MESUT 2: Developing mathematical conceptual understanding with language support: Empirical study in the opportunities-use-framework on differential conditions of success for content- and language-integrated interventions

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Integrating content and language learning is highly relevant in current policy and efforts for developing quality in classrooms. The preceding DFG-study provided empirical evidence for the efficacy of content- and language integrated interventions for the exemplary topic conceptual understanding of fractions, offered to mathematically weak, mono- or multilingual seventh graders with low or high German language proficiency. Further research needs to concern the differentiation of conditions of success for effective content- and language integrated interventions, which may lie in the interactive realization of learning opportunities by teachers as well as in their individual use by students. Within the theoretical framework of the opportunities-use-model, the new project pursues the following research question: Which features of interactively established learning opportunities, students` use and preconditions have the strongest connection to conceptual, discursive and lexical learning growth, and how are these features related to each other? Family preconditions are captured by multilingualism and socio-economic status, individual preconditions by language proficiency (C-test), general cognitive abilities (fluid intelligence in BEFKI), and mathematical pre-knowledge (fraction test). For capturing variance in the achievement levels, the existing sample of n = 186 mathematically weak students will be extended by n = 200 mathematically strong students. These students participate in 5 x 90 min interventions. In the pre-post-follow-up-design, the efficacy of these interventions is investigated with respect to the growth of conceptual understanding, lexical and discursive proficiency. 83 small groups are compared, not only with respect to the tasks and intended teacher moves (which were contrasted in the preceding randomized control trial), but additionally with respect to features of interactive realization which were identified as relevant and operationalized in several preceding projects: Learning opportunities and students` use are captured in communicative, discursive, conceptual and lexical dimensions by partly low inferent, partly high inferent ratings. The features are related to effects by multilevel modeling.An additional qualitative analysis of the teaching learning processes investigates micro-analytically the interplay of activation and participation in the joint conceptual knowledge construction processes. This analysis can triangulate the quantitative findings of statistical connections not only for validating them, but also for generating hypotheses for their explanation. The major outcomes of the project concern practically and theoretically highly relevant insights on conditions of success for mono- and multilingual students with weak or strong mathematical proficiency and low or high language proficiency. These differentiations can substantially contribute to a didactical theory of content- and language-integrated classrooms.