Developing Critical Cultural Awareness in Modern Languages

Developing Critical Cultural Awareness in Modern Languages
Author: Elinor Parks
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 433
Release: 2020-01-20
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1000026175

This volume explores the relationship between language and culture while considering its implications for the teaching of modern foreign languages in higher education. Drawing on a comparative empirical study conducted at universities both in the UK and US, this text problematises the impacts of a separation of language and content in German degree programmes. Illustrating the need for a curriculum which fosters the development of intercultural competence and criticality, Parks reconceptualises established models of criticality (Barnett) and intercultural communicative competence (Byram). The chapters in this volume discuss a range of important topics including; language graduates with deep translingual and transcultural competence, observed differences and similarities between British and American universities and faculty and student voices: developing intercultural competence and criticality. Aimed at scholars with research interests in intercultural communication, language education and applied linguistics, this volume provides a thorough discussion for the ways in which modern language programmes in higher education can be improved. Additionally, those carrying out research in the fields of language teaching and language policy in higher education will find Developing Critical Cultural Awareness in Modern Languages to be of great relevance.

Critical Cultural Awareness

Critical Cultural Awareness
Author: Yumiko Furumura
Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing
Total Pages: 285
Release: 2014-09-26
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1443867667

In a rapidly globalizing world, one of the most challenging barriers to be overcome is the stereotype. This book aims to promote understanding of the nature of stereotypes, and to suggest ways in which teachers can manage them by developing critical cultural awareness as an intrinsic part of the intercultural communicative competence of their students. Part 1 of the book explores ways of defining, eliciting and illustrating stereotypes from theoretical standpoints. Part 2 showcases ways of addressing stereotypes through intercultural (language) education to provide teachers with a firm platform for the practical application of their knowledge and skills when attempting to manage stereotypes in the classroom.

Glocal Languages and Critical Intercultural Awareness

Glocal Languages and Critical Intercultural Awareness
Author: Manuela Guilherme
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 347
Release: 2019-02-06
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1351184636

This volume provides a new perspective on prevailing discourses on translanguaging and multilingualism by looking at ‘glocal’ languages, local languages which have been successfully "globalized". Focusing on European languages recreated in Latin America, the book features examples from languages underexplored in the literature, including Brazilian Portuguese, Amerinidian poetics, and English, Spanish, Portuguese outside Europe, as a basis for advocating for an approach to language education rooted in critical pedagogy and post-colonial perspectives and countering hegemonic theories of globalization. While rooted in a discussion of the South, the book offers a fresh voice in current debates on language education that will be of broader interest to students and scholars across disciplines, including language education, multilingualism, cultural studies, and linguistic anthropology.

Awareness Matters

Awareness Matters
Author: Claudia Finkbeiner
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 252
Release: 2016-01-22
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1317655818

This collection argues that being aware of and reflecting on language form and language use is a powerful tool, not only in language learning, but also in wider society. It adopts an interdisciplinary stance: one chapter argues the need for Language Awareness in business contexts, while another examines the role of critical cultural awareness and Language Awareness in education as ‘bildung’. Others report on research studies in language classrooms and in teacher education. Language Awareness is interrogated from a range of perspectives such as peer interaction, teaching young learners, learner strategies and strategies for writing, online reading, and oral fluency training. The scope is global, including contributions from Canada, Germany, Iran, Japan, Spain, and the UK, and covers bilingual as well as multilingual contexts. The book will be of interest to language teachers, language teacher educators, other language professionals, and generally to the language aware. This book was originally published as a special issue of Language Awareness.

Intercultural Competence for College and University Students

Intercultural Competence for College and University Students
Author: Caprice Lantz-Deaton
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 300
Release: 2020-10-19
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 3030574466

This practical guide is a must read for students interested in developing the attitudes, knowledge, skills, and values that foster positive relationships with people from diverse cultures both within and outside of the workplace. It contains real-life examples from students drawn from the authors’ work across different countries. In an age of growing diversity and increasing global mobility, living and working with people from different cultural backgrounds is becoming the norm. To address this complex topic, the authors invite students to consider key questions such as: How do our cultural backgrounds influence our behavior towards others? What is intercultural competence and how can it help students to get along in work and life? How can institutions help students to develop intercultural competence? What does it have to do with topics like prejudice, discrimination, and racism? How can intercultural competence facilitate social change and help students to succeed in their careers? Written for students in any country and studying in any discipline, this book includes practical activities designed to help students to develop intercultural competence throughout their time at college or university. It is useful for students as an autonomous learning source, or as a resource for taught courses. Drawing on a comprehensive and rigorous knowledge of the field, the authors have written a thought-provoking analysis and a practical guide to understanding and enacting Intercultural Competence. I learnt from and admire their ambitious vision of the significance of intercultural competence for society and for the lives and careers of their readers.— Michael Byram, author of Teaching and Assessing Intercultural Communicative Competence, Durham University, UK This is a wonderfully readable book, which carefully and clearly explains the concept of intercultural competence, exploring its implications for addressing many of the most crucial issues facing the world today. Based on impeccable scholarship, and containing a wealth of practical activities, this book is highly recommended for students and interested laypeople alike.— Martyn Barrett, University of Surrey, UK An exceptionally user-friendly and theory-informed guidebook that would not only benefit university students but anyone with an interest in intercultural communication. The book is second to none in terms of clarity of presentation and coverage of concepts, models and practical ideas relevant to intercultural competence for the contemporary society. —Anwei Feng, University of Nottingham Ningbo, China An essential handbook and excellent addition to conventional textbooks. Nuanced and down-to-earth explanations about intercultural communication which are accessible to everyone. Insightful explanations for educators and students alike. Easy to use self-study guide with thought-provoking exercises. This book has been long needed and has come at just the right time. --Ivett Guntersdorfer, Founder and Director of the Intercultural Communication Certificate Program, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Germany

