BILINGUAL EDUCATION IN GERMANY

In the past years, bilingualism has become a topic of interest in various disciplines, such as neurology, psychology or linguistics. Scientists of all these disciplines are launching researches, in order to understand the impact bilingualism has on the development of people. A particular focus is laid on the aspect of education: how can children benefit from bilingual education? Why is bilingualism in education important in today's society? In Germany, the number of schools which offer some kind of bilingual education has risen significantly in the last decades. However, the majority of children are still being taught in one language only. The text depicts some crucial terms and facts, related to bilingual education, before pointing out different forms of bilingual education in Germany, particularly focusing on current developments. Its aims are to facilitate the reader to gain an insight into the situation of bilingual education in Germany, to offer background information about bilingualism and its benefits, and to cautiously initiate a process of reflecting on a possible future of bilingual education – not only in Germany.