Berlin, Berlin. Kreativität im Literaturunterricht als Herausforderung für die Lehrerfortbildung

Als offenes Sinnangebot, das zu einem kreativen Umgang mit Fremdem einlädt, hat Literatur im Fremdsprachenunterricht der Sekundarstufe I und II eine zentrale Bedeutung. Lektüre und Diskussion von Literatur kann Schülerinnen und Schüler motivieren und produktiv machen, wenn sie in einem Dialog geführt wird, bei dem es nicht in erster Linie um das Verstehen als ,,richtiges" Aufheben von Fremdheit, sondern um eine mehrstimmige, kreative Auseinandersetzung mit dieser Fremdheit geht. Einen solchen Umgang mit literarischen Texten will ein neues Fortbildungsprogramm an der Universität Lausanne ausprobieren und einüben. Dabei geht es nicht um die Vermittlung fertiger didaktischer Sequenzen, sondern um Impulse für mehr Kreativität im Umgang und Einsatz von Literatur im Unterricht. Am Beispiel einer aktuellen Fortbildung zur deutschsprachigen Literatur über Berlin aus dem 20. und 21. Jahrhundert wird im Folgenden dargelegt, wie Räume geschaffen werden können, in denen ein kreativer Umgang mit Literatur zu erleben ist, der zu einem vergleichbaren Literaturunterricht in den Schulen inspirieren mag.

Visual cortex in Alzheimer's disease: occurrence of neuronal death and glial proliferation, and correlation with pathological hallmarks.

Visual areas 17 and 18 were studied with morphometric methods for numbers of neurons, glia, senile plaques (SP), and neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) in 13 cases of Alzheimer's disease (AD) as compared to 11 controls. In AD cases, the mean neuronal density was significantly decreased by about 30% in both areas 17 and 18, while the glial density was increased significantly only in area 17. The volume of area 17 was unchanged in AD cases but its total number of neurons was decreased by 33% and its total number of glia increased by 45% compared to controls. In AD the number of SP was similar in areas 17 and 18, while that of NFT was significantly higher in area 18. The number of neurons with NFT was only 2% in area 17 and about 10% in area 18. The discrepancy between the loss of neurons and the amount of NFT suggests that neuronal loss can occur without passing through NFT degeneration. The deposition of SP was correlated with glial proliferation, but not with neuronal loss or neurofibrillary degeneration.

Phylogeography and recolonization of the Swiss Alps by the Valais shrew (Sorex antinorii), inferred with autosomal and sex-specific markers.

Using one male-inherited, one female-inherited and eight biparentally inherited markers, we investigate the population genetic structure of the Valais shrew (Sorex antinorii) in the Swiss Alps. Bayesian analysis on autosomal microsatellites suggests a clear genetic differentiation between two groups of populations. This geographically based structure is consistent with two separate postglacial recolonization routes of the species into Switzerland from Italian refugia after the last Pleistocene glaciations. Sex-specific markers also confirm genetic structuring among western and eastern areas, since very few haplotypes for either Y chromosome or mtDNA genome are shared between the two regions. Overall, these results suggest that two already well-differentiated genetic lineages colonized the Swiss Alps and came into secondary contact in the Rhône Valley. Low level of admixture between the two lineages is likely explained by the mountainous landscape structure of lateral valleys orthogonal to the main Rhône valley.

Bilateral transitory projection to visual areas from auditory cortex in kittens.

A transitory projection from primary and secondary auditory areas to the contralateral and ipsilateral areas 17 and 18 exists in newborn kittens. Distinct neuronal populations project to ipsilateral areas 17-18, contralateral areas 17-18 and contralateral auditory cortex; they are at different depth in layers II, III, and IV. By postnatal day 38 the auditory to visual projections have been lost, apparently by elimination of axons rather than by neuronal death. While it was previously reported that the elimination of transitory axons is responsible for focusing the origin of callosal connections to restricted portions of sensory areas it now appears that similar events play a more general role in the organization of cortico-cortical networks. Indeed, the elimination of juvenile projections is largely responsible for determining which areas will be connected in the adult.