Section 2: Recognising and implementing diversity

Dr. Sophie Engelen (Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen / Ruhr-Universität Bochum) & Dr. Nicola Heimann-Bernoussi (Ruhr-Universität Bochum / Universität Osnabrück)

The term diversity covers several dimensions of heterogeneity relevant to language learning. These include the following individual characteristics:

• learning and language biographies,
• social and cultural backgrounds,
• physical and psychological abilities,
• individual cognitive dispositions and learning abilities,
• sexual and gender identities and orientations,
• individual study, career and learning goals.

These frequently described forms of diversity represent both a challenge and an opportunity for language centres. Student diversity should thus be consciously recognised, understood, valued and addressed by ensuring that language courses reflect, accommodate and welcome this diversity. Only in this way can language courses meet several of the requirements and principles of modern foreign language teaching. These include offering programmes that target specific learner groups, striving for learner and potential orientation in the classroom, and providing inclusive and equal opportunities, including in assessment contexts. The most obvious and visible solutions would be, for example, catering for increased accessibility (e.g., through a diversity-sensitive choice of methods, access to materials, provision of information, etc.), consistently implementing compensatory measures for disadvantaged students, and offering teaching and learning materials that include themes and representations reflecting diversity and promoting empowerment of diverse groups.

The following questions, for example, could be addressed in a presentation or in a workshop:

• How can various dimensions of heterogeneity be addressed in the context of university language teaching? What methodological and didactic approaches to inclusive teaching have proven successful?
• To what extent is linguistic, cultural or gender diversity represented in teaching and learning materials? What materials have proven to be effective in adequately addressing and integrating diversity in the university context?
• How can physical and digital accessibility be achieved in language courses? How can measures to compensate for disadvantages in examination situations be put into practice?
• How does the increasing diversity of the student body affect the planning of teaching programmes? What role does the diversity of the teaching staff play in this regard?
• How can teachers and students be made more sensitive to diversity? How does the concept of critical foreign language didactics relate to the university context?

This section will deal with the teaching-, assessment- and administration-related aspects of diversity. Presentations showcasing research projects and professional development programmes are also welcome.

The languages of presentations and communication in this section are primarily English and German. In the spirit of translingual practice, other languages are welcome if either the slides or the oral presentation are written or given in English or German so that everyone in the audience can follow the content and participate in the discussion.

The following presentation formats are welcome:

• Talks (25-minute presentations followed by 10 minute-discussions)
• Workshops (40 or 80 minutes; please specify desired duration in your proposal)
• Moderated discussions (40 minutes)