Europe in Foreign Language Teaching

Why have I chosen this topic?

The focus of language teaching has moved over the last fifty years from a traditional one language one-nation perspective to a stronger understanding of, for example, ‘the German speaking countries of Europe’ or ‘la francophonie’ (French-speaking countries of the world). Since the turn of the century, the European Union has more openly promoted the goals of plurilingualism (individual multilingualism) and European citizenship; consequently, in my doctoral study, I aim to explore to what extent the focus of language teaching is now changing again to encompass this new direction. Understanding how languages can shape identities and create citizenship is one aspect of my study. I also explore the role European Studies as a subject might play within language learning and teaching in the post-primary school, given that, in 2015, EU education ministers agreed that political education based on common European values should be introduced throughout the member states. To date, discussions on the role of European Studies in schools have largely overlooked the central role language learning might play in fostering European identity. In my PhD, therefore, I explore if and how European Studies and foreign language teaching are, or might be, combined in the secondary-school curriculum in schools in Austria, Germany and Ireland.

My central research question

The central research question of my thesis is if and how European Studies and foreign language teaching are, or might be, combined in the secondary-school curriculum in selected schools in Austria, Germany and Ireland. My focus is the teaching and learning of English, French, German, Italian and Spanish as foreign languages. My research combines the analysis of a) EU and national policy documentation around European citizenship and language education policy, b) school curricula and language-learning textbooks and c) online surveys and interviews with secondary-school language teachers regarding their experience of integrating European Studies into the foreign language classroom.

Through my study, I aim to identify both potential obstacles and personal/societal opportunities that a stronger sense of European citizenship might bring, while making recommendations, as appropriate, on new approaches to teaching European Studies within the languages curriculum.