Pedagogical approaches to meaningful intercultural communicative learning and inclusion in Europe
Plurilingual and pluricultural Europe
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INTRODUCTION
The development of intercultural competences and European citizenship through virtual exchange projects.
The intercultural turn in language education
Topic 1
Readings
Restaurantes
VE to enhance intercultural communication & European citizenship for an inclusive world
Topic 2
Resources
Click here for a short video guide on how to navigate the documents.
This material was created by K. Jauregi-Ondarra and B. Clavel Arroitia and the E-LIVE Consortium.
How to cite
Disclaimer: This project is funded by the European Commission within the Erasmus+ programme. This material reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.
introduction
TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES
The present interactive materials address key issues related to teaching and assessing intercultural communication processes in the foreign language classroom. You will find explanation of key concepts, models, tasks and procedures to enhance students' intercultural communication competences.These materials are organised around three main topics:
- The intercultural turn in foreign language education.
- Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communication and European citizenship for an inclusive world.
- Engaging tasks to stimulate Intercultural & inclusive skills, attitudes & awareness.
The materials are interactive, so take your time to think about the questions raised and to complete the quizzes.At the end of the module, you will find references to relevant work on intercultural communication, European citizenship and inclusion in order for you to gain a greater understanding of these key concepts.
introduction
INERNSHIPS
TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES
Languages in a highly globalised world are no longer monolithic codes, but rather pluricentric entities, as many different varieties have developed as result of contact, largely due to migration flows and mobility. In addition, those multiple linguistic varieties involve different cultural conceptualisations, making communication and achieving mutual understanding even more challenging. Our language classes reflect this rich social reality, which can be characterised as plurilingual and pluricultural. In this setting, developing intercultural competences, which involves intercultural awareness, open attitudes to diversity, skills for interpreting diversity and for relating to others by becoming mediators, becomes crucial as a strategy to contribute to inclusive classrooms and society. This all means that the native speaker is no longer the only model to be followed in education, but rather the intercultural speaker living in a plurilingual and pluricultural society is the model to adhere to (Byram, 2008). Speakers of a foreign language require skills that facilitate communication between people coming from different cultural backgrounds, while developing the positive attitudes towards others.
introduction
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES
mediation
intercultural competence
plurilingual competence
Have a look at these concepts. Do you know what they mean? Go to the Quiz in the next page.
Linguaculture
intercultural education
pluricultural competence
Key concepts
Solution
Drag each concept to the group it belongs to
(Beacco et al., 2016; CEFR, 2018)
The intercultural turn in language education
TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES
Watch the video and discover what the main topics are in this module.
The intercultural turn in language education
TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Introduction
We will start with a few reflection questions: 1. What is intercultural communicative competence for you and how important is it to you as a person, as a language learner or language teacher? Write your answers in this Padlet.2. When teachers are asked about the absence of Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) in the curriculum, many of them state that “although it’s an important topic, it’s just not possible to find the time to include it.” What are your thoughts about this? Write your answers in this Padlet.
ABOUT US
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Introduction
Across the globe, intercultural contact has become a reality as a result of business, travel, migration and international education. At the same time advances in technology (internet, social networking sites) are making it easier to link people virtually in different parts of the world. As people are becoming increasingly interconnected, the demand of individuals who can communicate appropriately and effectively with people with different linguistic and cultural backgrounds has become even more pressing for the twenty-first-century global citizen. Being aware of our beliefs, behaviours, and social practices can facilitate more effective encounters with members of other cultural groups (Abrams, 2020; Neuliep, 2018).
ABOUT US
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Introduction
One of the most significant changes in language learning and teaching over the past few decades has been the recognition of the cultural dimension as a key component of communication. The objective of language learning is no longer defined solely in terms of the acquisition of communicative competence in a foreign language, which refers to a person’s ability to act in a foreign language in linguistically, sociolinguistically and pragmatically appropriate ways (Council of Europe, 2001). Rather, it is also defined in terms of the intercultural competence, which implies the development of “the complex of abilities needed to perform effectively and appropriately when interacting with others who are linguistically and culturally different from oneself” (Fantini 2005, p. 1). This definition, in fact, complements the notion of communicative competence. According to Byram (1997) the success of communication implies not only an effective exchange of information, as was the goal of communicative language teaching, but also “the ability to decentre and take up the other’s perspective on their own culture, anticipating and where possible, resolving dysfunctions in communication and behavior ” (p. 42).
In this section we will learn about and reflect on issues related to the value of the intercultural in language learning processes.We will discuss:
Topic 1: The intercultural turn in language education
MODULE 1:The interrelationship language-culture
MODULE 2:The native speaker a contested model?
MODULE 3:Models of intercultural communication
Restaurantes
MODULE 4:Virtual Exchange for intercultural learning
ABOUT US
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Language + culture
Language & Culture: two sides of the same coin
Language learning is inseparable from learning the culture. “Learners need not just knowledge and skill in the grammar of a language but also the ability to use the language in socially and culturally appropriate ways’’ (Byram, Gribkova, & Starkey, 2002, p. 7). Cultural learning is increasingly seen as integral to language education, and not simply “an expendable fifth skill, tacked on, so to speak, to the teaching of speaking, listening, reading, and writing’’ (Kramsch, 1993, p. 1). In this line of thought, language and culture are considered to be two sides of the same coin: linguistic meaning that reflects the cultural perspective of a given community.
The ntercultural turn in language eductio
ABOUT US
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Language + culture
Integration of cultural learning: challenging
The adequate integration of cultural learning in a language learning classroom has been found to be quite difficult, probably due to the fact that traditionally language and culture have been different fields of inquiry and language teaching curricula has focused on communication skills and linguistic knowledge domains. Nowadays, experts in foreign language teaching agree on the mutual interdependence of language and culture and argue for pedagogical integration in the language classroom. More specifically, the notion of “linguaculture” (Agar, 1994) is being proposed as a way to bring cultural learning into foreign language pedagogy ( Risager, 2006, 2007). This requires a complete reconceptualization of the nature of language learning. Teachers cannot simply add culture to language learning, they must rethink their approach to foreign language pedagogy.
The intercultural turn in language education
TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Language + culture
But what is culture for you? We will continue with a quiz.
The intercultural turn in language education
Quiz What is "culture"?
Start
Here are some definitions on ´culture´. Which one is the most appealing to you?
“Culture is the collective programming of the human mind that distinguishes the members of one human group from those of another. Culture in this sense is a system of collectively held values.” Culture can consequently explain and predict behaviour (Hofstede, 1984)
“Culture is a fuzzy set of basic assumptions and values, orientations to life, beliefs, policies, procedures and behavioural conventions that are shared by a group of people and that influence (but do not determine) each member’s behaviour..." (Spencer-Oatey, 2008)
“Culture is everything related to arts, music, literature, theater, architecture, geography or history.”
🎉
Congratulations!
Culture is a very fuzzy and complex concept, difficult to define. In fact, there are many definitions depending on the field of inquiry and developments in time. The definition by Specer-Oatey (2008), seems to meet the actual conceptualisation of culture.
👎
Ups, do you really think so?
Try again!
INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Language + culture
"Big C" and "Little c" culture Culture is everything related to arts, music, literature, theater, architecture, geography or history This definition relates to "Big C" culture and refers to tangible cultural artifacts:
- Who are the good writers, artists, and musicians? What are their works?
- What are the great moments in this culture's history?
- What is the typical food?
"Little c" culture is not tangible and relates to features of daily life, assumptions, beliefs and social norms of a given community: “Culture is a fuzzy set of basic assumptions and values, orientations to life, beliefs, policies, procedures and behavioural conventions that are shared by a group of people and that influence (but do not determine) each member’s behaviour..." (Spencer-Oatey, 2008, p.3).
INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Language + culture
"Big C" and "Little c" culture Culture in textbooks
Choose a segment from a textbook that you use frequently in your (own) language classes. Make an outline of the lexico-grammatical material and the cultural material featured in the unit.
- Are both elements well integrated?
- Which approximation to culture do they exhibit ¨Big C´ or ´Little c” culture?
Consider what you could do to integrate linguistic and cultural elements more fully in your class.Write your answers in the Padlet
INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Language + culture
"Big C" and "Little c" culture: Culture in textbooks
Culture-specific topics receive more or less attention in textbooks. They are often presented from a fairly superficial, tourist-inspired perspective, emphasizing the notion of a fixed national culture, with widely shared national characteristics being generally the backdrop for the language materials presented. The cultural topics are mostly listed as individual facets of the culture. As Sercu (2010) states: “It seems that what textbooks have been doing is to throw chunks of culture at learners, have them read some texts that deal with cultural topics, and hope that this cultural foot bath will eventually have a positive effect on pupils’ mind-sets, and turn them into open-minded and tolerant citizens” (p. 70). Do you agree with Sercu's analysis?
INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Language + culture
Essentialist vs non essentialist views on culture Some reflection questions
- Do you think of ´culture´ as a monolithic entity applicable to a nation? Would you then refer to French, British, German cultures?
