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.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Intercultural Learning – some general facts
2.1.The iceberg model- a concept of culture
2.2. Goals of Intercultural Learning
2.3. Levels of Intercultural Learning
3. Intercultural Learning and Bilingual Teaching
3.1. Intercultural Learning within Content and Language Integrated Learning
3.2. Conclusion
3.3.Teaching Sequence of a bilingual ethics lesson
3.4. Lesson plan of year 5
Objectives and Topics
This work explores the integration of intercultural learning into modern education, specifically focusing on the application of CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning). The research question examines how intercultural competence can be fostered through bilingual teaching methods and reflected in a practical lesson plan for ethics.
- The theoretical foundations of intercultural learning
- The iceberg model as a metaphor for culture
- Goals and developmental levels of intercultural competence
- The synergy between CLIL and intercultural education
- Practical implementation in an ethics classroom
Excerpt from the book
2.1. The iceberg model- a concept of culture
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.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter highlights the significance of intercultural learning in modern education and outlines the scope of the paper, including the focus on the iceberg model and bilingual ethics teaching.
2. Intercultural Learning – some general facts: This section provides a conceptual framework, explaining the iceberg model of culture, defining the primary goals of intercultural learning, and detailing the different levels of learner development.
3. Intercultural Learning and Bilingual Teaching: This chapter connects theoretical intercultural concepts with CLIL, presents a concluding reflection, and demonstrates a practical application through an ethics lesson plan for year 5 students.
Keywords
Intercultural Learning, CLIL, Iceberg Model, Bilingual Teaching, Cultural Awareness, Intercultural Competence, Education, Ethics, Culture, Social Norms, Learner Development, Holidays, Cross-cultural, Values, Teaching Sequence
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this paper?
The paper examines the necessity and implementation of intercultural learning within the framework of modern education and bilingual (CLIL) teaching.
What are the primary thematic fields addressed?
The core themes include the definition of culture via the iceberg model, the goals of intercultural competence, developmental levels of learners, and the integration of these concepts into subjects like ethics.
What is the central research objective?
The work aims to explain how to effectively foster intercultural competence and demonstrate its practical application in a bilingual school setting.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The author uses a literature-based theoretical approach combined with a practical pedagogical application, exemplified by a specific lesson plan design.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The main body details the iceberg model of culture, discusses three major goals of intercultural learning, describes three developmental levels of learners, and outlines a practical ethics lesson about holidays.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include Intercultural Learning, CLIL, cultural awareness, bilingual teaching, and intercultural competence.
How does the "iceberg model" explain culture in this text?
It illustrates that only visible aspects of culture (like music or language) are easily observed, while fundamental elements (like values and history) remain hidden beneath the surface, necessitating intercultural learning to understand them.
Why does the author suggest using ethics for bilingual teaching?
The author argues that ethics offers unique opportunities to discuss culture, traditions, and religion, even if the curriculum does not explicitly mention bilingual teaching, provided the teacher applies the right methods.
What are the three developmental levels mentioned for intercultural learners?
The author identifies the monocultural level (stereotyped), the intercultural level (standing between cultures), and the transcultural level (standing above and reflecting critically on cultures).
- Quote paper
- Julia Kühn (Author), 2008, Intercultural Learning within Content and Language Integrated Learning, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/87964
