As internationalisation efforts intensify in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, institutions of ... more As internationalisation efforts intensify in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, institutions of higher education are becoming more and more diverse. Increases in the number of international students on campus, however, does not automatically lead to meaningful intercultural engagement among students. After identifying some of the many elements that can hinder the development of constructive multicultural relationships, this presentation focuses on various ways that intercultural mentoring may be employed to foster global-mindedness, interculturality, and inclusivity. Examples of research-inspired pedagogical interventions (face-to-face, blended, fully online) are reviewed. This session encourages reflection on how intercultural mentorship may inspire both mobile and non-mobile students to initiate intercultural dialogue and more fully benefit from internationalisation
Over the past decades, a growing body of scholarship has sought to assess the extent to which edu... more Over the past decades, a growing body of scholarship has sought to assess the extent to which education abroad programs deliver on intended outcomes for students. Scholars and practitioners share a common interest in moving beyond the assumption that education abroad is automatically and necessarily a transformational process, to find evidence of the ways that students may (or may not) develop as part of their time abroad (Gozik, 2014). While much has been examined regarding the success of programs in maximizing student learning (see e.g. chapter 3, this volume), this chapter explores an area in the research literature that has received far less attention, namely the role that individual program components have in contributing to student learning. Reviewing the existing literature, this chapter explores five areas of programming often associated with education abroad: modes of instruction, housing, extra- and co-curricular activities, experiential learning, and support services. The...
As a consequence of globalization and internationalization, there has been a dramatic increase in... more As a consequence of globalization and internationalization, there has been a dramatic increase in the number and diversity of students who are gaining international educational experience. Making connections between contemporary study abroad research, theory, and practice, Intercultural Interventions in Study Abroad describes innovative programmes that have been designed to deepen the intercultural learning and engagement of student sojourners. In addition to reviewing the benefits and limitations of these interventions, this volume offers recommendations for further enhancements in the field. Exploring examples of intercultural interventions in a wide variety of countries from pre- to post-study abroad, this bookhelps readers develop a critical awareness of their strengths and limitations, and provides directions for future developments in intercultural pedagogy. Written by intercultural educators and study abroad scholars from different parts of the world, each chapter describes an innovative pedagogical intervention that has been designed to enhance intercultural learning and engagement, including: designing and implementing pre-sojourn intercultural workshops; using guided, critical reflection to deepen students' intercultural learning and engagement; monitoring class interaction to maximize intercultural learning; optimizing intercultural learning and engagement abroad through online mentoring. Truly international in scope, this text is essential for study abroad professionals who seek to enhance the intercultural development, global-mindedness, and second-language learning of students through innovative intercultural programming.
A continuing challenge in teacher education is how to develop future teachers' global compete... more A continuing challenge in teacher education is how to develop future teachers' global competencies to prepare them for the diversity of learners in school classrooms. This chapter investigates an undergraduate teacher education degree program which aims to enhance future teachers' intercultural engagement and global competence within an interdisciplinary curriculum incorporating an international experience. The researchers explored the level of pre-service teachers' engagement with their host society during a study abroad year through analysis of students' written assessment tasks. Findings indicates that the program encouraged the pre-service teachers' engagement with the local society through opportunities for students to explore complex social issues beyond the university context, potentially contributing to their global competence development. The chapter will be of interest for researchers and educators interested in exploring the value of alternative and in...
ABSTRACT Teachers’ development of critical cultural skills is integral to their awareness of what... more ABSTRACT Teachers’ development of critical cultural skills is integral to their awareness of what and how they teach as well as how they communicate with students in the multilingual, multicultural classrooms of today. This research reports the analysis of 33 pre-service teachers’ written narrative reflections. The reflective writing task was designed to elicit description and analysis of their experiences of linguistic and cultural difference (termed ‘intercultural’). The study examined what learning is afforded by the reflective task and how this learning is evaluated by the participants. The reflective narratives were analysed using a four-type model to identify writing characteristics and degree of intercultural awareness. Findings show that overall, the reflective narrative was a catalyst for critical intercultural understanding for the pre-service teachers, was effective in supporting personal affirmations of background and prior knowledge, and sharpened awareness of their role in opening up critical cultural thinking in their future classrooms. This study demonstrates that a structured reflective narrative task can enhance an active and continuous process of personal and professional growth for all teachers.