- Traditionally in language teaching classrooms, culture has been approached from quite essentialist viewpoints, connecting static and monolithic views of culture to nations as if they were differentiated blocks: the French, the German, the English … Think for a moment on these statements, would you agree?
- Spanish people are very passionate in their communication
- The Dutch are very direct
- Germans focus on hierarchy when communicating
Write your views on this approach in Padlet.
INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Language + culture
Essentialist vs non-essentialist views on culture Traditionally in language teaching classrooms, culture has been approached from quite essentialist viewpoints, connecting static and monolithic views of culture to nations as if they were differentiated blocks. Nowadays, this is viewed as an oversimplification, which can easily lead to stereotypes and prejudices: “There is a tendency to stereotype in cross-cultural literature, assigning to 'nations' cultural profile sets that are rarely applicable to any one individual and often creating a false sense of security in 'knowing' about another culture” (Witte, 2010: p. 108).
Spencer-Oatey (2008) in her definition of culture refers to assumptions, values, orientations to life, beliefs, behavioural conventions… that are shared by a group of people, but she does not refer to nations or countries as such.
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INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Language + culture
Essentialist vs non essentialist views on culture In the 21st century our perspective on culture has changed, due to mobility, migration and technological developments, therefore using ethnic categories to explain communication is outdated; unpredictability is the starting point for approaching cultures. Diversity has become even more diverse. We now refer to superdiverse societies. Culture and cultural communities need to be approached in their full complexity, as rich, varied, plural and dynamic realities. The focus should no longer be on nations, but on communities (Dervin & Liddicoat, 2013; Vertovec, 2006).
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Essentialism vs non-essentialism
In this section we will learn about and reflect on issues related to the value of the intercultural in language learning processes.We will discuss:
Topic 1: The intercultural turn in language education
MODULE 1:The interrelationship language-culture
MODULE 2:The native speaker a contested model?
MODULE 3:Models of intercultural communication
Restaurantes
MODULE 4:Virtual Exchange for intercultural learning
INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > The native speaker
Native speaker as model All language teaching approaches and curricula have traditionally had the native speaker model as a focus.
Think about the following points:
- How important is the native speaker in your language teaching approach?
- Is it the model you follow when teaching?
- Is it the frame of reference you use for creating materials or for assessing language proficiency?
Write your answers in this Padlet.
INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > The native speaker
Native speaker as model? The role and relevance of the native speaker as model for language learning purposes has been widely contested. Kramsch was one of the first scholars to question its role, as simply defining a ‘native speaker’ is problematic (Kramsch, 2009). Native speakers are not homogeneous in their communication abilities, they use different varieties and have different competence levels. So the question is who, which specific native speaker do you have in mind? Along these lines, putting the native speaker as the ideal to be followed implies a deficiency-oriented approach, as the foreign language learner may never reach the same knowledge and linguistic competence levels (Llurda, 2009). Instead, we advocate for a plurilingual learner who is able to function adequately and successfully in another language (c.f. Adams, 2020) and very especially for the intercultural speaker.
In this section we will learn about and reflect on issues related to the value of the intercultural in language learning processes.We will discuss:
Topic 1: The intercultural turn in language education
MODULE 1:The interrelationship language-culture
MODULE 2:The native speaker a contested model?
MODULE 3:Models of intercultural communication
Restaurantes
MODULE 4:Virtual Exchange for intercultural learning
INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Models of ICC
Intercultural communication The key question regarding intercultural communication is: what is needed for successful communication between people with different backgrounds? Scholars studying intercultural communication in the fields of social psychology, anthropology, business as well as applied linguistics, have provided insights into the linguistic and social skills, knowledge and attitudes needed to communicate effectively and appropriately in intercultural encounters. Byram´s (1997) seminal work specified the intercultural dimension in foreign languages based on the acquisition of a key set of competences related to: Knowledge, Attitudes, Skills of interpreting and relating, Skills of discovery and interaction and Political education including critical cultural awareness.
Byram's model
Drag each concept to the group it belongs to
INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > ICC models
Intercultural communication Another relevant model for Intercultural Communication is the pyramid or process model developed by Deardorff (2006, 2009). Attitudes, Knowledge & Skills are quite similar to Byram's model. It is the reflective and action directed process which is interesting in this model, especially when considering the outcomes: 1. Internal Outcomes: The main internal outcome of the development of intercultural competence is the ability to change perspective in order to respond flexibly to new situations. This implies an ability to reflect on intercultural issues and social interactions in an objective way which takes account of their complex, multifaceted and dynamic nature. 2. External Outcomes: As a result of those internal adaptations, speakers will be in a better position to communicate in a more appropriate and effective way in a new intercultural situation.
INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > ICC models > Mediation
Mediation A key term related to intercultural communication competence is mediation, which is crucial when interlocutors with different backgrounds interact. Teaching students to use a second/foreign language includes teaching them to be interculturally sensitive and act as a cultural mediator, by trying to see the world through the other’s eyes, and to consciously use culture learning skills (European Council, 2018). The term mediation was briefly defined in the 2001 CEFR text, as concerning a language user who plays the role of intermediary between different interlocutors. This definition has been expanded in the Companion Volume (2018) as understanding that in intercultural encounters an effort of translation from one’s own perspective to that of the other, keeping both perspectives in mind, is needed.
INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > ICC models > Mediation
In intercultural encounters students will need to engage in creating a shared space between linguistically and culturally different interlocutors, the capacity to:
- deal with diversity,
- identify similarities and differences,
- build on known and unknown cultural features, and so on
in order to enable communication and fruitful collaboration. The intercultural learner will learn to engage to facilitate a positive interactive environment for successful communication between participants of different cultural backgrounds, by creating a neutral, trusted, shared “space” in order to enhance communication between interlocutors. The aim is to expand and deepen intercultural understanding between participants and learn by engaging with, reflecting on and analysing "rich points"(potential communication differences/difficulties arising from contrasting cultural viewpoints, communication styles, attitudes and behaviours, Agar, 1994). The mediators need to continually develop (self-) awareness of sociocultural and sociolinguistic specificities affecting intercultural communication (European Council, 2018, p.114).
In this section we will learn about and reflect on issues related to the value of the intercultural in language learning processes.We will discuss:
Topic 1: The intercultural turn in language education
MODULE 1:The interrelationship language-culture
MODULE 2:The native speaker a contested model?
MODULE 3:Models of intercultural communication
Restaurantes
MODULE 4:Virtual Exchange for intercultural learning
INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Virtual Exchange for ICC
Virtual Exchange in the foreign language learning contextLanguage learning in foreign language contexts, that is, when the language being studied is not spoken by the community (ex. learning French in the Netherlands) offers limited options to receive rich input and interaction opportunities in a variety of contexts with the target community. This is crucial for successful language learning. In this learning context “learners tend to rely on the quite ‘sterile’ standardised language presented in textbooks and do not experience the linguistic and cultural diversity naturally present in the target community and needs to be mediated primarily through the classroom” (Liddicoat & Scarino, 2013). Virtual Exchange offers teachers the possibility to enrich their students' learning context by facilitating task-based technology- mediated collaboration and authentic communication with real peers abroad.
INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Virtual Exchange for ICC learning
In the following short videoclip M. Derivry provides an overview of the Intercultural Approach in Telecollaboration (virtual exchange): its importance, advantages, and organisation.
INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Virtual Exchange for ICC learning
The following short videoclip offers a brief description of an intercultural task (on breakfast) for telecollaboration practices. 1. Do you agree that it is an adequate task to enhance intercultural competences? Why? 2. What can the teacher do in order for this task to be meaningful to the learner and stimulate learner engagement in interaction? Write your answers in the Padlet.
