German Society for Foreign Language Research

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Fremdsprachenforschung (DGFF), or German Society for Foreign Language Research, is a registered association (eingetragener Verein) based in Düsseldorf, Germany. Its stated purpose is to promote research activities related to foreign languages (Fremdsprachenforschung). From a psycholinguistic perspective, this involves investigating the acquisition and use of second languages as well as the phenomenon of multilingualism; from a specifically foreign-language-didactic perspective, it concerns research into the school-based teaching and learning of foreign languages, particularly in intercultural contexts. To advance the scientifically grounded development of the teaching and learning of foreign and second languages in universities, schools, and other educational institutions, the DGFF supports German and international research activities in these areas. It advocates for the promotion of early-career researchers and for securing appropriate institutional conditions at universities. In pursuit of these goals, the society provides financial support for regional research symposia and resulting publications, organizes annual early-career conferences, and has held the "Kongresse für Fremdsprachendidaktik" (Congresses for Foreign Language Didactics) every two years since 1990, each at a different university location. It also publishes the journal Zeitschrift für Fremdsprachenforschung (two issues per year) and the book series Beiträge zur Fremdsprachenforschung. The society was founded on 18 February 1989 at the University of Essen, following an initiative that emerged in 1988 from the annual spring conference on foreign language teaching research held at Schloss Rauischholzhausen. The founding members were Werner Hüllen, Gerda Lauerbach, Dorothea Möhle, Helmut Sauer, Johannes-Peter Timm, Helmut Johannes Vollmer, and Günther Zimmermann. Werner Hüllen became the first chair, Dorothea Möhle the second chair, and Helmut Sauer the treasurer. As of 2022, the board consists of Petra Kirchhoff (University of Erfurt) as first chair, Britta Viebrock (Goethe University Frankfurt) as second chair, and Dominik Rumlich (University of Paderborn) as treasurer. Grit Mehlhorn serves as the contact person for the ZFF, and Olivier Mentz represents the next DGFF congress. Today the DGFF has around 600 members, including researchers, teachers, and students. It offers reduced membership fees for doctoral students, students, and trainee teachers. The society issues position papers and an ethics code, and it continues to organize its biennial congress; the 32nd Congress for Foreign Language Didactics is scheduled for 28 September to 1 October 2027 at the University of Göttingen. The DGFF also maintains the DGFF-Kolleg and publishes the Zeitschrift für Fremdsprachenforschung, with volume 35, issue 2 (2024) being the most recent at the time of the source.

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Fremdsprachenforschung (DGFF) was founded on 18 February 1989 at the University of Essen. The initiative for its establishment emerged in 1988 from the annual spring conference on foreign language teaching research held at Schloss Rauischholzhausen. The founding members were Werner Hüllen, Gerda Lauerbach, Dorothea Möhle, Helmut Sauer, Johannes-Peter Timm, Helmut Johannes Vollmer, and Günther Zimmermann. Werner Hüllen became the first chair, Dorothea Möhle the second chair, and Helmut Sauer the treasurer. The motivation for founding the society was described as follows: "Through the interaction of foreign language didactics and language teaching research, their weight in the context of research-oriented scientific organizations and teacher education should be strengthened, and the working conferences of foreign language didacticians, which had developed into considerable congresses, should be placed on an organizational basis. This should absolutely happen in good neighborliness with the FMF (= Fachverband Moderne Fremdsprachen) and other organizations, and should complementarily strengthen the FMF's commitment at the school level with that of the DGFF at the college and university level." Since 1990, the DGFF has organized the "Kongresse für Fremdsprachendidaktik" (Congresses for Foreign Language Didactics) every two years, each at a different university location. The society also holds annual early-career conferences and supports regional research symposia and their publications. It publishes the Zeitschrift für Fremdsprachenforschung (two issues per year) and the book series Beiträge zur Fremdsprachenforschung. As of 2022, the board consists of Petra Kirchhoff (University of Erfurt) as first chair, Britta Viebrock (Goethe University Frankfurt am Main) as second chair, and Dominik Rumlich (University of Paderborn) as treasurer. Grit Mehlhorn serves as the contact person for the ZFF, and Olivier Mentz represents the next DGFF congress. The society currently has around 600 members. The 32nd Congress for Foreign Language Didactics is scheduled for 28 September to 1 October 2027 at the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen.

• 2024

  Zeitschrift für Fremdsprachenforschung volume 35, issue 2 published.

• 2022

  Board consists of Petra Kirchhoff (first chair), Britta Viebrock (second chair), and Dominik Rumlich (treasurer).

• 1990

  First biennial 'Kongress für Fremdsprachendidaktik' held; the series continues every two years at different universities.

• 1989

  DGFF founded on 18 February at the University of Essen by Werner Hüllen, Gerda Lauerbach, Dorothea Möhle, Helmut Sauer, Johannes-Peter Timm, Helmut Johannes Vollmer, and Günther Zimmermann.

• 1988

  Initiative for founding the society emerges from the annual spring conference on foreign language teaching research at Schloss Rauischholzhausen.

• 32nd Congress for Foreign Language Didactics scheduled for 28 September to 1 October at the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen.

A scholarly association for foreign language research and didactics, complementing school-level organizations like the FMF by focusing on the university level.

• Zeitschrift für Fremdsprachenforschung (ZFF)

  Academic journal published twice a year.

• Beiträge zur Fremdsprachenforschung

  Book series published by the DGFF.

• Kongresse für Fremdsprachendidaktik

  Biennial congress held since 1990 at different universities.

• DGFF-Kolleg

  A format for early-career researchers.

1. 1HomePage » Deutsche Gesellschaft für Fremdsprachenforschung (DGFF)dgff.de
2. 2Deutsche Gesellschaft für Fremdsprachenforschungde.wikipedia.org
3. 3Deutsche Gesellschaft für Fremdsprachenforschungwikidata.org