Professorship for English Didactics

Organisational unit: Section

Organisation profile

The Department of Didactics of English deals with a variety of aspects of teaching and learning English as a foreign language in education. The emphasis is on primary and secondary schools (Grund-, Haupt- und Realschulen), but vocational schools (Berufsbildende Schulen) and further education as well as ongoing professional development are also important fields of work in the following areas: research and teaching in the field of teacher training, methods and approaches of English teaching in view of their role in teaching the English language, English language literature and cultures. The focus of our research is on foreign language teaching and learning with digital media and video-based teaching research.

Teaching and research in the department is concerned with the roles of learners and teachers in the English teaching and learning process and the consequences of this for the design of learning environments, learning materials, tasks and exercises. Our seminars aim to familiarise future teachers with relevant theoretical concepts and evidence-based methods of foreign language teaching and to systematically develop their competences. For this purpose, for example, teaching materials are analysed and materials and lesson plans are developed. Current issues regarding standards and curriculum development are taken into account. In cooperation with campus schools, innovative seminar concepts are realised, which enable a continuous exchange of theory and practice. The seminars also contribute to the development of students' diagnostic skills, by looking at current approaches to learning assessment, especially the European Language Portfolio and forms of digitally supported, adaptive practice and testing. The teaching content focuses on dealing with heterogeneity in foreign language teaching, teaching intercultural communicative competence and constructing digitally supported teaching and learning settings. The Department of English Didactics cooperates closely with the Future Centre for Teacher Education at Leuphana University and is an innovation leader for teaching projects such as the multi-perspective teaching videodatabase Multiview (multiview.leuphana.de) or the use of a video conference system in cooperation with the Jesteburg Secondary School. Within the framework of a permanently established, multi-phasic and multi-institutional development team consisting of university teachers, university students, representatives of the teacher education seminar and external experts, new formats for teacher training are jointly developed and researched.

Research and development areas at a glance:

  • Computer Assisted Language Learning (multimedia teaching and learning scenarios, intelligent tutorial systems, artificial intelligence, chatbots)
  • Promotion of receptive and productive orality
  • Project-based learning didactics
  • Drama techniques in the EFL classroom
  • Playful approaches (analog and digital game development)

Topics

Computer Assisted Language Learning, Web 2.0 in the EFL Classroom – Tasks, Methods, Scenarios, Project Work, Drama Techniques, Foreign Language Learning on Primary Level,
Teacher Training Research

  1. 2016
  2. Published

    The Connected Classroom: Using Video Conferencing Technology to Enhance Teacher Training

    Drexhage, J., Leiß, D., Schmidt, T. & Ehmke, T., 2016, In: Reflecting Education. 10, 1, p. 70-88 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Wir müssen reden. Interaktive Anwendungen zum fremdsprachlichen Sprechtraining

    Schmidt, I. & Blume, C., 2016, Interaktivität beim Fremdsprachenlehren und -lernen mit digitalen Medien: Hip oder Hype?. Zeyer, T., Stuhlmann, S. & Jones, R. D. (eds.). Tübingen: Narr Francke Attempto Verlag, p. 211-235 25 p. (Giessener Beiträge zur Fremdsprachendidaktik).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  4. 2015
  5. Published

    Mehr Schriftlichkeit bitte! Contra

    Schmidt, T., 17.08.2015, In: Fremdsprachen Lehren und Lernen. 44, 2, p. 131 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Approaching the Cognitive and Social Functions of World of Warcraft Fan-Comics

    Jones, R. D., 30.06.2015, In: Networking Knowledge. 8, 4, 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Becoming a (Better) Language Teacher: Classroom Action Research and Teacher Learning

    Benitt, N., 2015, Tübingen: Narr Francke Attempto Verlag. 264 p. (Giessener Beiträge zur Fremdsprachendidaktik)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Hier werden Parallelwelten im Unterricht sichtbar – Multiperspektivische Unterrichtsvideos in der universitären LehrerInnenausbildung

    Paulicke, P., Schmidt, T. & Ehmke, T., 2015, In: Seminar. 3, p. 15-27 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Lesetechnik

    Schmidt, T., 2015, Sprachdidaktik: Erstsprache, Zweitsprache, Fremdsprache. Kilian, J. & Rymarczyk, J. (eds.). Berlin, Boston: Walter de Gruyter GmbH, 1 p. (Wörterbücher zur Sprach- und Kommunikationswissenschaft (WSK) Online).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticles for encyclopediaResearch

  10. Published

    Notting Hill Gate 1

    Schmidt, T. (ed.) & Edelhoff, C. (ed.), 2015, Braunschweig: Diesterweg. 264 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCompendium/lecture notesEducation

  11. Published

    Notting Hill Gate 1: Inklusions- und Fördermaterialien mit Audio-CD

    Schmidt, T. (ed.) & Edelhoff, C. (ed.), 2015, Diesterweg. 144 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCompendium/lecture notesEducation

  12. Published

    Notting Hill Gate 1: Workbook mit Lernsoftware und Audio-CD

    Schmidt, T. (ed.) & Edelhoff, C. (ed.), 2015, Diesterweg. 144 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCompendium/lecture notesEducation