Subject didactics
The didactics of Romance languages investigates the teaching, learning, and assessment of linguistic competencies from both theoretical and empirical perspectives. It designs evidence-based and theory-driven implementation strategies for foreign language teaching, with the aim of strengthening the subjects of French, Italian, and Spanish in schools.
In language-specific research, the focus is on the development of learners' morphosyntactic and lexical structures in language didactics, the impact of various teaching approaches—such as explicit versus implicit teaching and learning forms, task-based teaching and learning—for the sustainable acquisition of Romance languages, as well as learner-sensitive assessment processes and instruments. Literature didactics explores the use of contemporary literary forms, such as graphic novels, in the classroom and their impact on aspects of acquisition and motivational parameters in foreign language learning. Media didactics ("Mediendidaktik") currently assumes a particular role: considering and reflecting on multimodal and multi-codal teaching scenarios necessitates a more precisely defined multiliteracy (including visual literacy, digital literacy, media literacy, and AI literacy). Based on this, the core ideas of digital literacy are specified for subject-specific contexts, and concepts for a reflective use of generative AI (e.g. ChatGPT) in teaching are developed.
Beyond language-specific research, cross-linguistic phenomena of multilingualism in both everyday life and schools, as well as methodological and media aspects (keyword: digital transformation), are examined. Corresponding action guidelines for teachers are developed. Professional research focuses on the linguistic biographical aspects of prospective foreign language teachers and, on this basis, designs courses of action for actors in educational institutions within the context of migration-induced linguistic diversity.
The expertise in Romance language didactics also contributes to nationwide educational policy projects, such as the new lower secondary curriculum, the development of competence grids and items for their assessment ("digicheckP"), the creation of digitally supported teaching scenarios for Romance languages, and collaboration on the Eduthek.
Today, they are the norm rather than the exception: societies characterized by migration, multilingualism and cultural transformation. Linguistic diversity and cultural exchange influence spaces, actors, values, economic, social and political systems.
The website on the focus area provides up-to-date information.
Individual research priorities
The main areas of research in didactics at the Department of Romance Studies can be found on the researchers' websites (listed in alphabetical order).
| +43 316 380 - 8222 Institut für Romanistik http://homepage.uni-graz.at/de/simona.bartolikucher/ |
| +43 316 380 - 2517 Institut für Romanistik |
| +43 316 380 - 2503 Institut für Romanistik https://homepage.uni-graz.at/de/barbara.hinger/ |
| +43 316 380 - 3845 UNI for LIFE Weiterbildungs GmbH https://homepage.uni-graz.at/de/elke.hoefler/ |
Overview of currently supervised dissertations
-
Identità plurilingue nella didattica dell'italiano L2 ad apprendenti adulti migranti in contesto formale (Carlotti Elvira, supervisor: Bartoli-Kucher Simona)
- El espanol para mayores - Mixed methods study on the learning processes of second language acquisition of Spanish by older learners (60+) at the Instituto Cervantes in Vienna (Escudero Alegre Andreas Borja, supervisor: Hinger Barbara)
- Teaching values and culture in foreign language teaching. Theoretical considerations and exemplary studies on concepts of Global Citizenship Education in the practice of Styrian schools and universities (Faustmann Stefanie, supervisor: Bartoli-Kucher Simona)
-
The learner-language development of the verbal system in the written production of French as a second living foreign language. Empirical findings from the second year of learning at lower secondary level (Tengler Bettina, Supervisor: Hinger Barbara)
Networks, research associations, organisations
Founded in 2007, the ÖGSD (Austrian Society for Language Didactics) promotes and networks academics and practitioners.
The Austrian Association for the European Center for Foreign Languages in Austria acts as an interface between the Council of Europe institution and the Austrian regional authorities.
Homepage of the Department of Didactics at the Department of Romance Studies.