Children in the German-speaking part of Switzerland must be able to navigate both language varieties: Swiss German and High German. High German is the language of instruction and writing, while the dialect serves as the cross-class everyday language in all situations. For most monolingual children, this is unproblematic, as extensive studies have shown. However, what is the situation for multilingual children? Does the coexistence of dialect and standard affect these children's German learning? Does the dialect even hinder the acquisition of High German? Do primary school-aged children even know what High German and Swiss German are and when to use these two varieties? Or do they mix both without any system?

To find answers to these questions, this study analyzes High German and Swiss German picture stories from primary school children in terms of their language. Various tests provide insights into the awareness of language differentiation. A questionnaire helps clarify other important factors. Thus, it makes a significant contribution to the linguistic and language education debate regarding the language of instruction in German within our multilingual society.