The intercultural turn in language education Agar, M. (1994). Culture Shock. Understanding the culture of conversation. New York: Morrow. Byram, M.(1997). Teaching and Assessing Intercultural Communicative Competence. Tonawanda, NY: Multilingual Matters. Byram, M. & Kramsch, C. (2008). Why is it so difficult to teach language as culture? The German Quarterly, 81(1). DOI https://doi-org.proxy.library.uu.nl/10.1111/j.1756-1183.2008.00005.x Byram, M., Gribkova, B. & Starkey, H. (2002) Developing the intercultural dimension in language teaching. A practical introduction for teachers. Council of Europe. Deardorff, D.K. (2006) The Identification and Assessment of Intercultural Competence as a Student Outcome of Internationalization at Institutions of Higher Education in the United States. Journal of Studies in International Education, 10, (pp. 241-266) Deardorff, D.K. (2009) The Identification and Assessment of Intercultural Competence as a Student Outcome of Internationalization at Institutions of Higher Education in the United Statesand. In Deardorff, D.K. (Ed.). The SAGE Handbook of Intercultural Competence, Thousand Oaks: Sage. Dervin, F. & Liddicoat, A.J. (2013) Introduction: Linguistics and intercultural education. In F. Dervin & Liddicoat, A.J. (eds) Linguistics and Intercultural Education in Foreign Language Teaching and Learning, Amsterdam: John Benjamins, (pp: 1– 25).European Council (2001). Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, Cambridge: University of Cambridge Press and Council of Europe. European Council (2018). Common EuropeanFramework of Reference for Languages:Learning, Teaching, Assessment. Companion Volume with New Descriptors. European Council. Fantini, A. E. (2007). Exploring and assessing intercultural competence. Research Report for the Center for Social Development at George Warren Brown School of Social Work. Accessed at https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1815&context=csd_research
Readings
The intercultural turn in language education Hofstede, G. (1991). Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind. London, UK: McGraw-Hill. Kramsch, C. (1993). Context and Culture in Language Teaching. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Kramsch, C. (2009). The Multilingual Subject. New York, NY: Oxford University Press Liddicoat, A. J., & Scarino, A. (2013). Intercultural Language Teaching and Learning. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell. Llurda, E. (2009). The decline and fall of the native speaker teacher. In V. Cook & Li Wei (Eds.) Language Teaching and Learning (pp. 37–53). London, UK: Continuum. Neuliep, J. W. (2018). Intercultural Communication: A Contextual Approach (7th Ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage. Risager, K. (2007). Language and Culture Pedagogy: From a National to a Transnational Paradigm. Tonawanda, NY: Multilingual Matters. Sercu, L. (2005). Teaching Foreign Languages in an Intercultural World. In L. Sercu (Ed.), Foreign Language Teachers and Intercultural Competence: An International Investigation (Vol. 10, pp. 1-18). Bristol: Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781853598456 Spencer-Oatey, H. (Ed.) (2008). Culturally Speaking: Culture, Communication and Politeness Theory (2nd Ed.). London, UK: Bloomsbury Publishing. Vertovec, S. (2006). The Emergence of Super-Diversity in Britain. Oxford University. Accessed at: https://www.compas.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/WP-2006-025-Vertovec_Super-Diversity_Britain.pdf Witte, A.E. (2010) The Global Awareness Curriculum in International Business Programs: A Critical Perspective, Journal of Teaching in International Business, 21:2, (pp.101-131).
Readings
Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
Beacco J.-C. et al. (2016). Guide for the development and implementation of curricula for plurilingual and intercultural education, Language Policy Unit, Council of Europe, Strasbourg.Byram, M. (1997). Teaching and assessing intercultural communicative competence. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters. Cummins, J. (2015). Inclusion and Language Learning: Pedagogical Principles for Integrating Students from Marginalized Groups in the Mainstream Classroom. In C. M. Bongartz & A. Rohde (Eds.) Inklusion im Englischunterricht. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang. Dooly, M. (2011). ‘Crossing the intercultural borders into 3rd space culture(s): Implications for teacher education in the twenty- first century’. Language and Intercultural Communication, 11-4: 319-337. Dooly, M. (2016). ‘“Please remove your avatar from my personal space”: Competences of the telecollaboratively efficient person’. In T. Lewis and R. O’Dowd (Eds.) Online Intercultural Exchange: Policy, Pedagogy, Practice, New York: Routledge , pp. 192-208. The EVALUATE Group (2019). Evaluating the Impact of Virtual Exchange on Initial Teacher Education: A European Policy Experiment. Available online: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED593741.pdf EUROPEAN COMMISSION (2005). Special Educational Needs in Europe: The Teaching and Learning of Languages: Insights and Innovation. Brussels: European Commission DGEAC. Hennebry, M. (2011). Interactions between European Citizenship and Language Learning among Adolescent Europeans. European Educational Research Journal, 10-4: 623-641. Kramsch, C. (2009/2015). The multilingual subject. Oxford: OUP. Leask, B. (2008). Teaching for learning in the transnational classroom. In L. Dunne & M. Wallace (Eds.), Teaching in transnational higher education: Enhancing learning for offshore international students (pp. 120-132). Abingdon: Routledge.
Readings
Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
O’Dowd, R. & Dooly, M. (2020). Intercultural communicative competence development through telecollaboration and virtual exchange. In J. Jackson (Ed.), The Routledge Handbook of Language and Intercultural Communication (pp. 361- 375). London: Routledge.Orsini-Jones, M. & Lee, F. (2018). Intercultural Communicative Competence for Global Citizenship: Identifying cyberpragmatic rules of engagement in telecollaboration. Palgrave Macmillan. Orsini-Jones, M., Lloyd, E., Gazeley, Z, Lopez-Vera, B., & Bescond, G. (2015). Student-driven intercultural awareness raising with MexCo: Agency, autonomy and threshold concepts in a telecollaborative Project between the UK and Mexico. In N. Tcherepashenets (Ed.), Globalizing on-line: Telecollaboration, internationalisation, and social justice (pp. 201-234). Bern: Peter Lang. Orsini-Jones, M., Lloyd, E., Lee, F., Bescond, G. & Boylan, R. (2017). Troublesome multimodal multiliteracy development for global citizenship in international intercultural exchanges: the MexCo project case study. Practice and Evidence of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 12- 2: 22-44. Stathopoulou, M. (2015). Cross-Language Mediation in Foreign Language Teaching and Testing. Bristol: Multilingual Matters. UNESCO (2009). Policy guidelines on inclusion in education. [Online: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000177849]
Readings
Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Introduction
In this section we are going to learn about how Virtual Exchange (VE) can help improve some important competences for today’s students, i.e., Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) and European citizenship, in the context of inclusion. More particularly, these are the key concepts:
1. The need to offer students the right tools to think critically and to challenge accepted viewpoints through ICC
2. The ways in which VE can help learners acquire what we now call European citizenship
3. Inclusion and diversity in learning contexts and how VE can help teachers and students cope with that
Now let’s start with some reflection questions:
Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Introduction
In today’s globalized world, we need to offer students the chance to acquire critical skills which will give them the right tools to challenge accepted viewpoints (Orsini-Jones & Lee, 2018). According to these authors, in the field of language learning, skills of this kind include what we now call ICC first defined by Byram (1997) and later developed by Kramsch (2009/2015) among other authors (see previous section). Thanks to this competence, students can critically reflect on their own culture, can value cultural diversity and can feel empathy for others (Orsini-Jones & Lee, 2018). As Leask (2018, p. 128) puts it, this can be challenging for teachers and learners, but it can also help transform teaching methodologies and learning in general. Following Orsini-Jones et al. (2015, p. 205), we can state that developing ICC through telecollaboration can be quite a hard task, but the benefits we can obtain, particularly negotiation and reconfiguration of learners identities, certainly outnumber the drawbacks. Now take a look at the activity on the following page:
Before we start taking a look at the key concepts we proposed at the beginning of the section, it is worth taking a look at some important issues highlighted by the Council of Europe in their Reference Framework of References for Democratic Culture. More particularly, we are going to provide an overview of the conceptual foundations of the framework. Can you match these with their definitions?
MODULE 1:ICC competence
Topic 2: Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
MODULE 2: European citizenship
MODULE 3: Inclusion
Restaurantes
MODULE 4: How can virtual exchange help?
CONCLUSION
ABOUT US
Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
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ICC competence
Intercultural communicative competence, or ICC, is a key competence for our students today and there is extensive research on this in the literature. We have already highlighted Byram (1997) and Kramsch (2009/2015) among the most important ones.
In the CEFR Companion Volume (2020), we can find relevant information about the terms “multilingualism” and “plurilingualism” and how these can be related to the concepts of “plurilingual and pluricultural competence”:
“The CEFR distinguishes between multilingualism (the coexistence of different languages at the social or individual level) and plurilingualism (the dynamic and developing linguistic repertoire of an individual user/learner). Plurilingualism is presented in the CEFR as an uneven and changing competence, in which the the resources of the user/learner in one language or variety may be very different in nature from their resources in another. However, the fundamental point is that plurilinguals have a single, interrelated, repertoire that they combine with their general competences and may have various strategies in order to accomplish tasks (CEFR 2001 Section 6.1.3.2).”
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Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
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ICC competence
Through plurilingual competence, students will be able to: - switch from one language or dialect (or variety) to another;
- express themselves in one language (or dialect, or variety) and understand a person speaking another;
- call upon the knowledge of a number of languages (or dialects, or varieties) to make sense of a text;
- recognise words from a common international store in a new guise;
- mediate between individuals with no common language (or dialect, or variety), even if they only possess scant knowledge themselves
- bring the whole of their linguistic equipment into play, experimenting with alternative forms of expression; exploit paralinguistics (mime, gesture, facial expression, etc.).
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ICC competence
We would like to highlight the term mediation, as appears in one of those activities. Mediation itself has a plurilingual nature and according to Stathopoulou (2015, p.61), it entails “the use of the target language in particular social contexts in ways that are based on certain social needs”. Some authors refer to cross-language mediation as translanguaging practice. We will go back to this later on when we talk about diversity and inclusion.
Apart from anything else, there are important implications of plurilingualism and intercultural competence for curriculum design that will affect laws regarding education in different countries perhaps in different ways. Those related to the CEFR are outlined in the Guide for the development and implementation of curricula for plurilingual and intercultural education (Beacco et al. 2016).
