JO ORANJE U N I V E R S I T Y O F O TA G O

D U N E D I N , N E W Z E A L A N D

I A L I C , A V E I R O

N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 4

Intercultural Communicative Language

Teaching: Using teachers’ cognitions to bridge theory and practice

Presentation outline

PhD research area: Intercultural communicative language teaching (ICLT) in New Zealand secondary school language classes

THEORY

The BRIDGE

PRACTICE

ICLT

Teachers’ cognitions about culture

teaching

ICLT in use

Cultural portfolio

projects

The New Zealand context

Entitlement (Years 7-10; age ~10-14yrs) Language learning statistics: 14 foreign languages taught (2 x Russian to 21,570 x French) Most popular in 2013: Te reo Māori, French, Japanese (but French

and Japanese dropping); Increases in Mandarin, Spanish, Samoan, Tongan

Curriculum (2007): ‘Learning Languages’ learning area Communication core strand (basis for assessment) Supported by language knowledge and culture knowledge strands Recommends ICLT

Language knowledge prioritised in practice NCEA external exams; washback; professional development (Conway

et al, 2010)

Theory: Intercultural Communicative Language Teaching

Development of Communicative Language Teaching

Move from teaching culture as homogeneous set of static facts from one perspective to ...

Teaching language and culture in an integrated way

Teaching skills to:

(i) explore the culture(s);

(ii) reflect on one’s own culture(s);

(iii) compare and contrast

ICLT theory

Appreciate alternatives exist, decentre, revisit

Assess intercultural competence with integrated concepts of attitudes, knowledge, skills, critical awareness = Byram’s savoirs (1997)

Goal: The ‘Intercultural Speaker’ (not native-like), anticipates, sees, manages, mediates for effective and efficient interactions between cultures

Teacher cognitions

Borg (2003): “the unobservable dimension of teaching – what teachers know, believe and think”

Questionnaire to determine teacher cognitions about culture teaching Based on CULTNET Sercu et al (Comparative multinational,

conducted in 2001) and Byram & Risager (Comparative British and Danish, 1992-1994)

My questionnaire

Administered to all language teachers at 121 secondary schools in South Island of New Zealand

Questionnaire

76 completed questionnaires from 39 schools

200 variables related to teacher beliefs about:

Relevance of culture in language education

The merit of a range of cultural topics and activities

Intercultural Communicative Language Teaching

Beliefs about language and culture

New Zealand teachers believed language and culture to be intertwined (98.7%) “Language is culture.” ; “They are one in the same.”

But, like CULTNET’s results, in practice, precedence given to teaching language over culture 69.7% report spending more time on linguistic

elements than cultural elements

26.3% report teaching language and culture in an integrated way

Why not more culture teaching?

1) Time (89.8%)

2) Curriculum linguistically oriented (81.6%)

3) Lack suitable materials/activities (59.1%)

4) Lack knowledge of how to teach culture (51%)

5) Lack knowledge of target culture (48.8%)

“Culture is more easily assimilated & therefore does not require the same degree of repetition and practice”

Awareness of ICLT

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Not heard of ICLT Heard but not familiar

Familiar but not practised

Familiar and practised

Pe

rce

nta

ge o

f re

spo

nd

en

ts

How was ICLT knowledge gained?

20 respondents attended professional development, usually workshops

9 undertook their own study

8 said it formed part of original teacher training

(?? - for 6/8 that was more than 10 years ago)

Is ICLT encouraged in New Zealand?

Of those who have heard of ICLT, 77% believe it is encouraged by Ministry and professional bodies but,

“As a new teacher I felt experienced teachers critiqued this topic when discussed but I wasn’t convinced anyone completely understood it – myself included”

Is teacher training adequate?

AN INTERVENTION

Cultural Portfolio Projects

Participant Schools BOYS’ SCHOOL

•Year 12 German class

•Native German teacher (Ada)

Participant Schools GIRLS’ SCHOOL

•Combined Years 12 and 13 German class

•New Zealand teacher (Craig)

‘Conversity’ cards

Culture discussion

Cultural Portfolio Projects (Byon, 2007; Su, 2011)

One hour a week, full term (9 weeks)

Generate cultural conceptions “German people like rules”

“German people are comfortable with nudity”

“German people don’t wear bright coloured clothes”

Select and research (books, websites, native speakers) – target language where possible

Reformulate hypothesis to own culture

Reflections

Speech/conversation in target language (internal assessment)

Sarah’s reflections

Hypothesis: “That German people are punctual” “Personally I think this is very true.” “It is just a way of life.”