Non-government organisations (NGOs) can play an important role in educating about and advocating ... more Non-government organisations (NGOs) can play an important role in educating about and advocating for human rights. This paper reports on findings from an investigation of the opportunities for teaching and learning about human rights in the Australian school curriculum, and in particular the opportunities for learning about human rights in schools through the work of Australian-based non-government and not-for-profit organisations. The research points to the value of strengthening partnerships between NGOs which specialise in the defence of human rights and school systems in order to broaden students' opportunities to learn about human rights. This paper argues for the recognition of the current work of NGOs in education systems in Australia, and for an extension of programs and project work around key human rights issues with young people and teachers.
The notion of intercultural competence is a common objective of many university study abroad prog... more The notion of intercultural competence is a common objective of many university study abroad programs, however the construct has recently been challenged and contested (for example, Dervin, 2011; Witte & Harden, 2011; Trede, Bowles, & Bridges, 2013). This paper explores the pitfalls in seeking to measure students’ intercultural competence. Through research undertaken in an Australian university, we sought to find a method for identifying the intercultural understandings of undergraduate students who complete a study abroad year at partner universities abroad. In this study, an approach which we have termed Cultural Responsiveness was developed to move beyond judging students within a framework of ‘competence’ (and the implication of ‘incompetence’) but rather to identify the insights of the students themselves. The Cultural Responsiveness approach emerged not only as a result of the need for context-specific tools when identifying students’ interculturality, but also to accommodate a more fluid rather than fixed notion of intercultural development. Through focus groups, student narratives were collected and assessed and results highlighted that students’ learning through study abroad is influenced by their interactive experiences and is therefore dynamic and constantly shifting. The paper also proposes that debates on interculturality need to take into account the diversity of students’ cultural backgrounds and experiences.
In an increasingly globalised world, greater numbers of Japanese citizens live beyond the nationa... more In an increasingly globalised world, greater numbers of Japanese citizens live beyond the national borders of Japan. The children of these families typically grow up multilingually, as users of their heritage language (Japanese) and the language of the majority community. The children’s development in the heritage language not only fulfils linguistic goals but also contributes to the construction of their identity. The heritage language learner’s competencies, identification, choices and ideologies change and evolve over the course of a learner’s life, reflecting changing motivations, social networks, opportunities and other variables. This paper reports findings of a case-study examination of children of Japanese families living permanently in Australia, focusing specifically on how their Japanese identities develop. A sociocultural analysis of data collected through interviews with post-secondary students shows the impact of their language learning experiences on their multi-faceted development of identities. It uncovers how the students need, and use, their Japanese in two key ways: to establish and maintain social relationships and to participate and interact with aspects of Japanese pop-culture. This study extends knowledge of heritage learner development, and brings deeper understanding of needs, to relevant secondary and tertiary language learning provision.
Although focused on learning a specific target language, learners also bring knowledge of their f... more Although focused on learning a specific target language, learners also bring knowledge of their first languages (L1) to the classroom context. When their teachers are also proficient users of the learners’ L1, then both the target and first languages can be used in classroom interactions, particularly in beginner-level courses. This study investigates the language choices made by teachers at an Australian university when communicating with their beginner-level students from six different language programs. The experiences of 27 teachers were canvassed through questionnaires and interviews. Data revealed that the learners’ unease about extensive classroom target language use influenced the teachers’ decisions to use the L1 or the target language at specific stages of a lesson. Various consequences for teachers’ practices are discussed, including the strategy of explicitly discussing the value of using the target language with students. This article demonstrates a valuable and strateg...
