Professional Documents
Culture Documents
ELP / Biography
Biography
My languages (spoken in my family, in other situations?) Where did I learn these languages (holiday, private tutoring, . At school Contact with other languages Languages I would like to learn Learning tips: What kind of learner? (learning style) Tips for studying languages Methods to learn languages Consideration and strategies for developing the skills Checklists for self-evaluation
How many levels? How many descriptors per level? Explanations? Communicative situations?
ELP / Biography What are intercultural experiences Intercultural experiences abroad Intercultural experiences in own country Questions to ask
Dossier
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
Language Passport describes . 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
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.
Recording and reflecting intercultural experiences Questions to be considered designing ELP pages:
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?
In the classroom
In many cases language learning takes place in the classroom Possibilities bringing the other culture into 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
An example of simulation activities 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
The project
Develop a biography of a person in the target language. During a couple of lessons the biography will be enriched with all kinds 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'
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.
At the end and during the project: check the collected information (knowledge) in real or virtual communicative situations.
Outcomes
There was a continuous discourse between foreign and own culture Spoken interaction became a natural part of 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)
References
Groenewold,P.,1997:'Land in Sicht'. Landeskunde als Dialog der Identitten am Beispiel des deutschen-niederlndischen Begegnungsdiskurses, Groningen. [Dialogue of identities: DutchGerman imagological discourse] Little,D. and B.Simpson, 2003: European Language Portfolio. The intercultural component and Learning how to learn. Strasbourg: Council of Europ Schneider,G. and P.Lenz, 2001: European Language Portfolio: Guide for developers. Strasbourg: Council of Europe
Check your 'identity' with a colleague from that country during coffee break.