Intercultural Skills and Learning Activities for New Development
Intercultural learning is of great importance, due to the movement of migrants to Europe, and extremely important for teachers of migrants. Therefore it is urgent to support teachers and students by helping them understand cultural differences. The knowledge will encourage teachers to offer high quality teaching, deal with complex classroom realities and adopt new methods and tools.
By sharing good practice we will motivate our teachers to study interculturalism and how to communicate with diverse learners.
The intercultural learning is characterized by:
- Knowing the learners’ contextual background is very important in adapting methods and topics, when finding the key to motivate them.
- Mutual understanding and respect are the foundations of a good learning relationship and helps in reaching objectives.
- The continuous exchange between teacher and learner involves many different aspects:
Understanding, and respect for different traditions, behavior, religion, values and norms. Open minds are a primary requirement just as didactical ones, and help designing and implementing effective strategies for enhancing basic skills in language learning for specific target groups.
Modern European society has become more intercultural. With globalization intercultural learning has become more important for institutions offering different courses for migrants.
Communication in foreign languages, cultural awareness and digital competence are three of eight key competencies that are recommended as key competencies for the Lifelong Learning field. (‘Education and training 2020 strategic framework’) http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1465-3435.2011.01491.x/full
Improvement of the above should add to the quality of education and training. This includes intercultural understanding with the final objective of mediation. Therefore partner institutions, in the field of adult education, have decided to support teachers in pedagogical, didactic and socio-linguistic skills.
Language is an integral part of identity but other non-verbal elements define culture, f. ex. acting and behavior. This is the sort of understanding that teachers in adult education with migrants, need to practice and enforce.
Linguistic diversity is a high cultural value for the EU. The European Council conclusions of 20 May 2014 on multilingualism and the development of language competences (2014/C 183/06) says: “Linguistic diversity is a fundamental component of European culture and intercultural dialogue, and that the ability to communicate in a language other than one's mother tongue is acknowledged to be one of the key competences which citizens should seek to acquire” http://eurlex.europa.eu/legalcontent/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52014XG0614%2806%29&from=EN
In the EU, which builds its existence on 'unity in diversity' the ability to communicate in foreign languages is a must for individuals, organizations and companies. That is due to the fact that we not only need and depend on each other due to globalization, but also work with people from different cultures for diverse reasons. Therefore it is vital also to learn about cultural differences in order to minimize stereotypes.
Regarding the situation with migrants in Europe, special attention has to be paid to the integration of refugees and newly arrived migrants. Therefore the role of the teacher, connecting people of many cultures, is vital. The project will ensure that they are trained as intercultural mediators, to better understand the cultural issues that foreigners bring with them. They must also be able to effectively transmit the elements of the host culture. This is a fundamental step in order to ensure the effectiveness of intercultural communication, knowledge and skill.
Teachers should be positive role models for students and students should re-employ the knowledge gained. We must acknowledge the importance of different habits, tastes, workplace behaviors and lifestyles.
This intercultural approach should create a sense of awareness for a virtuous process of understanding, respect and acceptance of cultural diversities.
This project should stimulate our staffs to develop and design courses with modular approach, integrating different themes. Each module will tackle topics close to the social, cultural and professional life of students.
Intercultural learning is of great importance, due to the movement of migrants to Europe, and extremely important for teachers of migrants. Therefore it is urgent to support teachers and students by helping them understand cultural differences. The knowledge will encourage teachers to offer high quality teaching, deal with complex classroom realities and adopt new methods and tools.
By sharing good practice we will motivate our teachers to study interculturalism and how to communicate with diverse learners.
The intercultural learning is characterized by:
- Knowing the learners’ contextual background is very important in adapting methods and topics, when finding the key to motivate them.
- Mutual understanding and respect are the foundations of a good learning relationship and helps in reaching objectives.
- The continuous exchange between teacher and learner involves many different aspects:
Understanding, and respect for different traditions, behavior, religion, values and norms. Open minds are a primary requirement just as didactical ones, and help designing and implementing effective strategies for enhancing basic skills in language learning for specific target groups.
Modern European society has become more intercultural. With globalization intercultural learning has become more important for institutions offering different courses for migrants.
Communication in foreign languages, cultural awareness and digital competence are three of eight key competencies that are recommended as key competencies for the Lifelong Learning field. (‘Education and training 2020 strategic framework’) http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1465-3435.2011.01491.x/full
Improvement of the above should add to the quality of education and training. This includes intercultural understanding with the final objective of mediation. Therefore partner institutions, in the field of adult education, have decided to support teachers in pedagogical, didactic and socio-linguistic skills.
Language is an integral part of identity but other non-verbal elements define culture, f. ex. acting and behavior. This is the sort of understanding that teachers in adult education with migrants, need to practice and enforce.
Linguistic diversity is a high cultural value for the EU. The European Council conclusions of 20 May 2014 on multilingualism and the development of language competences (2014/C 183/06) says: “Linguistic diversity is a fundamental component of European culture and intercultural dialogue, and that the ability to communicate in a language other than one's mother tongue is acknowledged to be one of the key competences which citizens should seek to acquire” http://eurlex.europa.eu/legalcontent/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52014XG0614%2806%29&from=EN
In the EU, which builds its existence on 'unity in diversity' the ability to communicate in foreign languages is a must for individuals, organizations and companies. That is due to the fact that we not only need and depend on each other due to globalization, but also work with people from different cultures for diverse reasons. Therefore it is vital also to learn about cultural differences in order to minimize stereotypes.
Regarding the situation with migrants in Europe, special attention has to be paid to the integration of refugees and newly arrived migrants. Therefore the role of the teacher, connecting people of many cultures, is vital. The project will ensure that they are trained as intercultural mediators, to better understand the cultural issues that foreigners bring with them. They must also be able to effectively transmit the elements of the host culture. This is a fundamental step in order to ensure the effectiveness of intercultural communication, knowledge and skill.
Teachers should be positive role models for students and students should re-employ the knowledge gained. We must acknowledge the importance of different habits, tastes, workplace behaviors and lifestyles.
This intercultural approach should create a sense of awareness for a virtuous process of understanding, respect and acceptance of cultural diversities.
This project should stimulate our staffs to develop and design courses with modular approach, integrating different themes. Each module will tackle topics close to the social, cultural and professional life of students.