Learning in context from an interdisciplinary perspective

First, the merits and limitations of international large-scale studies in this respect are taken up from an international and a national perspective. Second, the conditions that contribute to inequalities in competencies are discussed, emphasizing the role of families and peers. In a third step we focus on the impact of linguistic skills as key competences in acquiring knowledge, explicating central theoretical concepts such as language acquisition and (learning) context. On the basis of a methodological section devoted to the benefits of combining quantitative and qualitative approaches, the aim of the last section is to outline the leitmotif of the selection and arrangement of the contributions to this issue.