Can you think of a class activity that could help your students develop their plurilingual competence based on any of the CEFR activities mentioned above? Write your answers here
MODULE 1:ICC competence
Topic 2: Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
MODULE 2: European citizenship
MODULE 3: Inclusion
Restaurantes
MODULE 4: How can virtual exchange help?
CONCLUSION
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Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
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European Citizenship
According to Byram (2013, p. 59), “the aims of teaching languages for intercultural competence include: linguistic, sociolinguistic and discourse competence in language, combined with intercultural competences in the discovery, analysis, comparison and critique of cultures”.
This is closely related to the concept of citizenship education, the aims of which, according to him, “include moral or ethical education, education in political literacy, and education leading to action in the world, and action which takes place now, not in the future” (Byram, 2013, p.59).
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Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
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European Citizenship
This leads us to the concept of “European citizenship”, promoted by the European Commission, and that can be used to refer to the “principle of member states working towards shared understanding between cultures, seemingly implying the development of effective communication and cooperation between them, while not losing their individual cultural heritage” (Hennebry, 2011, p. 624).
Education in general and language teaching in particular can indeed play a very important role in guaranteeing the development of this competence among children, teenagers and young adults. We will take a look at how VE can help with this further on.
MODULE 1:ICC competence
Topic 2: Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
MODULE 2: European citizenship
MODULE 3: Inclusion
Restaurantes
MODULE 4: How can virtual exchange help?
CONCLUSION
ABOUT US
Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
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Inclusion
In their report Special Educational Needs in Europe: The Teaching and Learning of Languages: Insights and Innovation, the European Comission (2005) stated that “all young people in the European Union, whatever their disability, whether educated in mainstream or segregated schools/streams, have equal rights to foreign languages education” (Executive Summary).
As we can see, this definition emphasizes the importance of providing all types of students with an equitable educational environment, or, in other words, to guarantee inclusion. This construct was defined by the UNESCO as: a process of addressing and responding to the diversity of needs of all children, youth and adults through increasing participation in learning, cultures and communities, and reducing and eliminating exclusion within and from education. It involves changes and modifications in content, approaches, structures and strategies, with a common vision that covers all children of the appropriate age range and a conviction that it is the responsibility of the regular system to educate all children. (UNESCO 2009: 8–9)
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Inclusion
It is clear that inclusion and equity can be considered necessary goals in education in general and in language teaching in particular. However, it is also true that the academic performance of students in risk of exclusion would suggest that these goals have not really been achieved yet. According to Cummins (2015: 112), one of the ways to achieve these goals would be to enable students to use language and literacy in ways that would support their identities. He states that instruction must address the sources of potential disadvantage that characterize marginalized group students by maximizing students’ engagement with literacy (in both their L1 and their L2) and by facilitating the use of language in powerful ways that can improve their academic and personal self-concept (2015: 107). In the next part of this presentation, we will see how VE can help us with that.
MODULE 1:ICC competence
Topic 2: Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
MODULE 2: European citizenship
MODULE 3: Inclusion
Restaurantes
MODULE 4: How can virtual exchange help?
CONCLUSION
ABOUT US
Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
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How can VE help?
The European Commission in their CEFR Companion Volume (2020), included the descriptor “online interaction” among their communicative activities and strategies (Chapter 3). And more particularly, they mentioned “using telecommunications” as one of the activities included in that section.
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How can VE help?
According to the CEFR, interaction is central in their scheme of language use and they consider interpersonal interaction to be “the origin of language, with interpersonal, collaborative and transactional functions” (Section 3.3). They also state that interaction is fundamental in learning and that interaction strategies are not only important in collaborative learning, but also in real-life communication.
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How can VE help?
When it comes to the CEFR scale “using telecommunications”, they explain that it “concerns use of the phone and internet-based apps for remote communication”. In section 3.31.3., they refer to “online interaction” and they explain that some requirements for successful communication in this context are:
The need for more redundancy in messages
The need to check that the message has been correctly understood
The ability to reformulate to help comprehension and deal with misunderstandings
The ability to handle emotional reactions
ABOUT US
Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
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How can VE help?
It is our conviction that through the type of VE activities that E-LIVE will offer, teachers and students will be provided with more tools to be able to cope with these requirements. More particularly, the CEFR explicitly mentions some key concepts operationalized in that scale that can all be accomplished through VE during E-LIVE. They are the following:
- instances of simultaneous (real-time) and consecutive interaction, the latter allowing time to prepare a draft and/or consult aids;
- participation in sustained interaction with one or more interlocutors;
- composing posts and contributions for others to respond to;
- comments (for example, evaluative) on the posts, comments and contributions of others;
- reactions to embedded media;
- the ability to include symbols, images and other codes to make the message convey tone, stress and prosody, but also the affective/emotional side, irony, etc.
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Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
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How can VE help?
As Orsini-Jones et al. (2017: 24) state, students involved in VE can engage “in joint curricular activities that […] are taking them out of their comfort zone and challenging them”. They also explain that staff and students involved in such projects engage with critical global citizenship which in turn allows them to confront their own otherness through dialogue with others. And finally, according to them, such projects help us address the need to develop ICC which can be beneficial for students in academic contexts and in the world of work. From the analysis of their data, these authors state that ICC in online exchanges could be considered a threshold concept.
ABOUT US
Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
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How can VE help?
O’Dowd and Dooly (2020: 365) also highlight some of the benefits referenced in previous literature when describing how VE can contribute to intercultural awareness, namely:
- VE can contribute more to cultural learning than other traditional resources traditionally employed in classrooms
- There can be potential gains in pragmatic competence
- Learners are given the chance to explore in-depth cultural ‘rich points’ and elicit connotations of cultural behaviour from real informants in the target culture. This becomes particularly relevant when they can experience similarities and differences in the way they understand different aspects in online interactions leading them to higher awareness of the relativity of their own cultural beliefs.
- Learners can get to understand the complexity and dynamism of cultural systems and, more importantly, they can see how there is a tendency of globalisation to resignify the local and the other way around (Dooly, 2011/2016).
MODULE 1:ICC competence
Topic 2: Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
MODULE 2: European citizenship
MODULE 3: Inclusion
Restaurantes
MODULE 4: How can virtual exchange help?
CONCLUSION
ABOUT US
Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
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Conclusions
In this presentation, we have taken a look at some relevant concepts in language education:
ICC
European citizenship
Inclusion
and we have seen how Virtual Exchanges can help us promote them among our students.
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Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
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Conclusions
Teachers need to look for new ways in which their students can face these challenges and opportunities in their classrooms first and then in the professional and social spheres of their lives in the future.
Virtual Exchange undoubtedly has its drawbacks and some researchers even describe it as ‘messy’, but it can certainly help us to achieve those aims. The Evaluate group (2019) pointed out that “the beneficial outcomes of telecollaboration for intercultural learning in foreign language education have been highlighted and found relevant enough to outweigh any challenges”. As O’Dowd & Dooly (2020) put it, VE is recognized by teachers, administrators and official organizations as a sound approach to interdisciplinary language teaching and learning.
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Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
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Final comment:
It is important to take into account the richness of the learning that can take place in an online exchange and recognise that this may be the closest a learner can come to experiencing intercultural communication within the supportive environment of the classroom. Telecollaboration is increasingly proclaimed by teachers, administrators, and by governmental and non- governmental organisations as a sound approach to interdisciplinary language teaching and learning (O’Dowd & Dooly, 2020: 369). If you wish to delve deeper into the topics we have looked at in this presentation, we offer you further information on the resources section
MODULE 1:ICC competence
Topic 2: Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
MODULE 2: European citizenship
MODULE 3: Inclusion
Restaurantes
MODULE 4: How can virtual exchange help?
CONCLUSION
ABOUT US
Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
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RESOURCES
TeCoLa teacher guide: European citizenship through telecollaboration:
TeCoLa teacher guide: What is an intercultural task?:
TILA teacher guide (1.2): Intercultural Communication and Foreign Language Learning:
TeCoLa teacher guide: The intercultural approach in telecollaboration:
Some examples of TILA tasks that promote ICC and European citizenship can be found here:
- TILA task_Spanish_LF_A2_Topic Global Warming_UVEG
- TILA task_Spanish_LF_A2_B1_Christmas and New Year_UVEG
- TILA task_English_LF_B1_TV shows_STC
- TILA task_English_LF_B1_Stereotypes_UR
- TILA task_English_LF_B1_Fuet or Rookworst_UU
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Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
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RESOURCES
Some examples of TeCoLa tasks that promote ICC and European citizenship:
- “What do you have for breakfast?”
- “Intercultural exchange about carnival traditions”
- “Intercultural exchange about Christmas”
- “My languages as a European citizen”
- “Discussing personal, controversial or intercultural issues”
Available here
TeCoLa Case Studies: Intercultural development through telecollaboration: A French-Turkish exchange Available here
Digital pedagogies
Intercultural competence &European citizenship
Engagement and motivation
Tasks for virtual exchange
Visit the E-LIVE project page
The present interactive materials address key issues related to virtual exchange as a way of enriching language learning processes. The materials, organised in four modules, are interactive. Take your time to think about the questions raised and to complete the activities. Click here for a short video guide on how to navigate the documents.
here
How to cite
Disclaimer: This project is funded by the European Commission within the Erasmus+ programme. This material reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.
