Developing an intercultural approach in your classroomDr Robyn MoloneyMacquarie Universityrobyn.moloney@mq.edu.au

OverviewWhat is an intercultural approach?The key players: teachers and students: identity and skills

An intercultural approach ? understanding of their own language(s) and culture(s) in relation to an additional language and culture communicating using multiple perspectives to understand and create meaning. (Liddicoat, 2003)

Its aboutpreparing students for meaningful communication with Japanese people, with understanding moving beyond the idea of learning about Japanese culture from the outside- focus is on students developing personal engagement with Japans language and culture. opportunities to reflect on how Japanese ideas, values and way of life differ from their ownA. J. Liddicoat (2010)

Teachers: the great importance of usThe single biggest influence on kids intercultural learningYou just want to be like that Babel 42, 3, April 2008.Our experiences and background- what skills do we have?How do we model our curiosity and skills?

Who is the self that teaches?To educate is to guide students on an inner journey toward more truthful ways of seeing and being in the world. How can schools perform their mission without encouraging the guides to scout out that inner terrain? (Parker Palmer 1998)What do we bring to an intercultural approach?

What has your interaction with

Australia / Japan / another culture

shown you about yourself?

Robyn: From W. Armours study (2001) I think I need to be in Japan to realise that I am really Western... I am the only person in the Tokyo train that wears a loud parka and sits clumsily and has a bag that is shabby. . I laugh more loudly than a Japanese woman does and I want to use superlatives the way we do in English. I think I am still reasonably authentically myself even though Im moderating that to some extent.

There is some obvious tension between this display of herself and the demands to be appropriate when interacting in Japanese. She commented thatyou feel the need to understand behaviour and how your behaviour can fit in better. Not to the point of mimicry or diverting from your own self but unconsciously you adapt. I think you feel an obligation to understand Japanese people and to expose yourself to experiences that help you understand better. (Armour, 2004)

Robynanother experienceTravelled in Europe, Asia, but not WALearnt 3 languages but no knowledge about Aboriginal languages

I am an East coast, white, Australian, first lang EnglishI have middle class values, house, educationI expect to be treated well by justice, health, educationI know very little about the bush, the Dreaming, kinship systems, Aboriginal languages

What have been the experiences in which you have noticed yourself? The other?

What do you spend time/money on? (values)

Do I show my curiosity in languages and cultures in class?

What skills have we developed in these processes?

DecenteringCritiquingAnalysingDifferent perspectives

How is this connected to the concepts of intercultural language learning???...

What we needSkills in promoting an atmosphere which allows learners to take risks in their thinking and feeling...best developed in practice and in reflection on experience...common ground with teachers of other subjects and in taking part themselves in learning experiences which involve risk and reflection

Teachers should see this work as significant in their professional development. (Byram, Gribkova, Starkey,2002 )

I could think about.My own subconscious prejudices, stereotypes My classroom remarks, how I respond to kids viewsQuestion the basis on which kids make judgements about others, (why do I think what I think?)Think how others might see an issue- point of view

Suggestions for developmentquestion asking?- some reflective notes from discussions?a blog for teacher intercultural interchange?write them into your programNoticing skills? Visual literacy skills?

What is a garden?

Some new signals?Flagging conduct of discussions (metacognitive)- develop rules in TL:listen to each other; respect when commenting on cultural difference yuk responsibility to challenge stereotypes

2. Students:Its nice that the girls do the lovely Japanese culture, because, of course, we dont have anyStudents recognising .

what my family does as special, unique, culture?what we eat, spend money/time on, have in our backyard, how we speak?how this is shaped by our climate, geography, history?

Example: Year 8 Spanish: a dinner partyA rich language lessonWhat do you notice? no one in the dialogue says thankyou. Why? the guests stay at the hosts home very latethey reciprocate the invitation,These 2 things indicate appreciation.

The reflection.making Australian culture visibleStudent CG: you dont really need to say please and thank you as much in Spain. Like we say it almost unnecessarily Student SW: Yeah, it was strange because we say it so much, so it seemed kind of odd Student CG: It was just kind of a habit for us to say it, but for them they only say it when its absolutely necessary, which is probably because then its more meaningful. The less you say it, the more significant it is.

de-centre from their own way of expressing gratitude, and perceive the meaning and value in the Spanish way. critique own practice and suggest that the Spanish practice may be more meaningful than their own. ..a transformation of their perception

One student described her perception of this process as: when you learn other languages, you learn so much about your own, you begin to understand both. (Student JO)

An intercultural approachvalue in allowing time for reflective questions and answers, connect language study with the students own experience. is achievable in short English discussions and in Japanese, in tasks where students make comparisons, problem-solve and express opinions.

Intercultural language learning outcomes are visible, in students Using Japanese and English to express real opinions, problem solveUsing their prior knowledge, expectationsAnalysing cultural difference, Thinking about their identity and life as studentsshowing that they know small details of social etiquette in their use of Japanese

Making it assessable:

knowledge, understanding, skills, values and attitudes (Board of Studies, NSW 2003) Recording new knowledge (discoveries)creating tasks where it can be used criteria re demonstration of intercultural knowledge (etiquette, language) in performances, SLRW, interpretation text.. variety of formative assessment and evidence

I measure intercultural learning, not so much by what language they are using, but by the language they are not using. not including thankyou, not translating an idea from English direct into Spanish. I am listening (or reading) for the use of idiom and real sounding Spanish, for attempting to include little typical scenarios like being offered more food, resisting, offering again. Or the guest trying to depart, but being persuaded to stay longer. These little details represent a lot of knowledge, they make a big difference. (Teacher, I. Braun, 2009)

They are proud of knowing these little invisible secrets which open the door to the real Spain. It also makes them aware of the little invisible secrets that operate in Australian life too. (teacher, I. Braun, 2009)An intercultural communicator

Claire Kramsch (2010)If you want to diversify your picture of the world, listen to your students multiple perspectives its not a lecture, its being open to small opportunitiesits about great language learning

Intercultural language learning for both teachers and students is

SimpleDo-able in both English and JapaneseValuable Visible and assessable