Chapter 11. Dyeing the mosaic

Chapter 11. Dyeing the mosaic

     As the end of the first year of the Master's slowly approaches, one of the aspects that stands out the most as an element I learned greatly about is intercultural competence. Before starting the English Methodologies class, it would most likely go overlooked, as I had never realized its genuine importance in schools and society. In fact, while I was previously already aware that everyone must know about cultural contrasts and be able to respect that, I had yet to learn how much deeper this skill actually goes.

   As Barrett et al. (2013) show, there are numerous advantages to developing intercultural competence in school, such as, that it "involves being open to, curious about and interested in people who have other cultural affiliations, and the ability to understand and interpret their practices, beliefs, discourses and values." (p. 12) Consequently, among other benefits, this competence qualifies the learners to respectfully and carefully listen to other peers' stories and learn about their personal experiences and traditions, which is a skill that every element of society should hold in themselves.

    If correctly fostered in the students' minds, this habit of being empathetic and curious about people from various places and cultures worldwide can be a plus in an intercultural project, in which schools collaborate towards a meaningful learning experience for students from different countries. Sadly, not every school puts the effort or can follow through with these projects, sticking solely to traditional teaching methodologies. According to Aprendizagens Essenciais (2018), learning about other cultures and momentarily suspending one's beliefs to put oneself in others' shoes is one of the major competencies to be developed in an English classroom from a young age. Even if teachers focus on intercultural competence in their lessons, the opportunity to communicate and learn through an intercultural project is completely different, adding a layer of true understanding of difference, union, and respect.

    So, ultimately, how can teachers assess this skill? Some authors observe that, since this is a complex competence, its assessment must be differentiated from any form of evaluation, and ought to "include both analytical measurement/description – involving multiple measures – and holistic and reliable judgements of individuals’ performance, either singly or together with others." (Barrett et al., 2013, p. 19) In order to achieve that, a few effective manners that can be used to assess students in intercultural competence are questionnaires, portfolios, and personal journals where learners would be able to express their views freely – much like I've been doing on this blog for the past months.

    Accordingly, among the stated strategies, I believe having the students keep their personal blog, portfolio or journal would be the most successful way of both assessing them and making them reflect on their intercultural journey. If I, in the future, have the chance, I will undoubtedly implement this in the classroom, as a means of assessing and developing my students' critical and creative thinking competence (Oliveira Martins, 2017). As all teachers should, I will continuously incite curiosity and make learners comfortable to ask questions, engage in meaningful dialogue with others, and reflect upon the society they're a part of. They should be proud to be colorful tiles in a great social mosaic, sharing their identity, culture, and values, and glimpsing at the beautiful mosaic made with diversity, teamwork, and harmony of perceptions.

References

Barrett, M., Byram, M., Lázár, I., Mompoint-Gaillard, P. & Philippou, S. (2013). Developing Intercultural Competence through Education. Strasbourg: Council of Europe.

ME. (2018). Aprendizagens Essenciais para o Inglês no ES.

Oliveira Martins, G. et al. (2017). Perfil dos alunos à saída da Escolaridade Obrigatória. MEC/DGE. 

Chapter 10. Ink splash

Chapter 10. Ink splash

       Students come in various different sizes, shapes, colors, and preferences. Once one enters a classroom, one can't expect to find a group of people with perfectly homogenous values, beliefs, and opinions, because the same way they will vary in size, colors, or preferences, they will also differ in mindsets. That comes with disparities in backgrounds, upbringings, identities, and cultures.

   Therefore, it's predictable that some matters and opinions might trigger someone's way of thinking, particularly cultural or religious beliefs – as it's natural to happen with all human beings. Still, the question is: how to deal with such issues in a classroom full of young, opinionative students? Should there be a restriction of covered topics in class, to avoid offending anyone, or should they be addressed and the kids' opinions validated?

        It is, in fact, true that it can be challenging to deal with differing views among learners, especially if it's about sensitive topics. However, it is crucial to do so, even if it involves addressing controversial or taboo matters. Fostering a healthy and free environment, where everyone feels like they can share their thoughts freely, is essential in a school environment. Thus, teachers must focus on setting clear rules for the discussions, promoting mutual respect and compassion towards others' ideas. Regarding this, some sources add that it's important to stay in agreement with the learners' parents whenever controversial issues are soon to be covered, stating that schools should keep an open dialogue "with students and parents to ensure specific issues are handled fairly and with appropriate methods" (Addressing Controversial Issues, n.d.). Regardless of this view, I disagree this is necessary for 3rd Cycle and Secondary students. Despite having access to documents like Aprendizagens Essenciais (2018), where they can check what their children are learning in school, they can't fully know about the methodologies being used; and they would probably disagree with several approaches. Yet, no one asks for permission to teach a provided topic in a certain manner. So, why would that be the case with sensitive subjects? Students can only benefit from getting involved in enriching debates and sharing their views, not only in school but also in society in general. Additionally, if teachers waited for every parent's approval to teach each topic, schools would not be able to function smoothly.

        So, why should EFL teachers prompt open and healthy discussions like these in their classes? Because language is inherently connected to culture (Kramsch, 1998). If teachers want to educate students on a specific language, they will also have to cover cultural matters, such as beliefs, traditions, and differences, if compared to other cultures. Having a good understanding of Otherness also serves as a good mechanism to foster empathy and develop intercultural competence, aside from enabling them to create more meaningful conversations and connections with people from all around the globe.

        After reflecting upon this subject, I'm certain that, after becoming a teacher, developing these conversations with my students will be a key element to making the most of the classes and providing a successful and fulfilling learning experience for them.

References

• Addressing controversial issues. (n.d.). Democratic Schools for All. https://www.coe.int/en/web/campaign-free-to-speak-safe-to-learn/addressing-controversial-issues
• Kramsch, C. (1998). Language and culture. Oxford University Press.
• ME. (2018). Aprendizagens Essenciais para o Inglês no ES.