In quadrilingual Switzerland, lessons in two foreign languages are compulsory from the primary level up to the end of lower secondary schooling. In general, Swiss curricula are rooted in a multilingual teaching and learning concept that is designed to exploit the transfer potential of interlingual resources.

In 2004, the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK) issued a decision to begin foreign language education already at primary school; as a result, Switzerland’s cantons have successively adapted their foreign language education programmes, starting in the 2006/2007 school year. The new requirement has generated prolonged and multi-layered debate in which various sources are cited, including scientific studies, literature on early language instruction and other forms...

In language pedagogy, a linguistic error is commonly defined as an element that fails to conform to a norm (e.g. a grammatical, orthographic, pragmatic rule). In general topic of errors has generated much debate in pedagogical circles, and it has inspired numerous scholarly studies on interlanguage, metalinguistic awareness and the efficacy of correction practices for promoting language learning. Despite the topic’s prevalence, however, evidence is largely lacking on how teachers approach...

Calls for a stronger pedagogical connection between teaching the language of schooling and teaching foreign languages have repeatedly been made, as it is believed learners can benefit from the potential synergies. Despite this long-standing demand, however, language lessons continue to focus largely on a single language. The SWIKO triple S project is investigating whether interrelationships between the language of schooling and foreign languages can be capitalised on.

The development of oral communication and interaction (conversational involvement) is a key focus in foreign language teaching frameworks, as outlined in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), documents from the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK), and the Regional Education Plans. However, despite the efforts made in this field, the desired outcomes remain elusive. Foreign language instruction, particularly in French, has traditionally...

All residents of Switzerland are required to interact with the administrative authorities through written correspondence, necessitating the development of a degree of "administrative literacy" which will often involve plurilingual communication. This research project focuses on the understanding and drafting of written correspondence with social security bodies such as the unemployment, disability, AVS, and family allowance services.

This project builds on the foundational study “The diaspora rumantscha in German-speaking Switzerland”, which proposed further research in two areas: 1) the ways in which new speakers and parents with passive skills in Romansh influence family language policies and 2) how children and parent-child dynamics impact the languages spoken in a family and how fa

The placement of learners in literacy courses according to skill level is often faulty, and the resulting heterogeneity in such classes poses difficulties for both teachers and learners; in addition, the inefficient use of government funds earmarked for integration is also problematic.

This project investigates the relationship between family language policy (FLP) and a child’s language use, and it observes changes both in a child’s use of language and in FLP during the transition to the formal education system. The method of input contexts in multilingualism (Ritterfeld & Lüke 2013) is applied to study FLP in multilingual families before and after the oldest child enters kindergarten or primary school .

Le famiglie migranti sono chiamate a operare delle scelte sulla lingua o le lingue da utilizzare nella loro vita quotidiana. Negli ultimi decenni, queste decisioni sono state analizzate approfonditamente nel quadro degli studi sulla family language policy (FLP). Le prime ricerche si sono concentrate sulla pianificazione linguistica esplicita e manifesta in famiglie occidentali del ceto medio, un gruppo mirato considerato troppo elitistico.