Jauregi-Ondarra, K., & Canto, S. (Eds.). (2023). Teacher education modules for virtual exchange. E-LIVE Consortium https://view.genial.ly/650c289faad55800184cbfb7
Jauregi-Ondarra, K., & Canto, S. (Eds.). (2023). Teacher education modules for virtual exchange. E-LIVE Consortium https://view.genial.ly/64a6a57b5094fd0012c0e421
Jauregi-Ondarra, K. & Clavel Arroitia, B. (2024). Digitalisation to enrich language education. In K. Jauregi-Ondarra, & S. Canto (Eds.), Teacher education modules for virtual exchange. E-LIVE Consortium. https://view.genial.ly/64a6a57b5094fd0012c0e421
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Pedagogical approaches to meaningful intercultural communicative learning and inclusion in Europe
Plurilingual and pluricultural Europe
Feedback
INTRODUCTION
The development of intercultural competences and European citizenship through virtual exchange projects.
The intercultural turn in language education
Topic 1
Readings
Restaurantes
VE to enhance intercultural communication & European citizenship for an inclusive world
Topic 2
Resources
Click here for a short video guide on how to navigate the documents.
This material was created by K. Jauregi-Ondarra and B. Clavel Arroitia and the E-LIVE Consortium.
How to cite
Disclaimer: This project is funded by the European Commission within the Erasmus+ programme. This material reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.
introduction
TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES
The present interactive materials address key issues related to teaching and assessing intercultural communication processes in the foreign language classroom. You will find explanation of key concepts, models, tasks and procedures to enhance students' intercultural communication competences.These materials are organised around three main topics:
- The intercultural turn in foreign language education.
- Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communication and European citizenship for an inclusive world.
- Engaging tasks to stimulate Intercultural & inclusive skills, attitudes & awareness.
The materials are interactive, so take your time to think about the questions raised and to complete the quizzes.At the end of the module, you will find references to relevant work on intercultural communication, European citizenship and inclusion in order for you to gain a greater understanding of these key concepts.introduction
INERNSHIPS
TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES
Languages in a highly globalised world are no longer monolithic codes, but rather pluricentric entities, as many different varieties have developed as result of contact, largely due to migration flows and mobility. In addition, those multiple linguistic varieties involve different cultural conceptualisations, making communication and achieving mutual understanding even more challenging. Our language classes reflect this rich social reality, which can be characterised as plurilingual and pluricultural. In this setting, developing intercultural competences, which involves intercultural awareness, open attitudes to diversity, skills for interpreting diversity and for relating to others by becoming mediators, becomes crucial as a strategy to contribute to inclusive classrooms and society. This all means that the native speaker is no longer the only model to be followed in education, but rather the intercultural speaker living in a plurilingual and pluricultural society is the model to adhere to (Byram, 2008). Speakers of a foreign language require skills that facilitate communication between people coming from different cultural backgrounds, while developing the positive attitudes towards others.
introduction
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES
mediation
intercultural competence
plurilingual competence
Have a look at these concepts. Do you know what they mean? Go to the Quiz in the next page.
Linguaculture
intercultural education
pluricultural competence
Key concepts
Solution
Drag each concept to the group it belongs to
(Beacco et al., 2016; CEFR, 2018)
The intercultural turn in language education
TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES
Watch the video and discover what the main topics are in this module.
The intercultural turn in language education
TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Introduction
We will start with a few reflection questions: 1. What is intercultural communicative competence for you and how important is it to you as a person, as a language learner or language teacher? Write your answers in this Padlet.2. When teachers are asked about the absence of Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) in the curriculum, many of them state that “although it’s an important topic, it’s just not possible to find the time to include it.” What are your thoughts about this? Write your answers in this Padlet.
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The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Introduction
Across the globe, intercultural contact has become a reality as a result of business, travel, migration and international education. At the same time advances in technology (internet, social networking sites) are making it easier to link people virtually in different parts of the world. As people are becoming increasingly interconnected, the demand of individuals who can communicate appropriately and effectively with people with different linguistic and cultural backgrounds has become even more pressing for the twenty-first-century global citizen. Being aware of our beliefs, behaviours, and social practices can facilitate more effective encounters with members of other cultural groups (Abrams, 2020; Neuliep, 2018).
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The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Introduction
One of the most significant changes in language learning and teaching over the past few decades has been the recognition of the cultural dimension as a key component of communication. The objective of language learning is no longer defined solely in terms of the acquisition of communicative competence in a foreign language, which refers to a person’s ability to act in a foreign language in linguistically, sociolinguistically and pragmatically appropriate ways (Council of Europe, 2001). Rather, it is also defined in terms of the intercultural competence, which implies the development of “the complex of abilities needed to perform effectively and appropriately when interacting with others who are linguistically and culturally different from oneself” (Fantini 2005, p. 1). This definition, in fact, complements the notion of communicative competence. According to Byram (1997) the success of communication implies not only an effective exchange of information, as was the goal of communicative language teaching, but also “the ability to decentre and take up the other’s perspective on their own culture, anticipating and where possible, resolving dysfunctions in communication and behavior ” (p. 42).
In this section we will learn about and reflect on issues related to the value of the intercultural in language learning processes.We will discuss:
Topic 1: The intercultural turn in language education
MODULE 1:The interrelationship language-culture
MODULE 2:The native speaker a contested model?
MODULE 3:Models of intercultural communication
Restaurantes
MODULE 4:Virtual Exchange for intercultural learning
ABOUT US
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Language + culture
Language & Culture: two sides of the same coin Language learning is inseparable from learning the culture. “Learners need not just knowledge and skill in the grammar of a language but also the ability to use the language in socially and culturally appropriate ways’’ (Byram, Gribkova, & Starkey, 2002, p. 7). Cultural learning is increasingly seen as integral to language education, and not simply “an expendable fifth skill, tacked on, so to speak, to the teaching of speaking, listening, reading, and writing’’ (Kramsch, 1993, p. 1). In this line of thought, language and culture are considered to be two sides of the same coin: linguistic meaning that reflects the cultural perspective of a given community.
The ntercultural turn in language eductio
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The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Language + culture
Integration of cultural learning: challenging The adequate integration of cultural learning in a language learning classroom has been found to be quite difficult, probably due to the fact that traditionally language and culture have been different fields of inquiry and language teaching curricula has focused on communication skills and linguistic knowledge domains. Nowadays, experts in foreign language teaching agree on the mutual interdependence of language and culture and argue for pedagogical integration in the language classroom. More specifically, the notion of “linguaculture” (Agar, 1994) is being proposed as a way to bring cultural learning into foreign language pedagogy ( Risager, 2006, 2007). This requires a complete reconceptualization of the nature of language learning. Teachers cannot simply add culture to language learning, they must rethink their approach to foreign language pedagogy.
The intercultural turn in language education
TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Language + culture
But what is culture for you? We will continue with a quiz.
The intercultural turn in language education
Quiz What is "culture"?
Start
Here are some definitions on ´culture´. Which one is the most appealing to you?
“Culture is the collective programming of the human mind that distinguishes the members of one human group from those of another. Culture in this sense is a system of collectively held values.” Culture can consequently explain and predict behaviour (Hofstede, 1984)
“Culture is a fuzzy set of basic assumptions and values, orientations to life, beliefs, policies, procedures and behavioural conventions that are shared by a group of people and that influence (but do not determine) each member’s behaviour..." (Spencer-Oatey, 2008)
“Culture is everything related to arts, music, literature, theater, architecture, geography or history.”
🎉
Congratulations!
Culture is a very fuzzy and complex concept, difficult to define. In fact, there are many definitions depending on the field of inquiry and developments in time. The definition by Specer-Oatey (2008), seems to meet the actual conceptualisation of culture.
👎
Ups, do you really think so?
Try again!
INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Language + culture
"Big C" and "Little c" culture Culture is everything related to arts, music, literature, theater, architecture, geography or history This definition relates to "Big C" culture and refers to tangible cultural artifacts:
- Who are the good writers, artists, and musicians? What are their works?
- What are the great moments in this culture's history?
- What is the typical food?
"Little c" culture is not tangible and relates to features of daily life, assumptions, beliefs and social norms of a given community: “Culture is a fuzzy set of basic assumptions and values, orientations to life, beliefs, policies, procedures and behavioural conventions that are shared by a group of people and that influence (but do not determine) each member’s behaviour..." (Spencer-Oatey, 2008, p.3).INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Language + culture
"Big C" and "Little c" culture Culture in textbooks Choose a segment from a textbook that you use frequently in your (own) language classes. Make an outline of the lexico-grammatical material and the cultural material featured in the unit.
- Are both elements well integrated?
- Which approximation to culture do they exhibit ¨Big C´ or ´Little c” culture?
