Training teachers to use the European Language Portfolio

1. Training teachers to use the European Language Portfolio Short-term project 2008-2009 ELP_TT2 Project coordinator: Margarete Nezbeda, Austria

2. ELP and intercultural aspects Based on a workshop held by Dick Meijer in Skopje (adapted by Margarete Nezbeda)

3. CEFR and interculturality • In Principles and Guidelines (2000) the ELP 'reflects the Council of Europe's concern with … respect for diversity and ways of life‘. • ELP is a 'tool to promote plurilingualism and pluriculturalism‘.

4. Some definitions: • „Big C“ Culture versus „little c“ culture (Halverson, 1985) • „Collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from another.“ (Hofstede)  „Pyramid model“: 3 levels: universal – cultural - personal

5. Some definitions: • „Iceberg analogy“ (Brembeck): Only the tip is visible (e.g. language, food, appearance…) – biggest part: invisible (communication style, attitudes, beliefs, values, perception…) • „Culture hides more than it reveals…“ (Hall, 1959)

6. Some definitions: • Enculturation: cultural learning in a native context • Acculturation: cultural learning in a non-native context  „culture bumps“ and „culture shock“ may occur

7. Some more definitions • Multicultural (society): Different cultures exist side by side • Pluricultural: A person becomes pluricultural when she/he has gained access to more than one culture • Intercultural situation: two or more pluricultural individuals interact • ICC: Intercultural communicative competence: „the ability to cope with one‘s own cultural background in interaction with others“ (Beneke, 2000)

8. CEFR and interculturality 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 (Common European Framework of Reference, 2001)

9. The challenge of intercultural competence • Note: 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 one’s own intercultural competence

10. ELP and intercultural aspects • 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 (Principles and Guidelines, 2004)

11. Role of the ELP • 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. (Little and Simpson, 2003)

12. Recording and reflecting intercultural experiences • Questions to be considered in order to record intercultural experiences in the 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?

13. In the classroom • Possibilities of bringing the target culture into the classroom: • Native speakers (neighbourhood, international companies, language assistants) • Media (journals, newspapers, internet) • Correspondence projects (e-mail, letters, chat-sessions) • Virtual exchanges • Simulations • But: Take account of cultural similarities and do not just focus on cultural differences!

14. Task: Develop a biography • Task: 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. • Look for communicative activities (can do's) in ELP. • Perform them • Two goals for (young) learners: • To gain intercultural experience by checking and exchanging information with other learners • To develop awareness of own culture.

15. How to go about it • Collect relevant knowledge • Check information through resource persons (teachers, natives, ….)  awareness raising. • Combine with exchange programmes (real or virtual)  intercultural experiences possible • Note: resource persons are always 'experts of their own culture'in eyes of learner!

16. Combining intercultural learning and language learning (five skills): • By performing role plays (e.g. making appointments to visit a football match, movie,…; inviting guests to a party)  spoken interaction • By talking about oneself and one’s family, one’s country, one’s home-town  spoken production • By reading (local) newspapers, journals (on the internet) reading • By listening to news on the internet/watching TV etc. listening • By writing post-cards, e-mails, letters to the editor, reviews, etc.  writing

17. Outcomes • There was continuous discourse between foreign and own culture • Spoken interaction became a natural part of classroom work • 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)

18. 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