Module 11: INTERCULTURAL EDUCATION

1. Investeşteînoameni !Fondul Social EuropeanPROGRAMUL OPERAŢIONAL SECTORIALDEZVOLTAREA RESURSELOR UMANE 2007-2013POSDRU/87/1.3/S/62665 “Formarea continuă a cadrelor didactice pentru utilizarea resurselor informatice moderne în predarea eficientă a limbii engleze şi evaluarea la nivel european a competenţelor lingvistice”

2. Module 11: INTERCULTURAL EDUCATION

3. Activity 1: Intercultural Education Activity 2: Problems of Intercultural Communication Activity 3: Intercultural Competence Activity 4: Developing the Intercultural Dimension in Language Teaching Activity 5: Culture as a Fifth Skill

4. Objectives • to increase teachers’ intercultural awareness, building up their competence to address cultural diversity in education -to educate with regard to a plurality of ideas (to consider human diversity in ethnic, racial, social and religious terms as a source for cultural enrichment)-; • to defend equal opportunities; • to make the trainees aware of the necessity of the change from a mono-cultural perspective to a multiple perspective (in every subject: history, literature, music, art, etc); • to focus on developing a learning community where teaching and learning are conceived as an active and cooperative process, that inevitably occurs within a social context; • to provide suggestions about how educators can acquire a greater intercultural competence.; • to provide suggestions for linguocultural’ teaching’; • to familiarize the trainees with the concept of culture as a ‘fifth skill’ (which emphasizes the learner’s ability to perceive, to understand and ultimately, accept cultural relativity).

5. . Intercultural Education Cardoso (1998: 13-14) defines ‘intercultural education’ as a series of attempts to engage with diverse cultures and lifestyles showing respect. Intercultural education should promote understanding and respect for other people and cultures, fight racism and xenophobia, and promote equal opportunities for all. European countries are characterised by diversity despite efforts to produce an idea of Europeaness. Europe is multicultural and multilinguistic and therefore interculturality in Europe implies openness to plurality of values, religions, beliefs and ways of life.

6. Key Words Multiculturalityrefers to an undeniable fact: the existence of different cultures. Pluriculturalitymay be defined as the most characteristic feature of modern cultures, given that our present culture (all knowledge and values) have been compiled throughout centuries of contact with different cultures, and have become a whole, shared by a society. Interculturalityimplies interaction among different cultures on the basis of equality and respect.

7. STEP 11.1 HOW CAN TEACHERS PROMOTE INTERCULTURAL EDUCATION?

8. 2. Problems of Intercultural Communication

9. STEP 11.2 HW: CAN WE TALK ABOUT A ‘EUROPEAN CULTURAL IDENTITY’? INSTRUCTIONS Bring arguments to sustain your opinion(s).

10. STEP 11.3 HW: A DAY AT A MULTICULTURAL SCHOOL INSTRUCTIONS Imagine a day at a multicultural school and see whether/how Interculturality is achieved. Consider the following approaches to Multicultural Reality in class: 1. Lack of adequate response a. Similar to insertion, but implies looking down on somebody. I accept them, but my culture is the good one. 2. Cultural Assimilation b.-traditional minority ghetto culture; -self-imposed (finds safety in group/mere inclusion at school). 3. Segregationism c. I want to go on believing in my values but I do not make you give up yours to become accepted. 4. Insertion d. Total loss of own culture. Gives up his tradition to be accepted. 5. Tolerance e. Unable to communicate/isolation. 6. Integration f. Accepted but remains different, a foreigner, even if he/she speaks the language. He/she’s often being reminded that he/she is different. In pairs, match the given approaches with their definitions. Find an example for one of these situations and report to the class.

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