EXPLORE:

“Strong work ethic that relies on punctuality and organisation.”

“The train system also causes them to be punctual.”

“Being late is a sign of disrespect.”

REFLECT:

“This information helps to show the different ways in which we view things... We’re just very relaxed about these things.”

COMPARE:

“I think that the German way of being punctual is better than ours, because it means that you know when and where and don't have to wait and wonder.”

“Naturally we cannot apply this to every German.”

Teachers’ cognitions - Bridging the gap?

1: Time These teachers implemented in existing programme

with little notice “It’s really easy to incorporate it into your teaching” (Ada)

2: Curriculum linguistically oriented

Can produce linguistic assessment if required, language still developed

“You look at their conversations they were long ... four and half minutes or something” (Craig)

Bridging the gap?

3: Lack suitable materials/activities CPPs will be made available as teaching resources

4: Lack knowledge of how to teach culture CPPs make principles of ICLT theory visible “Yeah I think the one thing that surprised me . . was the flipping it... that was a

step that I wouldn’t have taken” (Ada)

5: Lack knowledge of target culture Not necessary in CPPs – teacher as co-explorer, students as

experts “I was really pleasantly surprised at how much they benefited from it ... and they

feel clever” (Craig)

Value of the Intercultural

For Ada, reflection revealed to students the heterogeneous nature of their own culture “They were quite surprised what other ... [NZers] might have thought...

they’re teenagers so y’know it all revolves around them”

“It’s important for them to realise that yes we are living in one culture but we still perceive things differently”

For Craig, reflection raised the potential for cross-curricular learning especially with social studies

Both gave impression that it was interesting, rather than beneficial or essential for language-and-culture learning

Students’ feedback

Agreed the project made them think about their own culture “you really only think about your own culture if something really

weird happens and you think oh we don’t normally do that.”

Agreed culture learning is as important as language learning “the class isn’t called German Language, it’s called German.”

Agreed it enhanced engagement and motivation for their assessed speeches

Agreed it should be repeated in the next year’s class (Ada and Craig already using it in other levels)

Conclusion

Examining teacher cognitions allowed development of CPPs as concrete practice of the theory

Positive outcomes from CPPs demonstrated value of ICLT theory (engaging, motivation and increased output)

Step-by-step nature of CPPs exemplified ICLT making theory more accessible – knowledge through practise

But with tenuous grasp of crucial reflective element and while teacher education levels are low, the gap not bridged but breach might be reduced

References

Borg, S. (2003). Teacher cognition in language teaching: A review of research on what language teachers think, know, believe, and do. Language Teaching, 36, 81-109..

Byon, A. S. (2007). The use of culture portfolio project in a Korean culture classroom: Evaluating stereotypes and enhancing cross-cultural awareness. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 20(1), 1-19.

Byram, M. (1997). Teaching and assessing intercultural communicative competence. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.

Byram, M., and Risager, K. (1999). Language teachers, politics and cultures. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.

Conversity cards: www.conversity.co.nz Conway, C., Richards, H., Harvey, S., & Roskvist, A. (2010). Teacher provision of

opportunities for learners to develop language knowledge and cultural knowledge. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 30 (4), 449-462.

Han, H. (2010). An Investigation of Teachers’ Perceptions of Culture Teaching in Secondary Schools in Xinjiang, China. Durham theses, Durham University.

Sercu, L., Bandura, E., Castro, P., Davcheva, L., Laskaridou, C., Lundgren, U., ... Ryan, P. (2005). Foreign language teachers and intercultural competence: An international investigation. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.

Su, Y-C. (2011). The effects of the cultural portfolio project on cultural and EFL learning in Taiwan's EFL college classes. Language Teaching Research, 15(2), 230-252.

Contact details

Jo Oranje, University of Otago

I welcome your contact:

harjo159@student.otago.ac.nz