Diversity as an opportunity: Promote multilingualism in German professional life!

Diversity as an opportunity: Promote multilingualism in German professional life!

In addition to German, more and more people in Germany are incorporating additional languages ​​such as Turkish, Polish or Arabic into their jobs. Nevertheless, the use and recognition of these heritage languages ​​in the world of work often remains unclear. A new research project at the University of Duisburg-Essen, called “Multilingual participation in the labor market – value and use of heritage languages ​​in employment” (MAriE), is dedicated to precisely this topic. The German Research Foundation is supporting the project with around 200,000 euros for a period of three years to investigate the role of heritage languages ​​in a professional context.

The project includes a variety of methods, including surveys and group discussions, to analyze the use of heritage languages ​​in the workplace. Researchers are particularly interested in what personal experiences respondents have had and which language they feel most confident in. It is also about finding out whether migrants benefit from their native language skills and whether these advantages also benefit employers.

Linguistic diversity and its benefits

A central assumption of the project is that linguistic diversity is assessed through different company structures, educational paths and social norms. The aim is to identify ways in which employers can recognize and promote their employees' language skills beyond English. Not only the recognition of the languages ​​of origin should contribute to equal opportunities and fair participation in professional life, but also innovative approaches to design in the working environment.

The importance of multilingualism goes beyond the labor market. In Germany, almost every second child in large cities now has a migration background, which increases the importance of multilingualism in schools and educational institutions. Children whose native language is not German should learn German at an early stage while maintaining their native language. These are key points for successful bilingual funding, which is supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The challenge is to create favorable conditions to understand and use multilingualism as an opportunity.

According to the IQB education trend 2021, only 60 percent of primary school children speak only German at home. This is down from 73 percent in 2016 and 84 percent in 2011. In many German households, German is accompanied by a variety of other languages, highlighting the country's cultural and linguistic richness. According to Samir Bouajaja, a teacher at a comprehensive school in Cologne, the appreciation of multilingualism among students with international family history is crucial for their identity formation and academic success.

The role of education

The studies show that multilingualism not only brings cognitive benefits such as better concentration and attention skills, but also improves language learning ability. Early childhood language development is crucial because children are able to learn multiple languages ​​easily, especially by the age of six to seven. This is demanded by linguists as a central educational goal in Germany.

Despite these positive aspects, many children with a migrant background face additional challenges. On average, they perform lower in school, which is not only due to their language background, but also to socioeconomic factors and parental support. Children from less educated families are less likely to attend high school, which underlines the need for targeted language support.

In summary, current trends and research show that multilingualism has significant value in society, particularly in education and the workplace. The challenge is to create suitable framework conditions to use and promote the diverse linguistic skills.