In late 2008, the Australian Government announced funding for a national collaborative project to... more In late 2008, the Australian Government announced funding for a national collaborative project to develop a curriculum framework for courses of study in Chinese (Mandarin), Indonesian, Japanese, and Korean for 'heritage speakers' of these languages at the senior secondary school level. This article examines some of the issues surrounding this development, investigating one of these languages (Japanese) as a case study. Drawing on previous research, it explores who might be considered a 'heritage' speaker/learner in the Australian secondary school context, how extensive this subgroup of learners of Japanese is in the community of New South Wales, and what courses of language study these students are currently undertaking at the senior secondary level. The project collected data through interviews with schoolteachers experienced in teaching 'heritage' speakers of Japanese. These teachers' voices provide informed perceptions of how appropriate the current of...
As internationalisation efforts intensify in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, institutions of ... more As internationalisation efforts intensify in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, institutions of higher education are becoming more and more diverse. Increases in the number of international students on campus, however, does not automatically lead to meaningful intercultural engagement among students. After identifying some of the many elements that can hinder the development of constructive multicultural relationships, this presentation focuses on various ways that intercultural mentoring may be employed to foster global-mindedness, interculturality, and inclusivity. Examples of research-inspired pedagogical interventions (face-to-face, blended, fully online) are reviewed. This session encourages reflection on how intercultural mentorship may inspire both mobile and non-mobile students to initiate intercultural dialogue and more fully benefit from internationalisation
Over the past decades, a growing body of scholarship has sought to assess the extent to which edu... more Over the past decades, a growing body of scholarship has sought to assess the extent to which education abroad programs deliver on intended outcomes for students. Scholars and practitioners share a common interest in moving beyond the assumption that education abroad is automatically and necessarily a transformational process, to find evidence of the ways that students may (or may not) develop as part of their time abroad (Gozik, 2014). While much has been examined regarding the success of programs in maximizing student learning (see e.g. chapter 3, this volume), this chapter explores an area in the research literature that has received far less attention, namely the role that individual program components have in contributing to student learning. Reviewing the existing literature, this chapter explores five areas of programming often associated with education abroad: modes of instruction, housing, extra- and co-curricular activities, experiential learning, and support services. The...
As a consequence of globalization and internationalization, there has been a dramatic increase in... more As a consequence of globalization and internationalization, there has been a dramatic increase in the number and diversity of students who are gaining international educational experience. Making connections between contemporary study abroad research, theory, and practice, Intercultural Interventions in Study Abroad describes innovative programmes that have been designed to deepen the intercultural learning and engagement of student sojourners. In addition to reviewing the benefits and limitations of these interventions, this volume offers recommendations for further enhancements in the field. Exploring examples of intercultural interventions in a wide variety of countries from pre- to post-study abroad, this bookhelps readers develop a critical awareness of their strengths and limitations, and provides directions for future developments in intercultural pedagogy. Written by intercultural educators and study abroad scholars from different parts of the world, each chapter describes an innovative pedagogical intervention that has been designed to enhance intercultural learning and engagement, including: designing and implementing pre-sojourn intercultural workshops; using guided, critical reflection to deepen students' intercultural learning and engagement; monitoring class interaction to maximize intercultural learning; optimizing intercultural learning and engagement abroad through online mentoring. Truly international in scope, this text is essential for study abroad professionals who seek to enhance the intercultural development, global-mindedness, and second-language learning of students through innovative intercultural programming.
A continuing challenge in teacher education is how to develop future teachers' global compete... more A continuing challenge in teacher education is how to develop future teachers' global competencies to prepare them for the diversity of learners in school classrooms. This chapter investigates an undergraduate teacher education degree program which aims to enhance future teachers' intercultural engagement and global competence within an interdisciplinary curriculum incorporating an international experience. The researchers explored the level of pre-service teachers' engagement with their host society during a study abroad year through analysis of students' written assessment tasks. Findings indicates that the program encouraged the pre-service teachers' engagement with the local society through opportunities for students to explore complex social issues beyond the university context, potentially contributing to their global competence development. The chapter will be of interest for researchers and educators interested in exploring the value of alternative and in...
