LEARNING. TEACHING. TRANSFORMING.
DENIS WEGER
I work in the field of language teaching and learning research at the intersection between multilingualism research and research on teachers' professional development. My focus is on the language dimension of education in order to make teaching and learning processes as effective as possible for all students. Through my research and teaching, I contribute to more educational equality.
![Armut zum Thema im Unterricht machen: Warum und wie?
Armut betrifft in Österreich fast 1,6 Millionen Menschen, darunter rund 380.000 Kinder und Jugendliche. Das ist Lebensrealität vieler Schüler*innen und gehört deshalb auch in den Unterricht.
Richtig umgesetzt kann das Thema Kinder stärken, die selbst armutsgefährdet sind, und bei anderen Empathie für unterschiedliche Lebenswelten fördern. Wichtig: sensibel, nicht beschämend und gut begleitet. Die @armutskonferenz.die bietet dafür tolle Unterrichtsmaterialien für alle Schulstufen; meine Studierenden haben sie bereits erfolgreich ausprobiert.
Wie steht ihr zu Armut im Unterricht? Schreibt mir gern in die Kommentare!
Quellen:
Die Armutskonferenz. (o.J.). Unterrichtsmaterialien: Armut und soziale Ungleichheit. Online unter https://www.armutskonferenz.at/unterrichtsmaterialien [04.02.2026]
Statistik Austria. (2024). 336.000 Personen konnten sich 2023 Ausgaben des täglichen Lebens nicht leisten. (Pressemitteilung: 13 315-081/24). https://www.statistik.at/fileadmin/announcement/2024/04/20240425Armut2023.pdf
#armutimunterricht #bildung #schuleösterreich #sozialeungleichheit #pädagogik lehrkräfte unterrichtsideen empowerment chancengleichheit](https://scontent-den2-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/628420014_18549757717004809_2682023141699534019_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=103&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0xJUFMuYmVzdF9pbWFnZV91cmxnZW4uQzMifQ%3D%3D&_nc_ohc=Sv9ZECJyIjYQ7kNvwFs0ePd&_nc_oc=AdkEJGK9I9CDCAO92A03sW_8eHTVxwqxbIkWnitBZPnkjhjlzLjsrg7tKvFA-vPvZ38&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-den2-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=s2_PtKfCAHP-6-hsjSZu5w&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQHy-DJQYjoxQVHvsMMmmSUDz7hSTWEvMH79o2PDPn-A9moS0VC2C041qxLyE4szGZ2ox5NmNjwW&oh=00_AftxARvjCkatxGdzBDSAuynOtfGgWPQu6ebwY82QTJPm1A&oe=699103A1)
PROJECTS
Professional Development for Linguistic and Cultural Diversity through Teaching Abroad
In the context of increasing linguistic and/or cultural diversity in various education systems, teaching experience abroad is seen as a valuable opportunity to prepare pre-service teachers for this diversity. Programs such as ERASMUS+ and national language assistant schemes actively support such experiences. However, research on the impact of teaching abroad on the professional development of pre-service teachers remains limited and inconclusive. This project explores how teaching experiences abroad, particularly within the Austrian Language Assistant Program, influence the professional development of student teachers in addressing linguistic and/or cultural diversity. (Project in the application phase)
PUBLICATIONS
Exploring the relationship between Pre-service Teachers' Language biographical experiences and their prospective teaching in linguistically diverse classrooms
This study shows that it is not pre-service teachers’ multilingualism itself, but their individual experiences with language that shape their views on multilingualism in the classroom.
Teacher education should therefore create spaces for students to critically reflect on their language biographies and recognize their relevance for professional action in linguistically diverse classrooms.
Weger, D. (2025): Exploring the relationship between Pre-service Teachers' Language biographical experiences and their prospective teaching in linguistically diverse classrooms. Linguistics and Education.
Dynamics in pre-service teachers' beliefs about multilingualism and linguistic diversity in education: a Q methodology intervention study
This study shows that a targeted university course on linguistic diversity in the classroom can change pre-service teachers’ beliefs. Monolingual perspectives give way to more differentiated and inclusive views. The findings highlight the importance of teacher education programs that explicitly address multilingualism and create space for the development of professional beliefs.
Weger, D. (2025): Dynamics in pre-service teachers' beliefs about multilingualism and linguistic diversity in education: a Q methodology intervention study. Cogent Education.
Investigating the development of pre-service teachers' noticing for inclusive translingual instruction in secondary education: an intervention study
The study investigates how pre-service teachers, within a specialized course, learn to support the development of academic language in the language of schooling while also leveraging students’ multilingual repertoires as resources for learning. The results show significant learning gains in both areas, particularly in recognizing multilingual repertoires as a resource for learning.
Weger, D. (2025): Investigating the development of pre-service teachers' noticing for inclusive translingual instruction in secondary education: an intervention study. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism.
