Trainees with wide-ranging language biographies and skills can be found in general education classes at VET schools. To take account of this heterogeneity, we have developed a programme of process-oriented writing as part of this project that combines first and second language didactics. While all trainees benefit from this programme, irrespective of their language background, it is those completing apprenticeships with lower academic requirements who can especially capitalise on it.

In this European project, we not only promote reading and writing skills in the context of general education classes in VET, but also as part of subject lessons. Reading and writing are taught and learnt on an integrated basis in the context of both everyday and professional situations. Furthermore, teachers are enabled to convey subject content in a language-sensitive manner. This means, for example, that they can take account of the challenges faced by class participants when they have to read and write domain-specific texts, while at the same time promoting profession- and subject-related language skills.

In this project, we implemented and scientifically evaluated the concept of integrated reading and writing support at Swiss VET schools. It was found that VET students, and especially those in classes with lower academic requirements (Federal Certificate of Vocational Education and Training), write more communicatively effective texts when reading and writing are taught and learned in an integrated and contextualised manner.

As part of the health care assistant course of the Swiss Red Cross, we developed didactic scenarios in collaboration with professionals that promote job-related language knowledge and skills. The course’s primary target groups are migrants, refugees and temporarily admitted persons who would like to enter the health care profession. The trilingual scenarios are used in the preparatory language course and during training.