ABSTRACT Teachers’ development of critical cultural skills is integral to their awareness of what... more ABSTRACT Teachers’ development of critical cultural skills is integral to their awareness of what and how they teach as well as how they communicate with students in the multilingual, multicultural classrooms of today. This research reports the analysis of 33 pre-service teachers’ written narrative reflections. The reflective writing task was designed to elicit description and analysis of their experiences of linguistic and cultural difference (termed ‘intercultural’). The study examined what learning is afforded by the reflective task and how this learning is evaluated by the participants. The reflective narratives were analysed using a four-type model to identify writing characteristics and degree of intercultural awareness. Findings show that overall, the reflective narrative was a catalyst for critical intercultural understanding for the pre-service teachers, was effective in supporting personal affirmations of background and prior knowledge, and sharpened awareness of their role in opening up critical cultural thinking in their future classrooms. This study demonstrates that a structured reflective narrative task can enhance an active and continuous process of personal and professional growth for all teachers.
Non-government organisations (NGOs) can play an important role in educating about and advocating ... more Non-government organisations (NGOs) can play an important role in educating about and advocating for human rights. This paper reports on findings from an investigation of the opportunities for teaching and learning about human rights in the Australian school curriculum, and in particular the opportunities for learning about human rights in schools through the work of Australian-based non-government and not-for-profit organisations. The research points to the value of strengthening partnerships between NGOs which specialise in the defence of human rights and school systems in order to broaden students' opportunities to learn about human rights. This paper argues for the recognition of the current work of NGOs in education systems in Australia, and for an extension of programs and project work around key human rights issues with young people and teachers.
The notion of intercultural competence is a common objective of many university study abroad prog... more The notion of intercultural competence is a common objective of many university study abroad programs, however the construct has recently been challenged and contested (for example, Dervin, 2011; Witte & Harden, 2011; Trede, Bowles, & Bridges, 2013). This paper explores the pitfalls in seeking to measure students’ intercultural competence. Through research undertaken in an Australian university, we sought to find a method for identifying the intercultural understandings of undergraduate students who complete a study abroad year at partner universities abroad. In this study, an approach which we have termed Cultural Responsiveness was developed to move beyond judging students within a framework of ‘competence’ (and the implication of ‘incompetence’) but rather to identify the insights of the students themselves. The Cultural Responsiveness approach emerged not only as a result of the need for context-specific tools when identifying students’ interculturality, but also to accommodate a more fluid rather than fixed notion of intercultural development. Through focus groups, student narratives were collected and assessed and results highlighted that students’ learning through study abroad is influenced by their interactive experiences and is therefore dynamic and constantly shifting. The paper also proposes that debates on interculturality need to take into account the diversity of students’ cultural backgrounds and experiences.
In an increasingly globalised world, greater numbers of Japanese citizens live beyond the nationa... more In an increasingly globalised world, greater numbers of Japanese citizens live beyond the national borders of Japan. The children of these families typically grow up multilingually, as users of their heritage language (Japanese) and the language of the majority community. The children’s development in the heritage language not only fulfils linguistic goals but also contributes to the construction of their identity. The heritage language learner’s competencies, identification, choices and ideologies change and evolve over the course of a learner’s life, reflecting changing motivations, social networks, opportunities and other variables. This paper reports findings of a case-study examination of children of Japanese families living permanently in Australia, focusing specifically on how their Japanese identities develop. A sociocultural analysis of data collected through interviews with post-secondary students shows the impact of their language learning experiences on their multi-faceted development of identities. It uncovers how the students need, and use, their Japanese in two key ways: to establish and maintain social relationships and to participate and interact with aspects of Japanese pop-culture. This study extends knowledge of heritage learner development, and brings deeper understanding of needs, to relevant secondary and tertiary language learning provision.
Although focused on learning a specific target language, learners also bring knowledge of their f... more Although focused on learning a specific target language, learners also bring knowledge of their first languages (L1) to the classroom context. When their teachers are also proficient users of the learners’ L1, then both the target and first languages can be used in classroom interactions, particularly in beginner-level courses. This study investigates the language choices made by teachers at an Australian university when communicating with their beginner-level students from six different language programs. The experiences of 27 teachers were canvassed through questionnaires and interviews. Data revealed that the learners’ unease about extensive classroom target language use influenced the teachers’ decisions to use the L1 or the target language at specific stages of a lesson. Various consequences for teachers’ practices are discussed, including the strategy of explicitly discussing the value of using the target language with students. This article demonstrates a valuable and strateg...
