Developing Intercultural Understanding: An Introduction for Teachers

Purposes:

• To explore the use of pedagogical principles for developing intercultural understanding
• To examine links with a range of national initiatives and State/Territory curriculum frameworks

1 Pedagogical principles for intercultural understanding

Suggested time allocation: 20 mins.

Option 1 – Understanding principles and pedagogy through group discussion

Option 2 – Understanding principles and pedagogy through Getting started with intercultural language learning

2 Pedagogical principles in practice

Suggested time allocation: 30 mins.

Outline that this section involves putting the principles into practice using particular materials as exemplars. The process of engaging with the principles in practice will be the same across all texts. Therefore it may be useful to model the process with one of the texts.

As the purpose of the session is to engage participants in identifying classroom practices that develop intercultural understanding, it is important that they work with a resource that is appropriate for their context either in terms of curriculum area or age of learner.

Exemplar Model – Film Asia –Monsoon Wedding

Refer to Slide 12: Engaging with texts

Identify that in smaller groups, around another resource of their choosing, participants will respond to questions on Slide 11. This will be a modelled process using Film Asia.

Show text Film Asia. Identify any participants who know of text and who have used text. Show pp vi and vii containing Introduction. Highlight Background notes and Activities as important sections to read. Identify that the background notes have been written for both students and teachers. Identify that activities have be written to students. Show Summary of films. Highlight page xii which shows Studies of Asia emphases and page xiii which explains film terms.

Explain that one film will be focused on Monsoon Wedding. In the small group activity, participants will be directed to specific pages or asked to make a selection from the text.

Read activity on p. 77 – Before viewing. Focus on question 3.

Show opening credits.

Read activity on p. 77 – Longer shots. Focus on question 1. Participants answer question.

Return to slide 12. Seek responses from participants about where they could use the film. Suggestions could include English, Film and television studies or Studies of religion. Identify specific activities undertaken by students. Suggestions include comparison of wedding practices – old and new/ Hindu and Christian.

Now ask participants to articulate which principle/s can be incorporated in the tasks identified. From the previous example, the principle of social interaction can be incorporated if the task specifically asks students to look at wedding practices old and new in both Hindu and Christian traditions. Participants identify the role of the teacher in enabling learning. From the previous example, the teacher may need to identify suitable people with whom students can engage (from the community).

Display Resource 15: Connections to record responses.

Depending on the size of the whole group and curriculum areas represented, form groups to examine one of the following resources:

Teachers of primary students (P–6):

• The Really Big Beliefs Project – choose one belief
• The Really Big Food Project – choose one country
• Australia Kaleidoscope pp. 26–28

Teachers of middle years students (6–9):

• Australia Kaleidoscope pp. 26–28
• Japan Diary – from beginning of story to 14 February for both diaries

Teachers of secondary students (9–12):

• Film Asia pp. 10–17
• Voices and Visions from China: Film and Television (TV commercials)

Process for all texts

Refer to Slide 12: Engaging with texts

Participants familiarise themselves with the text and discuss possibilities for using the text in their own situation.

Participants identify ways of using the text that incorporates the pedagogical principles of intercultural understanding.

Provide Resource 15: Principles and pedagogy in connection to texts, and ask participants record their discussion.

As a whole group, share observations about using the texts and developing classroom tasks that promote incorporation of the pedagogical principles. The purpose is not to share specific examples from the various texts, rather to share participant reflection on the use of any text and what teachers need to do to enable learners to develop intercultural understanding.

3 Exploring links with national initiatives and State/Territory curriculum frameworks

Suggested time allocation: 15 mins

Divide participants into five groups and provide each group with a copy of one of the documents listed below, or with Resource 16: Links with national initiatives, which gives excerpts from the documents.

Ask participants to consider how these documents support the significance of the development of intercultural understanding. Ask one person from each group to present a summary of the key points to the whole group.

In particular, focus on the Statement 'Engaging Young Australians with Asia in Australian Schools' by asking participants to draw out its key messages regarding the importance of intercultural understandings. Ask participants to consider how they might make use of the Statement with their colleagues.

• Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians, MCEETYA (2008)
• National Statement for Engaging Young Australians with Asia in Australian Schools Australian Government, p. 9–10.
• National Statement for Languages Education in Australian Schools, National Plan for Languages Education in Australian Schools 2005–2008
• Australian Government, National Framework for Values Education in Australian Schools
• National Curriculum

Now ask participants to form groups and consider if/how local and national curriculum frameworks emphasise the significance of developing intercultural understanding and make specific reference to the areas of Languages, English, The Arts, History, Geography and SOSE/HSIE.

In these groups, identify concepts, skills and supporting ideas related to intercultural understanding in the curriculum framework for their State/Territory.

One participant from each group reports back to the whole group.