Consider what you could do to integrate linguistic and cultural elements more fully in your class.Write your answers in the PadletINTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Language + culture
"Big C" and "Little c" culture: Culture in textbooks Culture-specific topics receive more or less attention in textbooks. They are often presented from a fairly superficial, tourist-inspired perspective, emphasizing the notion of a fixed national culture, with widely shared national characteristics being generally the backdrop for the language materials presented. The cultural topics are mostly listed as individual facets of the culture. As Sercu (2010) states: “It seems that what textbooks have been doing is to throw chunks of culture at learners, have them read some texts that deal with cultural topics, and hope that this cultural foot bath will eventually have a positive effect on pupils’ mind-sets, and turn them into open-minded and tolerant citizens” (p. 70). Do you agree with Sercu's analysis?
INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Language + culture
Essentialist vs non essentialist views on culture Some reflection questions
- Spanish people are very passionate in their communication
- The Dutch are very direct
- Germans focus on hierarchy when communicating
Write your views on this approach in Padlet.INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Language + culture
Essentialist vs non-essentialist views on culture Traditionally in language teaching classrooms, culture has been approached from quite essentialist viewpoints, connecting static and monolithic views of culture to nations as if they were differentiated blocks. Nowadays, this is viewed as an oversimplification, which can easily lead to stereotypes and prejudices: “There is a tendency to stereotype in cross-cultural literature, assigning to 'nations' cultural profile sets that are rarely applicable to any one individual and often creating a false sense of security in 'knowing' about another culture” (Witte, 2010: p. 108). Spencer-Oatey (2008) in her definition of culture refers to assumptions, values, orientations to life, beliefs, behavioural conventions… that are shared by a group of people, but she does not refer to nations or countries as such.
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INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Language + culture
Essentialist vs non essentialist views on culture In the 21st century our perspective on culture has changed, due to mobility, migration and technological developments, therefore using ethnic categories to explain communication is outdated; unpredictability is the starting point for approaching cultures. Diversity has become even more diverse. We now refer to superdiverse societies. Culture and cultural communities need to be approached in their full complexity, as rich, varied, plural and dynamic realities. The focus should no longer be on nations, but on communities (Dervin & Liddicoat, 2013; Vertovec, 2006).
stitcher.com
Essentialism vs non-essentialism
In this section we will learn about and reflect on issues related to the value of the intercultural in language learning processes.We will discuss:
Topic 1: The intercultural turn in language education
MODULE 1:The interrelationship language-culture
MODULE 2:The native speaker a contested model?
MODULE 3:Models of intercultural communication
Restaurantes
MODULE 4:Virtual Exchange for intercultural learning
INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > The native speaker
Native speaker as model All language teaching approaches and curricula have traditionally had the native speaker model as a focus. Think about the following points:
- How important is the native speaker in your language teaching approach?
- Is it the model you follow when teaching?
- Is it the frame of reference you use for creating materials or for assessing language proficiency?
Write your answers in this Padlet.INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > The native speaker
Native speaker as model? The role and relevance of the native speaker as model for language learning purposes has been widely contested. Kramsch was one of the first scholars to question its role, as simply defining a ‘native speaker’ is problematic (Kramsch, 2009). Native speakers are not homogeneous in their communication abilities, they use different varieties and have different competence levels. So the question is who, which specific native speaker do you have in mind? Along these lines, putting the native speaker as the ideal to be followed implies a deficiency-oriented approach, as the foreign language learner may never reach the same knowledge and linguistic competence levels (Llurda, 2009). Instead, we advocate for a plurilingual learner who is able to function adequately and successfully in another language (c.f. Adams, 2020) and very especially for the intercultural speaker.
In this section we will learn about and reflect on issues related to the value of the intercultural in language learning processes.We will discuss:
Topic 1: The intercultural turn in language education
MODULE 1:The interrelationship language-culture
MODULE 2:The native speaker a contested model?
MODULE 3:Models of intercultural communication
Restaurantes
MODULE 4:Virtual Exchange for intercultural learning
INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Models of ICC
Intercultural communication The key question regarding intercultural communication is: what is needed for successful communication between people with different backgrounds? Scholars studying intercultural communication in the fields of social psychology, anthropology, business as well as applied linguistics, have provided insights into the linguistic and social skills, knowledge and attitudes needed to communicate effectively and appropriately in intercultural encounters. Byram´s (1997) seminal work specified the intercultural dimension in foreign languages based on the acquisition of a key set of competences related to: Knowledge, Attitudes, Skills of interpreting and relating, Skills of discovery and interaction and Political education including critical cultural awareness.
Byram's model
Drag each concept to the group it belongs to
INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > ICC models
Intercultural communication Another relevant model for Intercultural Communication is the pyramid or process model developed by Deardorff (2006, 2009). Attitudes, Knowledge & Skills are quite similar to Byram's model. It is the reflective and action directed process which is interesting in this model, especially when considering the outcomes: 1. Internal Outcomes: The main internal outcome of the development of intercultural competence is the ability to change perspective in order to respond flexibly to new situations. This implies an ability to reflect on intercultural issues and social interactions in an objective way which takes account of their complex, multifaceted and dynamic nature. 2. External Outcomes: As a result of those internal adaptations, speakers will be in a better position to communicate in a more appropriate and effective way in a new intercultural situation.
INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > ICC models > Mediation
Mediation A key term related to intercultural communication competence is mediation, which is crucial when interlocutors with different backgrounds interact. Teaching students to use a second/foreign language includes teaching them to be interculturally sensitive and act as a cultural mediator, by trying to see the world through the other’s eyes, and to consciously use culture learning skills (European Council, 2018). The term mediation was briefly defined in the 2001 CEFR text, as concerning a language user who plays the role of intermediary between different interlocutors. This definition has been expanded in the Companion Volume (2018) as understanding that in intercultural encounters an effort of translation from one’s own perspective to that of the other, keeping both perspectives in mind, is needed.
INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > ICC models > Mediation
In intercultural encounters students will need to engage in creating a shared space between linguistically and culturally different interlocutors, the capacity to:
- deal with diversity,
- identify similarities and differences,
- build on known and unknown cultural features, and so on
in order to enable communication and fruitful collaboration. The intercultural learner will learn to engage to facilitate a positive interactive environment for successful communication between participants of different cultural backgrounds, by creating a neutral, trusted, shared “space” in order to enhance communication between interlocutors. The aim is to expand and deepen intercultural understanding between participants and learn by engaging with, reflecting on and analysing "rich points"(potential communication differences/difficulties arising from contrasting cultural viewpoints, communication styles, attitudes and behaviours, Agar, 1994). The mediators need to continually develop (self-) awareness of sociocultural and sociolinguistic specificities affecting intercultural communication (European Council, 2018, p.114).In this section we will learn about and reflect on issues related to the value of the intercultural in language learning processes.We will discuss:
Topic 1: The intercultural turn in language education
MODULE 1:The interrelationship language-culture
MODULE 2:The native speaker a contested model?
MODULE 3:Models of intercultural communication
Restaurantes
MODULE 4:Virtual Exchange for intercultural learning
INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Virtual Exchange for ICC
Virtual Exchange in the foreign language learning contextLanguage learning in foreign language contexts, that is, when the language being studied is not spoken by the community (ex. learning French in the Netherlands) offers limited options to receive rich input and interaction opportunities in a variety of contexts with the target community. This is crucial for successful language learning. In this learning context “learners tend to rely on the quite ‘sterile’ standardised language presented in textbooks and do not experience the linguistic and cultural diversity naturally present in the target community and needs to be mediated primarily through the classroom” (Liddicoat & Scarino, 2013). Virtual Exchange offers teachers the possibility to enrich their students' learning context by facilitating task-based technology- mediated collaboration and authentic communication with real peers abroad.
INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Virtual Exchange for ICC learning
In the following short videoclip M. Derivry provides an overview of the Intercultural Approach in Telecollaboration (virtual exchange): its importance, advantages, and organisation.
INTERNSHIPS
The intercultural turn in language education
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TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Virtual Exchange for ICC learning
The following short videoclip offers a brief description of an intercultural task (on breakfast) for telecollaboration practices. 1. Do you agree that it is an adequate task to enhance intercultural competences? Why? 2. What can the teacher do in order for this task to be meaningful to the learner and stimulate learner engagement in interaction? Write your answers in the Padlet.