In late 2008, the Australian Government announced funding for a national collaborative project to... more In late 2008, the Australian Government announced funding for a national collaborative project to develop a curriculum framework for courses of study in Chinese (Mandarin), Indonesian, Japanese, and Korean for 'heritage speakers' of these languages at the senior secondary school level. This article examines some of the issues surrounding this development, investigating one of these languages (Japanese) as a case study. Drawing on previous research, it explores who might be considered a 'heritage' speaker/learner in the Australian secondary school context, how extensive this subgroup of learners of Japanese is in the community of New South Wales, and what courses of language study these students are currently undertaking at the senior secondary level. The project collected data through interviews with schoolteachers experienced in teaching 'heritage' speakers of Japanese. These teachers' voices provide informed perceptions of how appropriate the current of...
The notion of intercultural competence is a common objective of many university study abroad prog... more The notion of intercultural competence is a common objective of many university study abroad programs, however the construct has recently been challenged and contested (for example, Dervin, 2011; Witte & Harden, 2011; Trede, Bowles, & Bridges, 2013). This paper explores the pitfalls in seeking to measure students’ intercultural competence. Through research undertaken in an Australian university, we sought to find a method for identifying the intercultural understandings of undergraduate students who complete a study abroad year at partner universities abroad. In this study, an approach which we have termed Cultural Responsiveness was developed to move beyond judging students within a framework of ‘competence’ (and the implication of ‘incompetence’) but rather to identify the insights of the students themselves. The Cultural Responsiveness approach emerged not only as a result of the need for context-specific tools when identifying students’ interculturality, but also to accommodate a more fluid rather than fixed notion of intercultural development. Through focus groups, student narratives were collected and assessed and results highlighted that students’ learning through study abroad is influenced by their interactive experiences and is therefore dynamic and constantly shifting. The paper also proposes that debates on interculturality need to take into account the diversity of students’ cultural backgrounds and experiences.
The goals of many university international exchange programs commonly include the development of ... more The goals of many university international exchange programs commonly include the development of students’ intercultural awareness and skills. However, students may not always receive explicit instruction in concepts of intercultural communication and/or the strategies they could utilise in developing their intercultural competence while on exchange. This paper reports on a research project investigating the pedagogical programs offered to students at the University of Technology, Sydney, prior to and during their exchange experience at partner universities in Switzerland. Interview and survey data were collected from students both prior to their departure to Switzerland and upon their return ‘home’ and are examined in light of how effectively students were supported to develop and reflect on their intercultural knowledge and skills. The paper evaluates approaches for integrating intercultural learning strategies into pre-departure preparations programs and problematises the assessment of intercultural knowledge.
When university students undertake a period of international exchange or study abroad, one common... more When university students undertake a period of international exchange or study abroad, one common objective of the exchange experience is the development of students’ intercultural understandings. This paper reports on a research project investigating the preparation programs offered to students prior to their exchange experience and also the supports offered to students upon their return ‘home’. Interview and survey data were collected from students both prior to departure on exchange and upon return and are examined in light of how effectively students were supported to develop and reflect on their intercultural knowledge and skills. Strategies for integrating intercultural learning strategies into pre-departure preparations programs are evaluated.
One of the results of an increasingly globalised world is the increasing number of Japanese citiz... more One of the results of an increasingly globalised world is the increasing number of Japanese citizens (including any child dependents) living outside Japan. Typically, these children grow up multilingually, as users of Japanese as well as the language used in the local community.
Research has shown that the maintenance of a heritage or family minority language has positive effects on the students’ view of self, educational attainment, and career opportunities (Cho, 2000; Wright & Taylor, 1995). Heritage language proficiency is said to produce, at the individual level, strong ethnic identification, confidence and social elationships (Cho, 2000) and, at the national level, is said to strengthen community cultural and religious values (Fishman, 2001). However, the reality for many heritage learners is less clear-cut. Many variables including familial, national,spatial and institutional, may influence learner identity construction and language proficiency. While there have been a number of studies of Japanese heritage learners (eg Kondo-Brown, 2006 and Oriyama, 2001) there has been only limited in-depth case study research attention to Australian heritage learner development.
