The core phenomenon, which has been derived in the analytical process, is orientation (see Table 8-1). It occurs when 8-year-old learners engage in plurilingual spatial education, as can be derived from their verbal voicings. This concept describes a process in which each learner is engaged and through which it is able to gain an overview of space, its different dimensions, and its incorporated varieties of places.
During this process, students try to localize different places in space while also becoming aware of the different spatial dimensions by applying numerous strategies.
The concept is also linked to ‘objective references’ in space, such as numbers on a map, street names on a street sign, and defined landmarks. These references serve as a navigation tool other people can also refer to. Aside from referring to objects of collective standardization, relationships to the children’s everyday experiences are also significant. Therefore, learners try to navigate through space while oscillating between
‘objective references’ and everyday life experiences. This enables them to take part in
societal positioning processes. The following verbal voicings highlight this process as two examples taken from the data corpus are shown in the following dialogues (for additional examples, see chapter 11.7):
FM29 (f, 9.0, Arabic and German) is searching for a landmark called ‘Maille’ on a city map lying on the table in front of her. Sadly, she cannot locate the landmark again. She stands up and walks to the large-scale wall map that is pinned to one of the classroom walls. Here, she looks for the landmark again. After standing there for approximately 30 seconds, the following dialog is recorded:
FM29: Die Nummer 15!
I: Woher weißt du das?
FM29: Das ist da erklärt. Hast DU die 15 gefunden?
I: ja
FM29: Auja (.) da
I: Also (.) wo liegt die Maille?
FM29: Bei der Nikolauskapelle und bei meinem Augenarzt (FN_200-207).
It is in this situation that FM29 can suddenly locate the landmark and reaches out to the researcher (I) for reassurance, who is standing next to her in order to follow this orientation process. Firstly, FM29 refers to a number on the map which might be bigger and easier to read there as well as in the legend. In addition, she refers to another landmark which is located right next to the one she was looking for and is being explored by one of her classmates. Secondly, FM29 links the orientation process to her everyday life experiences while stating that the landmark is really close to her ophthalmologist. FM29 successfully takes part in the orientation process.
The learners CJ62 (m, 8.0, German), BK58 (f, 8.6, German, French, Italian, Spanish and English), CC04 (f, nd, Hungarian and German), and RA08 (nd, 7.6, German), as well as the researcher (I) are sitting at a table on which a city map is placed. The following conversation is recorded:
IE12:Da wohn ich. (lachen)
RA08: Ja das ist (lachen) / das ist weiß ich ja.
I: Was da in der 12?
IE12: Ja bei der 12 da I: Da?
RA08: Mhm//
IE12: //Ja den Weg da I: //Mhm
CJ62: Barbarossastraße zw//
BK58: //Du wohnst glaub hier irgendwo CJ62: //70, dann wohn ich irgendwo//
BK58: //Hier glaub ich CC04: Dann//
CJ62: //Ich geh mal gucken BK58: //Da wohnt er//
CJ62: //Da unten da bei//
CC04: //Barbarossastraße//
BK58: //Ähm, des/ des soll ein großes Kreuz sein//
RA08: //Und da sieht man//
I: //Da ist das Kreuz//
BK58: //Ok, da ist//
BK58: // Ist des die?// (KG_2_350-393).
After localizing their own houses on the map, the four learners would like to know where one of their friends lives. They are all actively engaged in the orientation process. CJ62 states that he is actively ‘getting up and looking for the place’, while BK58 has already found it. Moreover, CJ62 and CC04 keep reassuring BK58 while at the same time trying to grasp the street name ‘Barbarossastraße’
themselves. In addition, BK58 is able to decipher the symbol of a cross (which denotes a church she knows) and asks for the name. In the later part of the sequence, the learners try to find out the name of this church. All four learners successfully participate in the orientation process.
In addition, the orientation process is characterized by the notion of an antipode which was briefly touched upon in the concept of ‘objective references’. Learners turn to socially negotiated standardizations in order to make themselves understood while talking to other people. This process is very similar to the evolution of language in which over time, people agreed on a ‘signifiant’ that referred to a common ‘signifié’. As well as referring to points of ‘objective reference’ such as a street name or another defined landmark – as highlighted in the examples above –, learners also attempt to position themselves in space. Hence, in order to effectively take part in the orientation process, learners are on a quest for their own position in space – namely a place. The
‘localization’ of the learner’s own self or of their current position can be recognized as a significant addition to the orientation process (see Table 8-1). Therefore, they need to be aware of their position in space so as to be able to navigate through space. In addition to the localization processes of IE12, BK58, and CJ62 in the example given above, the following example taken from the data corpus and referring to the researcher’s field notes demonstrates the need for being aware of one’s own position in space before navigating through it (for additional examples, see chapter 11.8):
After the main learning sequence has taken place, a learner (Schüler 18) walks up to the teacher and kindly asks her for a map he can take home. Puzzled about the question, the teacher asks for a reason. Although the student states that he wants to know where his house is, the teacher objects since the requested map is a city map which will not help him in locating his house. The student is baffled and walks away.
Schüler18: [Name der Lehrperson] (.) ich brauche eine Karte für Zuhause?
L: Warum denn? Für was?
Schüler18: Ich weiß nicht wo Zuhause ist, damit ichs finde L: Ja (.) aber eine Stadtkarte hilft dir für Zuhauses nicht Schüler18: mh (…) (und geht weiter) (FN_190-194).
This example demonstrates the importance of the localization process for the learners.
The learner requires his own position in order to locate other places in space and is also aware of the role of a map in this localization process. The map acts as the key to his unknown position; however, unfortunately it is not offered to him. The need to retrieve a position in space and therefore to also refer to a place is constituted in the work by Massey & Jess (1995). Here, the sense of place is strongly discussed in light of migratory patterns of a globalized world in which people are ingrained in several places (Massey & Jess 1995).