UNIVERSITY OF COLOGNE

The transnational Multi_DHH project, funded by a joint initiative of the DFG (Germany) and AHRC (UK), investigates how deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children growing up in multilingual migrant contexts experience and develop language. Focusing on families in the UK and Germany, it addresses a major gap in multilingualism research, which has largely centred on hearing, non-migrant populations and has overlooked marginalised groups with limited language choice and agency. Using an interdisciplinary, mixed-methods approach that combines linguistic ethnography, sociolinguistics, and psycholinguistics, the project documents the multilingual repertoires of DHH migrant children over time and examines how social, educational, and migration-related contexts shape language use and development. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological framework, the study investigates language as a social practice across home, school, and community settings. The transnational comparison leverages differences between the UK’s established support systems and Germany’s recent high migration to generate transferable insights. Outcomes include the development of culturally sensitive research methodologies, expanded scientific understanding of multilingual repertoires, and evidence-based guidelines for assessment, education, and policy. A participatory approach involving children, families, educators, and researchers ensures relevance, sustainability, and practical impact across Europe.

Collaborators

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Mann (University of Cologne, DE) (Co-Investigator)
Prof. Dr. Nicole Marx (University of Cologne, DE) (Principle Investigator)
Prof. Dr. Kate Rowley (University College of London, UK) (Co-Investigator)
Prof. Dr. Ruth Swanwick (University of Leeds, UK) (Principle Investigator)