Extending our previous work on senior secondary school curriculum provision for Japanese heritage learners in New South Wales, Australia, (Oguro & Moloney, 2010) this paper explores a closer focus on learner development as expressed in two case studies investigating the experience of heritage learners of Japanese. One of the findings of our previous research was that as Australian heritage learners of Japanese are most commonly life-long Australian residents, their identification and locus is frequently grounded in Australia. He (2006) positions learner identity as the centrepiece rather than the background of heritage language development and calls for heritage language research to take a social constructivist approach, which attends to sociocultural complexities (He, 2010).
The study reported here investigated these sociocultural complexities through interviews with two heritage speakers of Japanese, in Australia. An analysis of interview data illustrates many aspects of heritage language development within a constructivist identity discourse. The participants’ narratives represent trajectories of growth and change over space and time, tracking their participation in social practice, their access to a variety of language resources and their adaptation to activities and identities in their life in Australia. Australian school systems are typically engaged with identifying the needs of heritage speakers. The two students’ exclusion from senior school language curriculum structures called into question their identities and proficiencies. Their return to Japanese studies at tertiary level however has enabled them to explore further what it is to be a heritage learner of Japanese in Australia.
This paper reports on an ongoing research project investigating the curriculum provision for heri... more This paper reports on an ongoing research project investigating the curriculum provision for heritage learners of Japanese in the secondary school system in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The study has been prompted by the dramatic increase in the population of school-aged heritage learners of Japanese in the last two decades in New South Wales (NSW).
This paper will present findings from investigations into the range of Japanese language courses on offer in schools, including courses for learners of Japanese as a “foreign” language and courses for so-called "background speakers" of Japanese. In light of current research literature, the paper critiques the methods employed to classify learners of Japanese, and the lack of appropriate course provision for heritage learners of Japanese, particularly in their final years of study in NSW schools.
The paper also presents preliminary findings from an analysis of interview and survey data collected from heritage learners of Japanese, and their teachers. The analysis raises issues of the limited understanding of these students’ linguistic profile, and needs, and questions the extent to which their learning needs have been provided for within the school system. The paper suggests a number of challenges which lie ahead in teaching newly proposed courses for heritage language learners.
Heritage language learners have been identified as an emerging area of investigation within the f... more Heritage language learners have been identified as an emerging area of investigation within the field of language education (Brinton, Kagan and Baukus, 2008). Within the state of New South Wales, the numbers of school-aged heritage Japanese learners has dramatically increased in the last two decades. This paper investigates the extent to which the needs of this group of learners are provided for within the New South Wales secondary school system.
The paper explores definitions of heritage learners and how, as a distinct group with particular common patterns of development, they differ from foreign or second language learners. The paper canvasses the range of Japanese language course options available at senior secondary level, including courses for learners of Japanese as a 'foreign' language and courses for so-called "background speakers" of Japanese. In light of current research literature, this paper critiques the methods employed to classify Japanese learners, and the lack of appropriate course provision for heritage Japanese learners in their final years of study in NSW schools. This paper will contribute to broader discussions of the need for the development of language education curriculum for heritage learners to be informed by existing research.
This paper reports on a case-study of the interactions of a teacher of Indonesian with beginner-l... more This paper reports on a case-study of the interactions of a teacher of Indonesian with beginner-level language learners at an Australian tertiary institution. The study focused on the teaching strategies to support learners in the task of comprehending the Indonesian used in the classroom and also how the teacher sought to optimise her use of the target language (TL) with learners who have limited proficiency in Indonesian. Theoretically, the study draws on sociocultural approaches to learning and specifically the concept of ‘Scaffolding’. The ‘Scaffolding’ notion has been productively used in language education research to describe teaching strategies which support learners’ production of the TL or to describe how learners utilise their L1 as a scaffold in collaborative TL tasks. The six Functions of Scaffolding (Wood, Bruner & Ross, 1976) will be examined for their applicability as a framework for describing the strategies the teacher of Indonesian uses when communicating with her learners. Samples of data collected in a series of classroom observations and interviews with the teacher will be presented to explore to what extent the teacher ‘scaffolds’ the learners to comprehend the Indonesian she uses with learners in the classroom.