The intercultural turn in language education Agar, M. (1994). Culture Shock. Understanding the culture of conversation. New York: Morrow. Byram, M.(1997). Teaching and Assessing Intercultural Communicative Competence. Tonawanda, NY: Multilingual Matters. Byram, M. & Kramsch, C. (2008). Why is it so difficult to teach language as culture? The German Quarterly, 81(1). DOI https://doi-org.proxy.library.uu.nl/10.1111/j.1756-1183.2008.00005.x Byram, M., Gribkova, B. & Starkey, H. (2002) Developing the intercultural dimension in language teaching. A practical introduction for teachers. Council of Europe. Deardorff, D.K. (2006) The Identification and Assessment of Intercultural Competence as a Student Outcome of Internationalization at Institutions of Higher Education in the United States. Journal of Studies in International Education, 10, (pp. 241-266) Deardorff, D.K. (2009) The Identification and Assessment of Intercultural Competence as a Student Outcome of Internationalization at Institutions of Higher Education in the United Statesand. In Deardorff, D.K. (Ed.). The SAGE Handbook of Intercultural Competence, Thousand Oaks: Sage. Dervin, F. & Liddicoat, A.J. (2013) Introduction: Linguistics and intercultural education. In F. Dervin & Liddicoat, A.J. (eds) Linguistics and Intercultural Education in Foreign Language Teaching and Learning, Amsterdam: John Benjamins, (pp: 1– 25).European Council (2001). Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, Cambridge: University of Cambridge Press and Council of Europe. European Council (2018). Common EuropeanFramework of Reference for Languages:Learning, Teaching, Assessment. Companion Volume with New Descriptors. European Council. Fantini, A. E. (2007). Exploring and assessing intercultural competence. Research Report for the Center for Social Development at George Warren Brown School of Social Work. Accessed at https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1815&context=csd_research
Readings
The intercultural turn in language education Hofstede, G. (1991). Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind. London, UK: McGraw-Hill. Kramsch, C. (1993). Context and Culture in Language Teaching. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Kramsch, C. (2009). The Multilingual Subject. New York, NY: Oxford University Press Liddicoat, A. J., & Scarino, A. (2013). Intercultural Language Teaching and Learning. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell. Llurda, E. (2009). The decline and fall of the native speaker teacher. In V. Cook & Li Wei (Eds.) Language Teaching and Learning (pp. 37–53). London, UK: Continuum. Neuliep, J. W. (2018). Intercultural Communication: A Contextual Approach (7th Ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage. Risager, K. (2007). Language and Culture Pedagogy: From a National to a Transnational Paradigm. Tonawanda, NY: Multilingual Matters. Sercu, L. (2005). Teaching Foreign Languages in an Intercultural World. In L. Sercu (Ed.), Foreign Language Teachers and Intercultural Competence: An International Investigation (Vol. 10, pp. 1-18). Bristol: Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781853598456 Spencer-Oatey, H. (Ed.) (2008). Culturally Speaking: Culture, Communication and Politeness Theory (2nd Ed.). London, UK: Bloomsbury Publishing. Vertovec, S. (2006). The Emergence of Super-Diversity in Britain. Oxford University. Accessed at: https://www.compas.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/WP-2006-025-Vertovec_Super-Diversity_Britain.pdf Witte, A.E. (2010) The Global Awareness Curriculum in International Business Programs: A Critical Perspective, Journal of Teaching in International Business, 21:2, (pp.101-131).
Readings
Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
Beacco J.-C. et al. (2016). Guide for the development and implementation of curricula for plurilingual and intercultural education, Language Policy Unit, Council of Europe, Strasbourg.Byram, M. (1997). Teaching and assessing intercultural communicative competence. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters. Cummins, J. (2015). Inclusion and Language Learning: Pedagogical Principles for Integrating Students from Marginalized Groups in the Mainstream Classroom. In C. M. Bongartz & A. Rohde (Eds.) Inklusion im Englischunterricht. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang. Dooly, M. (2011). ‘Crossing the intercultural borders into 3rd space culture(s): Implications for teacher education in the twenty- first century’. Language and Intercultural Communication, 11-4: 319-337. Dooly, M. (2016). ‘“Please remove your avatar from my personal space”: Competences of the telecollaboratively efficient person’. In T. Lewis and R. O’Dowd (Eds.) Online Intercultural Exchange: Policy, Pedagogy, Practice, New York: Routledge , pp. 192-208. The EVALUATE Group (2019). Evaluating the Impact of Virtual Exchange on Initial Teacher Education: A European Policy Experiment. Available online: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED593741.pdf EUROPEAN COMMISSION (2005). Special Educational Needs in Europe: The Teaching and Learning of Languages: Insights and Innovation. Brussels: European Commission DGEAC. Hennebry, M. (2011). Interactions between European Citizenship and Language Learning among Adolescent Europeans. European Educational Research Journal, 10-4: 623-641. Kramsch, C. (2009/2015). The multilingual subject. Oxford: OUP. Leask, B. (2008). Teaching for learning in the transnational classroom. In L. Dunne & M. Wallace (Eds.), Teaching in transnational higher education: Enhancing learning for offshore international students (pp. 120-132). Abingdon: Routledge.
Readings
Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
O’Dowd, R. & Dooly, M. (2020). Intercultural communicative competence development through telecollaboration and virtual exchange. In J. Jackson (Ed.), The Routledge Handbook of Language and Intercultural Communication (pp. 361- 375). London: Routledge.Orsini-Jones, M. & Lee, F. (2018). Intercultural Communicative Competence for Global Citizenship: Identifying cyberpragmatic rules of engagement in telecollaboration. Palgrave Macmillan. Orsini-Jones, M., Lloyd, E., Gazeley, Z, Lopez-Vera, B., & Bescond, G. (2015). Student-driven intercultural awareness raising with MexCo: Agency, autonomy and threshold concepts in a telecollaborative Project between the UK and Mexico. In N. Tcherepashenets (Ed.), Globalizing on-line: Telecollaboration, internationalisation, and social justice (pp. 201-234). Bern: Peter Lang. Orsini-Jones, M., Lloyd, E., Lee, F., Bescond, G. & Boylan, R. (2017). Troublesome multimodal multiliteracy development for global citizenship in international intercultural exchanges: the MexCo project case study. Practice and Evidence of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 12- 2: 22-44. Stathopoulou, M. (2015). Cross-Language Mediation in Foreign Language Teaching and Testing. Bristol: Multilingual Matters. UNESCO (2009). Policy guidelines on inclusion in education. [Online: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000177849]
Readings
Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Introduction
In this section we are going to learn about how Virtual Exchange (VE) can help improve some important competences for today’s students, i.e., Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) and European citizenship, in the context of inclusion. More particularly, these are the key concepts:
1. The need to offer students the right tools to think critically and to challenge accepted viewpoints through ICC
2. The ways in which VE can help learners acquire what we now call European citizenship
3. Inclusion and diversity in learning contexts and how VE can help teachers and students cope with that
Now let’s start with some reflection questions:
Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
TEACHER EDUCATION MODULES > Introduction
In today’s globalized world, we need to offer students the chance to acquire critical skills which will give them the right tools to challenge accepted viewpoints (Orsini-Jones & Lee, 2018). According to these authors, in the field of language learning, skills of this kind include what we now call ICC first defined by Byram (1997) and later developed by Kramsch (2009/2015) among other authors (see previous section). Thanks to this competence, students can critically reflect on their own culture, can value cultural diversity and can feel empathy for others (Orsini-Jones & Lee, 2018). As Leask (2018, p. 128) puts it, this can be challenging for teachers and learners, but it can also help transform teaching methodologies and learning in general. Following Orsini-Jones et al. (2015, p. 205), we can state that developing ICC through telecollaboration can be quite a hard task, but the benefits we can obtain, particularly negotiation and reconfiguration of learners identities, certainly outnumber the drawbacks. Now take a look at the activity on the following page:
Before we start taking a look at the key concepts we proposed at the beginning of the section, it is worth taking a look at some important issues highlighted by the Council of Europe in their Reference Framework of References for Democratic Culture. More particularly, we are going to provide an overview of the conceptual foundations of the framework. Can you match these with their definitions?
MODULE 1:ICC competence
Topic 2: Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
MODULE 2: European citizenship
MODULE 3: Inclusion
Restaurantes
MODULE 4: How can virtual exchange help?
CONCLUSION
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ICC competence
Intercultural communicative competence, or ICC, is a key competence for our students today and there is extensive research on this in the literature. We have already highlighted Byram (1997) and Kramsch (2009/2015) among the most important ones.
In the CEFR Companion Volume (2020), we can find relevant information about the terms “multilingualism” and “plurilingualism” and how these can be related to the concepts of “plurilingual and pluricultural competence”:
“The CEFR distinguishes between multilingualism (the coexistence of different languages at the social or individual level) and plurilingualism (the dynamic and developing linguistic repertoire of an individual user/learner). Plurilingualism is presented in the CEFR as an uneven and changing competence, in which the the resources of the user/learner in one language or variety may be very different in nature from their resources in another. However, the fundamental point is that plurilinguals have a single, interrelated, repertoire that they combine with their general competences and may have various strategies in order to accomplish tasks (CEFR 2001 Section 6.1.3.2).”
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ICC competence
Through plurilingual competence, students will be able to:- switch from one language or dialect (or variety) to another;
- express themselves in one language (or dialect, or variety) and understand a person speaking another;
- call upon the knowledge of a number of languages (or dialects, or varieties) to make sense of a text;
- recognise words from a common international store in a new guise;
- mediate between individuals with no common language (or dialect, or variety), even if they only possess scant knowledge themselves
- bring the whole of their linguistic equipment into play, experimenting with alternative forms of expression; exploit paralinguistics (mime, gesture, facial expression, etc.).