Manual for Developing Intercultural Competencies (Open Access)

Manual for Developing Intercultural Competencies (Open Access)
Author: Darla K. Deardorff
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 81
Release: 2019-08-16
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0429534817

This book presents a structured yet flexible methodology for developing intercultural competence in a variety of contexts, both formal and informal. Piloted around the world by UNESCO, this methodology has proven to be effective in a range of different contexts and focused on a variety of different issues. It, therefore can be considered an important resource for anyone concerned with effectively managing the growing cultural diversity within our societies to ensure inclusive and sustainable development. Intercultural competence refers to the skills, attitudes, and behaviours needed to improve interactions across difference, whether within a society (differences due to age, gender, religion, socio-economic status, political affiliation, ethnicity, and so on) or across borders. The book serves as a tool to develop those competences, presenting an innovative adaptation of what could be considered an ancient tradition of storytelling found in many cultures. Through engaging in the methodology, participants develop key elements of intercultural competence, including greater self-awareness, openness, respect, reflexivity, empathy, increased awareness of others, and in the end, greater cultural humility. This book will be of great interest to intercultural trainers, policy makers, development practitioners, educators, community organizers, civil society leaders, university lecturers and students – all who are interested in developing intercultural competence as a means to understand and appreciate difference, develop relationships with those across difference, engage in intercultural dialogue, and bridge societal divides.

Cultural Awareness and Competency Development in Higher Education

Cultural Awareness and Competency Development in Higher Education
Author: Leavitt, Lynda
Publisher: IGI Global
Total Pages: 435
Release: 2017-02-08
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1522521461

As the world becomes more globalized, student populations in university settings will continue to grow in diversity. To ensure students develop the cultural competence to adapt to new environments, universities and colleges must develop policies and programs to aid in the progression of cultural acceptance and understanding. Cultural Awareness and Competency Development in Higher Education is an essential reference book on the latest literature regarding multiculturalism in colleges and universities, focusing on administration and faculty implementation of culturally-aware curriculum to support the development of students' global competence. Featuring extensive coverage on a range of topics including social constructivism, co-curricular learning, and inclusive pedagogy, this publication is ideally designed for academicians, researchers, and students seeking current research on the inclusion of culturally diverse curriculums in higher education.

CALL and complexity – short papers from EUROCALL 2019

CALL and complexity – short papers from EUROCALL 2019
Author: Fanny Meunier
Publisher: Research-publishing.net
Total Pages: 433
Release: 2019-12-09
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 2490057537

The theme selected for the 2019 EuroCALL conference held in Louvain-la-Neuve was ‘CALL and complexity’. As languages are known to be intrinsically and linguistically complex, as are the many determinants of learning (additional) languages, complexity is viewed as a challenge to be embraced collectively. The 2019 conference allowed us to pay tribute to providers of CALL solutions and to recognize the complexity of their task. We hope you will enjoy reading this volume as it offers a rich glimpse into the numerous debates that took place during EuroCALL 2019. We look forward to continuing those debates and discussions with you at the next EuroCALL conferences!

Language and Culture

Language and Culture
Author: Karen Risager
Publisher: Multilingual Matters
Total Pages: 227
Release: 2006-01-01
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1853598585

The book presents a new theory of the relationship between language and culture in a transnational and global perspective. The fundamental view is that languages spread across cultures, and cultures spread across languages, or in other words, that linguistic and cultural practices flow through social networks in the world along partially different paths and across national structures and communities.

From Foreign Language Education to Education for Intercultural Citizenship

From Foreign Language Education to Education for Intercultural Citizenship
Author: Michael Byram
Publisher: Multilingual Matters
Total Pages: 285
Release: 2008-05-27
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1847698832

This collection of essays and reflections starts from an analysis of the purposes of foreign language teaching and argues that this should include educational objectives which are ultimately similar to those of education for citizenship. It does so by a journey through reflections on what is possible and desirable in the classroom and how language teaching has a specific role in education systems which have long had, and often still have, the purpose of encouraging young people to identify with the nation-state. Foreign language education can break through this framework to introduce a critical internationalism. In a ‘globalised’ and ‘internationalised’ world, the importance of identification with people beyond the national borders is crucial. Combined with education for citizenship, foreign language education can offer an education for ‘intercultural citizenship’.