Pre-service teachers are often unaware of the linguistic diversity that exists in many schools an... more Pre-service teachers are often unaware of the linguistic diversity that exists in many schools and may feel unprepared to create a positive intercultural learning environment. Teaching for Linguistic Diversity in Schools: Student Wellbeing and Achievement explores the linguistic landscape of Australia, including English, Indigenous languages, community languages and school-taught modern languages, to help teachers recognise the extent of children’s language knowledge and to reflect on its implications for the classroom. The book explores the significant links between languages, wellbeing and academic achievement in students and offers readers practical suggestions for how to utilise linguistic diversity as an educational resource. The authors’ conversational writing style engages both pre-service and practising teachers, helping them understand concepts they may not have previously encountered, while the case studies and stories from practising educators, students and parents bridge the gap between theory and practice. Each chapter includes reflection questions, creative activities and discussion questions to scaffold learning. The integrated online resources contain links to useful websites, further readings and videos to encourage independent exploration. Teaching for Linguistic Diversity in Schools will equip pre-service primary and secondary teachers with the tools they need to confidently teach in linguistically diverse schools and to promote the wellbeing and achievement of all students.
As a consequence of globalization and internationalization, there has been a dramatic increase in... more As a consequence of globalization and internationalization, there has been a dramatic increase in the number and diversity of students who are gaining international educational experience. Making connections between contemporary study abroad research, theory, and practice, Intercultural Interventions in Study Abroad describes innovative programmes that have been designed to deepen the intercultural learning and engagement of student sojourners. In addition to reviewing the benefits and limitations of these interventions, this volume offers recommendations for further enhancements in the field.
Exploring examples of intercultural interventions in a wide variety of countries from pre- to post-study abroad, this bookhelps readers develop a critical awareness of their strengths and limitations, and provides directions for future developments in intercultural pedagogy. Written by intercultural educators and study abroad scholars from different parts of the world, each chapter describes an innovative pedagogical intervention that has been designed to enhance intercultural learning and engagement, including:
designing and implementing pre-sojourn intercultural workshops; using guided, critical reflection to deepen students' intercultural learning and engagement; monitoring class interaction to maximize intercultural learning; optimizing intercultural learning and engagement abroad through online mentoring. Truly international in scope, this text is essential for study abroad professionals who seek to enhance the intercultural development, global-mindedness, and second-language learning of students through innovative intercultural programming.
This book explores the notion of Crosslinguistic Influence in Language Learning: how the first la... more This book explores the notion of Crosslinguistic Influence in Language Learning: how the first language of a learner influences the learning of subsequent languages. It examines not only the phenomena in regards to the process of language learning but also investigates the implications of crosslinguistic influence for classroom teaching practices. Specifically, the book focuses on the acquisition of German by adults whose first language is English and the effect of specific English syntactic patterns on the acquisition of related structures in German. The book provides a comprehensive overview of developments in theoretical understandings of crosslinguistic influence, and shows how these understandings have influenced foreign language teachers' classroom practices over time. One teaching method is empirically tested with the results supporting an approach to foreign/second language pedagogy which accounts for crosslinguistic influence in its design.
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Research has shown that the maintenance of a heritage or family minority language has positive effects on the students’ view of self, educational attainment, and career opportunities (Cho, 2000; Wright & Taylor, 1995). Heritage language proficiency is said to produce, at the individual level, strong ethnic identification, confidence and social elationships (Cho, 2000) and, at the national level, is said to strengthen community cultural and religious values (Fishman, 2001). However, the reality for many heritage learners is less clear-cut. Many variables including familial, national,spatial and institutional, may influence learner identity construction and language proficiency. While there have been a number of studies of Japanese heritage learners (eg Kondo-Brown, 2006 and Oriyama, 2001) there has been only limited in-depth case study research attention to Australian heritage learner development.