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ICC competence
We would like to highlight the term mediation, as appears in one of those activities. Mediation itself has a plurilingual nature and according to Stathopoulou (2015, p.61), it entails “the use of the target language in particular social contexts in ways that are based on certain social needs”. Some authors refer to cross-language mediation as translanguaging practice. We will go back to this later on when we talk about diversity and inclusion.
Apart from anything else, there are important implications of plurilingualism and intercultural competence for curriculum design that will affect laws regarding education in different countries perhaps in different ways. Those related to the CEFR are outlined in the Guide for the development and implementation of curricula for plurilingual and intercultural education (Beacco et al. 2016).
Can you think of a class activity that could help your students develop their plurilingual competence based on any of the CEFR activities mentioned above? Write your answers here
MODULE 1:ICC competence
Topic 2: Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
MODULE 2: European citizenship
MODULE 3: Inclusion
Restaurantes
MODULE 4: How can virtual exchange help?
CONCLUSION
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Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
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European Citizenship
According to Byram (2013, p. 59), “the aims of teaching languages for intercultural competence include: linguistic, sociolinguistic and discourse competence in language, combined with intercultural competences in the discovery, analysis, comparison and critique of cultures”.
This is closely related to the concept of citizenship education, the aims of which, according to him, “include moral or ethical education, education in political literacy, and education leading to action in the world, and action which takes place now, not in the future” (Byram, 2013, p.59).
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European Citizenship
This leads us to the concept of “European citizenship”, promoted by the European Commission, and that can be used to refer to the “principle of member states working towards shared understanding between cultures, seemingly implying the development of effective communication and cooperation between them, while not losing their individual cultural heritage” (Hennebry, 2011, p. 624).
Education in general and language teaching in particular can indeed play a very important role in guaranteeing the development of this competence among children, teenagers and young adults. We will take a look at how VE can help with this further on.
MODULE 1:ICC competence
Topic 2: Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
MODULE 2: European citizenship
MODULE 3: Inclusion
Restaurantes
MODULE 4: How can virtual exchange help?
CONCLUSION
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Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
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Inclusion
In their report Special Educational Needs in Europe: The Teaching and Learning of Languages: Insights and Innovation, the European Comission (2005) stated that “all young people in the European Union, whatever their disability, whether educated in mainstream or segregated schools/streams, have equal rights to foreign languages education” (Executive Summary).
As we can see, this definition emphasizes the importance of providing all types of students with an equitable educational environment, or, in other words, to guarantee inclusion. This construct was defined by the UNESCO as: a process of addressing and responding to the diversity of needs of all children, youth and adults through increasing participation in learning, cultures and communities, and reducing and eliminating exclusion within and from education. It involves changes and modifications in content, approaches, structures and strategies, with a common vision that covers all children of the appropriate age range and a conviction that it is the responsibility of the regular system to educate all children. (UNESCO 2009: 8–9)
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Inclusion
It is clear that inclusion and equity can be considered necessary goals in education in general and in language teaching in particular. However, it is also true that the academic performance of students in risk of exclusion would suggest that these goals have not really been achieved yet. According to Cummins (2015: 112), one of the ways to achieve these goals would be to enable students to use language and literacy in ways that would support their identities. He states that instruction must address the sources of potential disadvantage that characterize marginalized group students by maximizing students’ engagement with literacy (in both their L1 and their L2) and by facilitating the use of language in powerful ways that can improve their academic and personal self-concept (2015: 107). In the next part of this presentation, we will see how VE can help us with that.
MODULE 1:ICC competence
Topic 2: Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
MODULE 2: European citizenship
MODULE 3: Inclusion
Restaurantes
MODULE 4: How can virtual exchange help?
CONCLUSION
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Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
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How can VE help?
The European Commission in their CEFR Companion Volume (2020), included the descriptor “online interaction” among their communicative activities and strategies (Chapter 3). And more particularly, they mentioned “using telecommunications” as one of the activities included in that section.
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How can VE help?
According to the CEFR, interaction is central in their scheme of language use and they consider interpersonal interaction to be “the origin of language, with interpersonal, collaborative and transactional functions” (Section 3.3). They also state that interaction is fundamental in learning and that interaction strategies are not only important in collaborative learning, but also in real-life communication.
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How can VE help?
When it comes to the CEFR scale “using telecommunications”, they explain that it “concerns use of the phone and internet-based apps for remote communication”. In section 3.31.3., they refer to “online interaction” and they explain that some requirements for successful communication in this context are:
The need for more redundancy in messages
The need to check that the message has been correctly understood
The ability to reformulate to help comprehension and deal with misunderstandings
The ability to handle emotional reactions
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How can VE help?
It is our conviction that through the type of VE activities that E-LIVE will offer, teachers and students will be provided with more tools to be able to cope with these requirements. More particularly, the CEFR explicitly mentions some key concepts operationalized in that scale that can all be accomplished through VE during E-LIVE. They are the following:
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How can VE help?
As Orsini-Jones et al. (2017: 24) state, students involved in VE can engage “in joint curricular activities that […] are taking them out of their comfort zone and challenging them”. They also explain that staff and students involved in such projects engage with critical global citizenship which in turn allows them to confront their own otherness through dialogue with others. And finally, according to them, such projects help us address the need to develop ICC which can be beneficial for students in academic contexts and in the world of work. From the analysis of their data, these authors state that ICC in online exchanges could be considered a threshold concept.
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How can VE help?
O’Dowd and Dooly (2020: 365) also highlight some of the benefits referenced in previous literature when describing how VE can contribute to intercultural awareness, namely:
MODULE 1:ICC competence
Topic 2: Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
MODULE 2: European citizenship
MODULE 3: Inclusion
Restaurantes
MODULE 4: How can virtual exchange help?
CONCLUSION
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Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
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Conclusions
In this presentation, we have taken a look at some relevant concepts in language education:
ICC
European citizenship
Inclusion
and we have seen how Virtual Exchanges can help us promote them among our students.
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Conclusions
Teachers need to look for new ways in which their students can face these challenges and opportunities in their classrooms first and then in the professional and social spheres of their lives in the future.
Virtual Exchange undoubtedly has its drawbacks and some researchers even describe it as ‘messy’, but it can certainly help us to achieve those aims. The Evaluate group (2019) pointed out that “the beneficial outcomes of telecollaboration for intercultural learning in foreign language education have been highlighted and found relevant enough to outweigh any challenges”. As O’Dowd & Dooly (2020) put it, VE is recognized by teachers, administrators and official organizations as a sound approach to interdisciplinary language teaching and learning.
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Final comment:
It is important to take into account the richness of the learning that can take place in an online exchange and recognise that this may be the closest a learner can come to experiencing intercultural communication within the supportive environment of the classroom. Telecollaboration is increasingly proclaimed by teachers, administrators, and by governmental and non- governmental organisations as a sound approach to interdisciplinary language teaching and learning (O’Dowd & Dooly, 2020: 369). If you wish to delve deeper into the topics we have looked at in this presentation, we offer you further information on the resources section
MODULE 1:ICC competence
Topic 2: Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
MODULE 2: European citizenship
MODULE 3: Inclusion
Restaurantes
MODULE 4: How can virtual exchange help?
CONCLUSION
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Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
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RESOURCES
TeCoLa teacher guide: European citizenship through telecollaboration:
TeCoLa teacher guide: What is an intercultural task?:
TILA teacher guide (1.2): Intercultural Communication and Foreign Language Learning:
TeCoLa teacher guide: The intercultural approach in telecollaboration:
Some examples of TILA tasks that promote ICC and European citizenship can be found here:
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Virtual Exchange to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence and European citizenship for an inclusive world
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RESOURCES
Some examples of TeCoLa tasks that promote ICC and European citizenship:
- “Discussing personal, controversial or intercultural issues”
Available hereTeCoLa Case Studies: Intercultural development through telecollaboration: A French-Turkish exchange Available here
Digital pedagogies
Intercultural competence &European citizenship
Engagement and motivation
Tasks for virtual exchange
Visit the E-LIVE project page
The present interactive materials address key issues related to virtual exchange as a way of enriching language learning processes. The materials, organised in four modules, are interactive. Take your time to think about the questions raised and to complete the activities. Click here for a short video guide on how to navigate the documents.
here
How to cite
Disclaimer: This project is funded by the European Commission within the Erasmus+ programme. This material reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.
Jauregi-Ondarra, K., & Canto, S. (Eds.). (2023). Teacher education modules for virtual exchange. E-LIVE Consortium https://view.genial.ly/650c289faad55800184cbfb7
Jauregi-Ondarra, K., & Canto, S. (Eds.). (2023). Teacher education modules for virtual exchange. E-LIVE Consortium https://view.genial.ly/64a6a57b5094fd0012c0e421
Jauregi-Ondarra, K. & Clavel Arroitia, B. (2024). Digitalisation to enrich language education. In K. Jauregi-Ondarra, & S. Canto (Eds.), Teacher education modules for virtual exchange. E-LIVE Consortium. https://view.genial.ly/64a6a57b5094fd0012c0e421