Journal Article

Teaching intercultural citizenship through intercultural service learning in world language education

Byram, Michael, Barili, Amelia

2021

Overview

Globalization and internationalization have created a need for dialog among people of different persuasions in our own societies and beyond. Language teachers can meet this challenge through the concepts of intercultural citizenship and intercultural service learning, renewing emphasis on educational and humanistic aims as well as instrumental. Students in an advanced Spanish course volunteered in a school and a legal center, interacting one‐on‐one with unaccompanied minors and immigrants fleeing Central America. The evaluation focused on the impact on learners’ understanding of the society in which they live, and perceptions of their own language learning during their work as active citizens. Data from students' academic blogs and diaries were analyzed thematically. They show a heightened awareness of language competence, as students use their knowledge of Spanish in their voluntary work, and increased intercultural competence in students' reports on their critical evaluation of perspectives and practices in their own culture and those of others. The Challenge It is not enough for education to be seen as preparation for future life in society when learners are already members of their society. We present and illustrate a methodology that enables language educators to increase linguistic and intercultural proficiency whilst enabling learners to be active in their society in the present.

• Publisher: Wiley,American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
• Subject: Academic Aspiration / Advanced Courses / Blogs / Citizenship / Communicative Competence (Languages) / Community Relations / Competence / Cultural Awareness / Cultural Differences / Democracy / Diachronic Linguistics / Diaries / Education / Ethnic Groups / Experiential Learning / Global Approach / Global Education / Globalization / Higher Education / Humanism / Immigrants / intercultural citizenship / Intercultural Communication / Intercultural competence / Language / Language acquisition / Language instruction / Language Proficiency / Language Teachers / Language usage / Learning / Linguistic competence / Monolingualism / Multilingualism / Native Speakers / Reflection / Second Language Instruction / Service Learning / Spanish / Spanish as a second language / Student Attitudes / Students / Teachers / Teaching / Teaching Methods / Tourism / Unaccompanied / Voluntary work / World Views