Extending our previous work on senior secondary school curriculum provision for Japanese heritage learners in New South Wales, Australia, (Oguro & Moloney, 2010) this paper explores a closer focus on learner development as expressed in two case studies investigating the experience of heritage learners of Japanese. One of the findings of our previous research was that as Australian heritage learners of Japanese are most commonly life-long Australian residents, their identification and locus is frequently grounded in Australia. He (2006) positions learner identity as the centrepiece rather than the background of heritage language development and calls for heritage language research to take a social constructivist approach, which attends to sociocultural complexities (He, 2010).
The study reported here investigated these sociocultural complexities through interviews with two heritage speakers of Japanese, in Australia. An analysis of interview data illustrates many aspects of heritage language development within a constructivist identity discourse. The participants’ narratives represent trajectories of growth and change over space and time, tracking their participation in social practice, their access to a variety of language resources and their adaptation to activities and identities in their life in Australia. Australian school systems are typically engaged with identifying the needs of heritage speakers. The two students’ exclusion from senior school language curriculum structures called into question their identities and proficiencies. Their return to Japanese studies at tertiary level however has enabled them to explore further what it is to be a heritage learner of Japanese in Australia.
This paper will present findings from investigations into the range of Japanese language courses on offer in schools, including courses for learners of Japanese as a “foreign” language and courses for so-called "background speakers" of Japanese. In light of current research literature, the paper critiques the methods employed to classify learners of Japanese, and the lack of appropriate course provision for heritage learners of Japanese, particularly in their final years of study in NSW schools.
The paper also presents preliminary findings from an analysis of interview and survey data collected from heritage learners of Japanese, and their teachers. The analysis raises issues of the limited understanding of these students’ linguistic profile, and needs, and questions the extent to which their learning needs have been provided for within the school system. The paper suggests a number of challenges which lie ahead in teaching newly proposed courses for heritage language learners.
The paper explores definitions of heritage learners and how, as a distinct group with particular common patterns of development, they differ from foreign or second language learners. The paper canvasses the range of Japanese language course options available at senior secondary level, including courses for learners of Japanese as a 'foreign' language and courses for so-called "background speakers" of Japanese. In light of current research literature, this paper critiques the methods employed to classify Japanese learners, and the lack of appropriate course provision for heritage Japanese learners in their final years of study in NSW schools. This paper will contribute to broader discussions of the need for the development of language education curriculum for heritage learners to be informed by existing research.
The book explores the significant links between languages, wellbeing and academic achievement in students and offers readers practical suggestions for how to utilise linguistic diversity as an educational resource. The authors’ conversational writing style engages both pre-service and practising teachers, helping them understand concepts they may not have previously encountered, while the case studies and stories from practising educators, students and parents bridge the gap between theory and practice. Each chapter includes reflection questions, creative activities and discussion questions to scaffold learning. The integrated online resources contain links to useful websites, further readings and videos to encourage independent exploration.
Teaching for Linguistic Diversity in Schools will equip pre-service primary and secondary teachers with the tools they need to confidently teach in linguistically diverse schools and to promote the wellbeing and achievement of all students.
Exploring examples of intercultural interventions in a wide variety of countries from pre- to post-study abroad, this bookhelps readers develop a critical awareness of their strengths and limitations, and provides directions for future developments in intercultural pedagogy. Written by intercultural educators and study abroad scholars from different parts of the world, each chapter describes an innovative pedagogical intervention that has been designed to enhance intercultural learning and engagement, including:
designing and implementing pre-sojourn intercultural workshops;
using guided, critical reflection to deepen students' intercultural learning and engagement;
monitoring class interaction to maximize intercultural learning;
optimizing intercultural learning and engagement abroad through online mentoring.
Truly international in scope, this text is essential for study abroad professionals who seek to enhance the intercultural development, global-mindedness, and second-language learning of students through innovative intercultural programming.