- Schopper Maintains Adequate Workforce for Language Advancement
It's one of the key initiatives of the green-black administration in Baden-Württemberg, as asserted by Education Minister Theresa Schopper, and won't fall flat due to a lack of qualified personnel: the language development program for preschools and elementary schools. "We've crunched the numbers and believe we can make it happen," the Green politician told the German Press Agency in Stuttgart. However, she acknowledged that recruiting enough qualified personnel won't be a walk in the park.
To bring this program to fruition, Schopper is counting on teachers and preschool educators who will undergo additional training in language promotion. She also plans to involve less prevalent professionals in the education sector, such as child educators, according to Schopper.
The minister is optimistic that by the time the project is fully operational, there will be enough teachers on hand to handle language promotion in the field. "Given the large number of study places we've created and are now making their way into schools, and considering the expected decrease in primary school enrollment, I believe we'll have enough teachers capable of offering language promotion," Schopper explained. The concept calls for an additional four hours of promotion per week. "A single teacher could potentially handle multiple groups," she added.
Language education before school enrollment
Starting in the upcoming school year, the state will invest heavily in a million-euro language promotion package for preschools and elementary schools. Children who still struggle with language at the school entrance exam will receive intensive language instruction for four hours per week before starting school.
If children still can't speak sufficient German to attend primary school, they will be enrolled in so-called transitional classes from the 2026/2027 school year. By the 2028/2029 school year, a total of 832 locations will be established throughout the state. From then on, language promotion will be mandatory, according to the state government. Just before the summer break, the coalition passed a new school law to create the legal foundation for this.
The state government is responding to a worrying trend in primary school performance. Recent educational studies have shown a downturn in performance in key subjects like math and German. In 2022, this was evident in the underwhelming test results of fourth-graders in mathematics and German: nearly one-fifth of children did not meet the minimum standards in both subjects. The proportion of high-performing students who meet or surpass the standard in German and mathematics also decreased.
- To effectively implement the language development program, the Education Minister Theresa Schopper emphasizes the need for teachers and preschool educators to undergo additional training in language promotion and plans to involve less prevalent professionals such as child educators.
- Recognizing the importance of language education before school enrollment, the state will provide intensive language instruction for four hours per week to children who struggle with language at the school entrance exam, with the goal of having sufficient teachers capable of offering language promotion by 2028-2029.
