Intercultural learning is an essential part in learning as well as in teaching. Furthermore it does not depend on a specific subject, because intercultural aspects are involved in many diverse issues in our daily life. Teaching intercultural is also one of the most important aspects of modern education. In my further comments I am going to tell what we have to understand by “Intercultural Learning” and what we have to keep in mind, when we deal with this specific issue of society as well as of modern foreign language teaching. Therefore, I would like to say something about the iceberg model as a concept of culture, the goals and levels of intercultural learning, as well as presenting a teaching sequence of an ethics lesson. Obviously, culture can bee seen as an iceberg: Only a small part above the waterline is visible. The tip of the iceberg, the larger part underneath the waterline, is invisible.
This part is considered to be the foundation. The same happens with culture. On the one hand, there are some visible parts like architecture, music, language or cooking. On the other hand, invisible parts like social norms or values. Concerning the concept of culture, the visible parts are just expressions of its invisible parts. It also highlights the difficulty of understanding people from different social backgrounds. Although, we are able to see the visible parts of their “iceberg” we cannot immediately realise what the foundations are.
To set an example, when you see a black person on the street you obviously see that the person is black because this becomes visible for you. What you cannot see on the first look is the social background, the religion the person belongs to, the country where he or she comes from, the history the person has, if the ancestors had suffered from slavery or not. Unfortunately, all those things are invisible for you.
With the help of intercultural learning one can acquire knowledge, attitudes or behaviour that is connected with the interaction of different cultures. It can also denote a concept of how people with different cultural backgrounds can live together peacefully. The success of intercultural learning depends on three major goals which are to be dealt with now. Even though, they seem to be autonomous in their aims, they share one main principle, the intercultural competence.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Intercultural Learning – some general facts
- The iceberg model- a concept of culture
- Goals of Intercultural Learning
- Levels of Intercultural Learning
- Intercultural Learning and Bilingual Teaching
- Intercultural Learning within Content and Language Integrated Learning
- Conclusion
- Teaching Sequence of a bilingual ethics lesson
- Lesson plan of year 5
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This text aims to explore the importance and application of intercultural learning within the context of education, particularly in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). It examines the concept of culture through the iceberg model, delves into the goals and levels of intercultural learning, and illustrates its application in bilingual teaching.
- Intercultural Learning: The importance of understanding different cultural perspectives and promoting interaction between diverse cultures.
- The Iceberg Model of Culture: The concept of visible and invisible aspects of culture and their influence on intercultural understanding.
- Goals of Intercultural Learning: Cultural awareness, intercultural understanding, and "Völkerverständigung" (mutual understanding between peoples).
- Intercultural Learning in Bilingual Teaching: The application of intercultural learning principles in CLIL contexts, aiming to develop intercultural competence.
- Teaching Sequence and Lesson Plan: Practical examples of how intercultural learning can be incorporated into bilingual ethics lessons.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: The text introduces the concept of intercultural learning as a fundamental aspect of both learning and teaching, emphasizing its relevance across diverse subjects and its importance in modern education.
- Intercultural Learning – some general facts: This section explores the iceberg model as a concept of culture, highlighting the visible and invisible aspects that influence intercultural understanding. It also discusses the goals of intercultural learning, including cultural awareness, intercultural understanding, and "Völkerverständigung".
- Intercultural Learning and Bilingual Teaching: This chapter examines the integration of intercultural learning within CLIL, emphasizing the development of intercultural competence through bilingual instruction. It also includes a conclusion, a teaching sequence for a bilingual ethics lesson, and a lesson plan for year 5.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The key focus of this text lies on intercultural learning, its application in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), and its contribution to intercultural competence. This includes exploring the iceberg model of culture, analyzing the goals of intercultural learning, and presenting practical examples of bilingual teaching sequences.
- Quote paper
- Julia Kühn (Author), 2008, Intercultural Learning within Content and Language Integrated Learning, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/87964
