Fostering Cultural Awareness Through Storytelling at a Multilingual Primary School

This chapter is a contribution to teacher education and teacher development studies in the field of plurilingualism and intercultural development through critical reflection. It presents a teaching proposal based on the use of a multimodal literary text for the promotion of intercultural awareness and translanguaging practices at its heart. The teaching proposal, which was implemented in a primary education class from a multilingual school in Catalonia in 2015, was designed ad hoc on the basis of relevant research works on TLA, plurilingualism, and intercultural awareness, and in the light of the interviews conducted before and after the implementation in the workfield. The study was carried out in an English as an additive language class to look into the teaching opportunities of storytelling and picture books to foster interculturality and effective language learning practices with a communicative approach.

Translanguaging as a Pedagogical Practice for Successful Inclusion in Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Classrooms

The research was developed and implemented to investigate the attitudes and views of both Greek and immigrant students with regard to performing translanguaging and its role in their communication, as well as in enhancing their intercultural awareness and sensitivity, in an attempt to explore whether translanguaging can lead to a successful inclusion of students with different linguistic and cultural backgrounds at school. To clarify it more, the research focused on investigating whether translanguaging improved and enhanced 1) students' interaction and 2) collaboration on joint projects/tasks within and outside the school context. The researcher made use of 1) semi-structured interviews with students, while 2) special observation protocols were used by the researcher to record authentic interaction and communication of students and teachers in practice and to explore trends towards raising intercultural awareness and sensitivity in environments that encourage translanguaging.

THE EFFECTS OF EPICS ON INTERCULTURAL AWARENESS OF SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNERS AT SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

This research study was aimed to determine whether the epics have effects on intercultural awareness of second language learners at the School of Foreign Languages, Selcuk University. It was conducted in two prep classes including 21 and 19 students to determine whether using epics was beneficial for intercultural awareness of second language learners during the foreign language learning process. The experimental group including 21 students was taught two English and two Turkish epics and related activities were done. The control group consisted of 19 students and no specific study for intercultural awareness was done. The students in that group got the cultural information from the coursebook. Both groups were given a questionnaire as a pre-test and a post-test. The test consisted of three open-ended questions related to the attitudes of students towards the target culture. During the study, the students were observed, and their behaviours and opinions were recorded by the researcher. The results showed a significant difference in the mean gains of the samples. Teaching epics proved to be effective on students’ intercultural awareness as second language learners while learning a second language.

Embedding Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) into English for specific purposes curriculum for vocational high schools

This study aims to explore a set of literature to clarify the Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach and determine if the evidence shows benefits in implementing the approach into the English for Specific Purposes (ESP) curriculum. The paper took a literature review approach and explored ten articles selected with specific criteria of being published within2014- 2020. The literature shows that the implementation of CLIL does have a positive output toward the teaching and learning process, especially for those who take English for Specific Purposes, such as in Vocational High Schools. The approach improves not only the linguistics aspects but also the non- linguistics aspect of the students' soft skills, such as high order thinking skills, problem-solving, enhanced communication, intercultural awareness, and motivation in learning. However, to meet the success of the implementation of CLIL in the ESP curriculum, some considerations and special requirements are needed. The two distinctive preparation are the syllabus for the curriculum and the readiness of human resources; the teachers. Before applying the CLIL, the two factors mentioned need mechanisms that will support the success of CLIL for the ESP curriculum in Vocational High Schools. The writer proposes a model to be implemented if the curriculum for Vocational High Schools is going to apply CLIL. Yet, it needs more researches in the future to make sure whether the model works well or needs more improvements.

Common Property: English as a Lingua Franca in Ghana, The Perspective of the College of Education Tutor

The study sought to investigate English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) in the classroom of the College of Education tutor in Ghana using the Ashanti Region as a case. A total of 48 participants were selected from 9 Colleges of Education for the study using purposive sampling. Data were collected using a six-point Likert-type scale questionnaire and a semi-structured interview guide. Data analysis and presentation of results were done using mean and standard deviations. The study revealed that intercultural awareness was important for language users. These findings could be interpreted as the changing conceptualizations of English language and pedagogy among language tutors in various contexts. Tutors’ awareness of the need to communicate in English was not restricted to native speaker communities. It was recommended that tutors should seek ways of acquiring attitudes that can help them create a congenial atmosphere for teaching and learning as/ this is needed by students to understand what their tutors teach them.

Primary Teacher Trainees’ Intercultural Education The Italian case

This study focuses on the importance of strengthening intercultural awareness among future Primary School teachers. Intercultural communicative competence plays a fundamental role in developing an honest and productive dialogue among people, whatever their origin, language or cultural heritage, and prospective teachers will be responsible for training the ‘good interculturalists’ of tomorrow. A survey was conducted among students attending a degree course for Primary Education Teachers to highlight what knowledge, practices and skills they have acquired regarding intercultural competence and whether they are able to deal with and successfully apply the notions of plurilingual and intercultural competence to their teaching practices.

Methods of Effective Use of Films in the Formation of Linguistic and Intercultural Communication Competencies

This study presents an analysis of the theory of the development of intercultural competence and the theory of the use of films in the formation of intercultural communicative competence in teaching foreign languages, as well as approbation of the method of using films in content courses for the formation of this competence in the courses of the Kazakh language. The development of intercultural communicative competence is the development of the ability to build harmonious and productive relationships between representatives of different cultures. Intercultural competence, recognized as one of the key components of learning in the new century, increases the need to adapt teaching methods and materials in order to increase the intercultural awareness of future professionals. To be competitive in the international arena, to be ready for new opportunities and various challenges, modern young professionals need to be able to form and develop skills of interaction and cooperation in a multicultural environment, intercultural and business relations, critical thinking, and the development of skills in the use of advanced digital technologies.The results of a study conducted as part of the course “Cultural Studies and Kazakh Culture” with the participation of 45 advanced level students showed that the practice of intercultural competence develops their positive attitude towards their culture and the culture of other countries and encourages them to develop general language competence.