Introductory description

Contemporary language education has recognised that language learning is deeply connected with developing intercultural awareness and the ability to communicate across cultures. However, putting an intercultural perspective into practice has proved a challenge for many teachers and other educational professionals. The module aims to develop your understanding of intercultural language teaching and learning and to design teaching experiences that develop intercultural capabilities. It encourages you to think critically about the ways that language and culture are involved in meaning making and the pedagogical consequences of this for language education. You will be introduced questions relating to the relationship between languages and cultures and how this affects language use, curriculum and pedagogies for teaching intercultural capabilities and how to assess them.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

The module will cover the following broad topics:

• Understandings of language, culture, intercultural capability, learning
• Language teaching and learning from an intercultural perspective
• The place of metapragmatic awareness in intercultural teaching and learning
• Analysing cultural representations in textbooks and using textbooks for intercultural
  language teaching
• Teachers’ and learners’ experiences as a resource for intercultural language teaching
• Planning and designing learning experiences
• Assessing intercultural capabilities
• Researching intercultural language teaching and learning

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Upon successful completion of the programme, students should understand the place of intercultural capabilities in language teaching and learning.
• Upon successful completion of the programme, students should be familiar with current theories relating to the teaching of intercultural capabilities.
• Upon successful completion of the programme, students should be able to think critically about the intercultural needs of language learners.
• Upon successful completion of the programme, students should be able to evaluate materials to determine their affordances for developing intercultural capabilities of language learners.
• Upon successful completion of the programme, students should understand pedagogical practice for teaching intercultural capabilities in language education.
• Upon successful completion of the programme, students should be able to apply their knowledge of intercultural language teaching in practice.

Indicative reading list

Byram, M. (1997). Teaching and assessing intercultural communicative competence. Clevedon:
Multilingual Matters.
Byram, M., Gribkova, B., & Starkey, H. (2002). Developing the intercultural dimension in language
teaching. A practical introduction for teachers. Strasbourg: Council of Europe.
Dervin, F., & Liddicoat, A. J. (Eds.) (2013) Linguistics and intercultural education in foreign
language teaching and learning. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Díaz, A. (2013). Developing critical languaculture pedagogies in higher education theory and
practice. Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters.
Kearney, E. (2016). Intercultural learning in modern language education expanding meaning-
making potentials. Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters.
Kohler, M. (2015). Teachers as mediators in the foreign language classroom. Bristol, UK:
Multilimgual Matters.
Kramsch, C. (1993). Context and culture in language education. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Kramsch, C. (2009). The multilingual subject: What foreign language learners say about their
experience and why it matters. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Levine, G. S., & Phipps, A. (Eds.). (2012). Critical intercultural theory and language pedagogy.
Boston, MA: Heinle ,Cengage Learning.
Liddicoat, A. J., & Scarino, A. (2013). Intercultural language teaching and learning. New York & Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
McConachy, T. (2018). Developing intercultural perspectives on language use in foreign language learning. Bristol, UK: Multilimgual Matters.
Phipps, A., & Gonzales, M. (2004). Modern languages: Learning and teaching in an intercultural field. London: Sage. Wagner, M., Conlon Perugini, D., & Byram, M. (Eds.). (2017). Teaching intercultural competence across the age range: From theory to practice. Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters. Zarate, G., D.
Lévy, & C. Kramsch (Eds.), Handbook of multilingualism and multiculturalism. Paris: Editions des Archives contemporaines.
Zarate, G., Gohard-Radenkovic, A., Lussier, D., & Penz, H. (Eds.). (2004). Cultural mediation in language learning and teaching. Strasbourg: Council of Europe

International

The focus of the module is on developing foreign/second language teaching and learning to promote intercultural understanding. The module considers how language teachers can develop students capabilities to interact locally and internationally with linguistically and culturally diverse others and the pedagogical, curriculum and assessment issues involved in developing intercultural understanding in conjunction with language learning.

Subject specific skills

Apply principles and practices in intercultural language teaching and learning in professional practice.

Identify affordances of a variety of types of learning materials for developing intercultural capabilities.

Transferable skills

Participate constructively in group discussions.

Structure and communicate ideas effectively in writing.

Plan and manage time and workload to meet deadlines.