1. Learner counselling in L2 literacy
Karen Schramm, Universität Wien

2. 2
Overview
1. L2 literacy in Germany
2. The LELEBE-project
3. Language learner counselling
4. Instruments & procedures
a. Learning biography
b. Assessment of written skills
c. Assessment of phonological awareness
d. Learning style inventory
e. Determining goals and planning
f. Strategy training
5. Conclusion

3. 3
80ies: Germany
„discovers“
illiteracy
90ies: few literacy
classes for
immigrants (often
L1)
2005: „integration
courses“ with
literacy
component
1. L2 literacy in Germany

4. 4
1. L2 literacy in Germany
Basic course 300 units
Advanced A 300 units max. A1.2
Advanced B 300 units A2.1
Advanced C 300 units A2.2

5. 5
1. L2 literacy in Germany
L1 Percentage
Kurdish 22.4 %
Arabic 14.1 %
Turkish 11.0 %
Russian 9.8 %
Albanian 6.1 %
Farsi 4.7 %

6. 6
2. The LELEBE-project
university
„unsatis-factory
situation“
language
schools
town hall
migration
counsel-ling
other
course
coordi-nation

7. 7
2. The LELEBE-project

8. Team
Stefan Markov (75%)
Christiane Scheithauer (75%)
Aims (April 2012 – April 2014)
- to develop a concept for learner counselling in L2
literacy classes;
- to implement this concept;
- to produce a brochure for teachers explaining the
concept and providing materials.
co-financed by
Europäischer
Integrationsfonds
2. The LELEBE project

9. 9
2. The LELEBE-Project
Planning April – Sept. 2012
 development of a tentative concept and of
instruments/materials for learner counselling
Implementation Oct. 2012 – Nov. 2013
 actual learner counselling (15 hours per person) and
development of final concept
Evaluation Dec. 2013 – April 2014
 evaluation of learner counselling and publication of
materials and concept

10. 10
2. The LELEBE-project
draft materials
needs analysis
strategy counselling
implementation improvement
needs analysis
strategy counselling

11. 11
First languages of participants
Persisch
Albanisch
Arabisch
Kurdisch
Punjabi
Igbo
Fur
Vietnamesisch
Hindi
Thai
Portugiesisch
Urdu
Türkisch
Aramäisch
Amharisch
n=41

12. 12
mehr als 8 Jahre
5-8 Jahre
0-4 Jahre
0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00%
n=41
Years of schooling in home country

13. 13
2. The LELEBE-project

14. 14
3. Language learner counselling
The counsellor‘s responsibilities
• foster reflection on learning;
• analyze learning difficulties;
• strengthen the person‘s responsibility for own learning;
• suggest adequate strategies;
• strengthen sense of self-efficacy;
• make progress visible;
• increase motivation.

15. 15
3. Language learner counselling
oral proficiency
level of autonomy
below A2 in German if
counselling is not
possible in L1
at least A2 in German or
counselling in L1
rather low
- mainly strategy training
- use of vidual aids for
explanations, activities
and evaluations
- semi-directive
counselling combined
with strategy training
- explanations and
reflections (supported by
visual aids)
rather high
- semi-directive learner
counselling
- reflection supported by
visual aids
- non-directive learner
counselling

16. 16
3. Language learner counselling
Session 1 – Introduction & learner
biography
Session 2 – Assessment of written skills (&
phonological awareness)
Sessions 3 -4 – Strategy inventory & goal
setting/planning (& style inventory)
Sessions 5-14 – Strategy training
Session 15 – Strategy evaluation & wrap-up

17. 3. Language learner counselling
17
voluntary
partici-pation
goal
orientation
reflection
on
learning
process
flexible
degree of
directivity
...
reliance on
L1

18. 18
4a. Learning biography

19. 19
4a. Learning biography

20. 20
4b. Assessment of written skills

21. 21
4b. Assessment of written skills

22. 22
4c. Assessment of phonological awareness
1. My appartment analyzing syllables
- identifying position of syllable in a word,
- naming syllables of a word.
2. In German class synthesizing syllables
3. In the supermarket analyzing syllables (naming syllables and their number)
4. At the work-place identifying rhymes
5. In the post-office identifying phones
- localizing the position of a given phone in a word
- naming phones in a word
6. Down-town synthesizing phones into words
7. At the bank analyzing words into phones

23. 23
4c. Assessment of phonological awareness

24. 24
4c. Assessment of phonological awareness

25. 25
4c. Assessment of phonological awareness

26. 26
4c. Assessment of phonological awareness

27. 27
4d. Learning style inventory

28. 28
4e. Determining learning goals and planning

29. 29
4f. Strategy training

30. 30
4f. Strategy training

31. 31
4f. Strategy training

32. 32
4f. Strategy training

33. 33
4f. Strategy training

34. 34
4f. Strategy training

35. 35
4f. Strategy training

36. 36
5. Conclusion
To be successful, learner counselling in the field of L2 literacy should....
... be done in the L1.
... should provide orally enhanced and printed materials in the L1.
... should be goal-oriented and strengthen responsibility for learning.
... should introduce the student to strategies, help them to effectively employ and
finally to evaluate them.
... should encourage reflection on learning and thereby increase sense of self-efficacy.

37. Find Arabic & Turkish posters and sound files
on this website at the end of September:
www.waxmann.com/Lernberatung
Username: Deutschlernende
Password: Lernberatung
English publication on the LeLeBe-project:
Markov, Stefan/Scheithauer, Christiane (2013). Counselling of L2 literacy
learners in German integration courses with a literacy component. In: Maisa
Martin, Lea Nieminen & Taina Tammelin-Laine (eds.), Low-Educated Second
Language and Literacy Acquisition. Proceedings of the 8th Symposium.
Jyväskylä, Finland: University of Jyväskylä. [Online:
https://jyx.jyu.fi/dspace/bitstream/handle/123456789/41907/978-951-39-
5310-2_LESLLA.pdf?sequence=1].
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