Transcript Dia 1 - European Centre for Modern Languages

CEFR and ELP seminar
(Skopje)
ELP and intercultural aspects
Workshop 4
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CEFR and interculturality
In Principles and Guidelines (2000)
the ELP should 'reflect the Council of
Europe's concern with … respect for
diversity and ways of life'
ELP is 'tool to promote
plurilingualism and pluriculturalism'
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The cultural impact of language learning
on the individual learner:
– Learner becomes plurilingual and develops
interculturality
– Linguistic and cultural competences:
contribute to intercultural awareness, skills and
know-how
enable to develop
– an enriched, more complex personality
– an enhanced capacity for further language learning
– greater openness to new cultural experiences
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CEFR and interculturality
(Common European Framework of Reference, 2001)
Intercultural awareness includes an
awareness of … diversity. Intercultural
skills and know-how include:
– Ability to bring culture of origin and foreign culture into
relation with each other
– Cultural sensitivity/ability for a variety of strategies for
contact
– The role of cultural intermediary
– Ability to overcome stereotyped relationships
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ELP and intercultural aspects
(Principles and Guidelines, 2004)
Language Passport reports ….
significant language and intercultural
learning experiences.
Language Biography is organised to
promote plurilingualism …
Dossier offers the opportunity to
select materials to document and
illustrate … experiences
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The challenge of intercultural
competence
There are no validated scales with
descriptors(not yet)
There would not be a direct relationship
between those scales and levels of
language proficiency
According to Schneider and Lenz lists of
objectives on 'aspects of sociocultural
knowledge' and 'components of
intercultural competence that should be
acquired (…)' would be valuable (2001)
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The challenge of intercultural
competence
But: Cultural knowledge is not the same as intercultural
competence (Little/Simpson, 2003)
Intercultural competence needs relevant cultural knowledge
(including knowledge of culture of origin)
Intercultural competence also depends on other factors
e.g.the individual’s affective and attitudinal orientation and
personal skills)
It is difficult to judge own intercultural competence because
of the fact that many learners are not in position to do so.
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Role of the ELP
Little and Simpson (2003) pointed
out that ELP could and should play
an important role in stimulating
thinking about :
– Cultural differences
– Reflection on experiences (in terms of
location and intensity)
Location: work, travel,study
Intensity: frequency, duration, involvement,
significance for oneself.
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Recording and reflecting
intercultural experiences
Questions to be considered in order
to record intercultural experiences in
your ELP:
– Where, with whom and in what context
(location)?
– What kind of experience (intensity)?
– What was my response?
– Why did I respond the way I did?
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In the classroom
In most cases language learning takes place in
the classroom
Possibilities bringing the other culture in the
classroom:
–
–
–
–
–
Natives (neighbourhood, international companies)
Media (journals, newspapers, internet)
Correspondence projects (e-mail, letters, chatsessions)
Virtual exchanges
All kinds of simulations
But:Take account of cultural similarities and focus
not only on cultural differences as well as of 'own'
culture
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An example of a simulation activity
Background information
Developed in cooperation with
teachers and learners of secondary
schools
Aim: stimulating spoken interaction
in the classroom
As a consequence of school reform:
only listening and speaking skills
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The project
Develop a biography of a person in the target
language. During a couple of lessons the
biography will be enriched with all kind of
information.
First part: collecting knowledge
By checking information through resource
persons (teachers, natives, ….) awareness
raising.
Combining with exchange programmes (real or
virtual) intercultural experiences possible
Be aware of: resource persons are in eyes of
learner always 'experts of their own culture'
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Activities
Develop your own (foreign) identity:
– Name, year of birth, city, the place you live in,
school, family, occupation of parents,
– Search for information about city,
neighbourhood.
(Young) learners two goals:
– Intercultural experiences by checking,
exchange information with other learners
– Awareness of own culture
Looking for realisations of 'can do's' in
ELP
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All kinds of possibilities to develop
the person further:
– By making appointments (visiting
something that will take place in real
life: football match, movie, theatre,
concert
– By reading (local) newspapers, journals
(on the internet)
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At the end and during the project:
check the collected information
(knowledge) in real or virtual
communicative situations.
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Outcomes
There was a continuous discourse between
foreign and own culture
Spoken interaction became a natural part
in the classroom
ELP can do's in spoken interaction: no
problem
Intercultural experiences through
verification sometimes difficult
Learners and teachers were very
enthusiastic about the project (and
developed it further)
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References
Groenewold,P.,1997:'Land in Sicht'. Landeskunde
als Dialog der Identitäten am Beispiel des
deutschen-niederländischen
Begegnungsdiskurses, Groningen. [Dialogue of identities:
Dutch-German imagological discourse]
Little,D. and B.Simpson, 2003: European
Language Portfolio. The intercultural component
and Learning how to learn. Strasbourg: Council of
Europe
Schneider,G. and P.Lenz, 2001: European
Language Portfolio: Guide for developers.
Strasbourg: Council of Europe
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