The last two decades have alerted applied linguists and their bureaucratic counterparts--those who make or advise government on language policy--to the issue of dealing with language problems in an accountable fashion. Why do these problems seem so intractable? How is it that these problems have not yet satisfactorily been solved? What is it that continues to drive the interest in this? To the scholars from many parts of the world who have been invited to discuss this anew in the proposed volume, it was evident that language planners, policy makers and language managers do not know just how much work there is for language teachers to do if all of the academically desirable arrangements or policies proposed are to be implemented successfully. Indeed, the challenge to implement these at times ambitious plans of language policy makers is normally much bigger than the policy makers estimate.

Globalisation and African Languages links African language studies to the concept of 'globalisation' which increasingly undergoes critical review. Hence, African linguists of various provenience can make valuable contributions to this debate. In cultural matters, which by definition include language, there is often a sense that globalisation leads to a major trend of homogenisation, which results in a reduction of diversity on the one hand and, on the other, in new themes being incorporated into global (cultural) patterns. However, often conflicting and overlapping particularistic interests exist which have a constructive as well as destructive potential. This aspect leads directly to the first of three sections of this volume, LANGUAGE USE AND ATTITUDES, which addresses some of the burning issues in sociolinguistic research. Since this research area is tightly linked to the educational domain these important issues are addressed in articles that comprise the second section of this volume: LANGUAGE POLICY AND EDUCATION. The third section of the volume presents articles dealing with LANGUAGE DESCRIPTION AND CLASSIFICATION demonstrating which parts of different language systems are affected through contact under historical and modern conditions. The contributions of all the well-known scholars in this volume show that globalisation is a two-way street, and to ensure that all sides benefit in a reciprocal manner means the impacts have to be monitored globally, regionally, nationally and locally. By disseminating and emphasising these linguistic findings as part of the global cultural heritage, African language studies may offer urgently needed new perspectives towards a rapidly changing world.

Theoretische Grundlagen in Verbindung mit einer Vielzahl an praktischen Handreichungen zum facherubergreifenden Unterricht sind fur alle Facher der Grundschule (Mathe, Deutsch, Fremdsprachen, Sport, Musik, Kunst, Sachunterricht, Ethik, Religion) relevant und notwendig. Auf Grundlage der bundesweiten Forderung, dass in den Grundschulen Kompetenzen facherubergreifend aufgebaut werden sollen, greifen die Beitrager die aktuell diskutierten Theorien auf, um auf dieser Basis innovative Ideen fur den praktischen Unterricht herzuleiten und vorzuschlagen. Diese werden oft durch weitere Materialien im Online-Anhang erganzt. Beitrage zu den Transitionsphasen Kindergarten/Grundschule und Grundschule/Sekundarstufe zeigen jeweils Moeglichkeiten des methodischen Vorgehens auf beiden Stufen bzw. in beiden Institutionen.