Session Information
10 SES 12 A, Research on Programmes and Pedagogical Approaches in Teacher Education
Paper Session
Contribution
Educating language teachers for linguistic and cultural diversity, in order to enable them to foster a culture of (international) understanding and intercultural dialogue through their teaching, is one of the concerns and challenges higher education institutions face nowadays (Arnesen, Allan & Simonsen, 2009).
Both the discourses of European language policy and research in teacher education have highlighted the importance of language teachers developing structures of knowledge and action in the field of plurilingual and intercultural education (Beacco & Byram, 2007; Byram, 2008), as well as about “pluralistic approaches” (Candelier, 2010). This requires the development of professional competences for engaging with diversity, both in terms of enactment and reflection.
From the point of view of language teachers’ life-long professional development, it is relevant that teachers understand that plurilingual and intercultural education, as a global language education, should not be thought of as a new methodology for the teaching of languages, but rather as a change in perspective (Cavalli et al., 2009: 7), requiring the expansion their curriculum management practices. Moreover, professional knowledge about plurilingual and intercultural education should not be developed in a vacuum. As Luke says, “curriculum sits within context” (2008: 145) and as such plurilingual and intercultural education can have different forms according to the context in which it is being implemented. Therefore the variability of educational contexts should be taken into account, so that language teachers can become aware of the possibilities, support factors and constraints underlying the feasibility of pluralistic practices (Cavalli et al., 2009b).
Zooming in on the Portuguese context and primary schooling in particular, English teaching has become compulsory since 2005, following the trend in Europe and worldwide (Eurydice, 2008). This ministerial measure has raised some concern regarding the risk of primary foreign language learning fostering the development of early language learners fenced in an “English-knowing caste” (Phillipson, 2006). The issue is then, how can the English class become a locus for the development of diversity-sensitive learners and citizens, and thus of plurilingual and intercultural education? Are primary school teachers of English aware of plurilingual and intercultural education? Do they integrate it into their teaching practices?
Taking this theoretical background into account, the research and teacher education project – “English at Primary School – from policies to practices” (SFRH / BPD / 31156 / 2006) had in view the creation of opportunities for in-service primary school teachers of English to develop professional knowledge about plurilingual and intercultural education and manage the English syllabus accordingly. It comprised a continuous teacher education programme, which was collaborative and community-centred, project-oriented, theory and practice-focused in the light of an experiential and social perspective of professional development (Day, 1999).
Taking this project as a site of enquiry, the study intends to present the teachers’ professional knowledge construction about plurilingual and intercultural education, giving particular attention to the achievements but also to the difficulties and constraints they faced.
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
Arnesen, A.-L., Allan, J. & Simonsen, E. (2009) (eds.). Policies and practices for teaching sociocultural diversity – concepts, principles and challenges in teacher education. Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publishing. Beacco, J.-C. & Byram, M. (2007). From linguistic diversity to plurilingual education: Guide for the development of language policies in Europe. Strasbourg: Council of Europe/Language Policy Division. Candelier, M. (2010). Framework of reference for Pluralistic Approaches to languages and cultures – a tool for dealing with diversity in schools. In Policies and practices for teaching sociocultural diversity – Diversity and inclusion: challenges for teacher education (pp. 75-82). Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publishing. Cavalli, M., Coste, D., Crişan, A. & van de Hen, P.-H. (2009). Plurilingual and intercultural education as a project. Strasbourg: Council of Europe/Language Policy Division. Cavalli, M., Coste, D., Crişan, A. & van de Hen, P.-H. (2009b). Concerning some feasibility conditions for plurilingual and intercultural education. Strasbourg: Council of Europe/Language Policy Division. Clandinin, D. & Connelly, F. (2000). Narrative Inquiry. Experience and story in qualitative research. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Cochran-Smith, M., Feiman-Nemser, A., McIntyre, D. & Demers M. (2008) (eds.). Handbook of Research on Teacher Education. Enduring Questions in Changing Contexts. Third edition. NY: Routledge. Eurydice/Eurostat (2008). Key Data on Teaching Languages at School in Europe. (http://www.eurydice.org). Dufays, J.-L. (2010). Au Carrefour de trios méthodologies : une recherche en didactique de la lecture littéraire. In L. Paquay, M. Crahay, J.-M. de Ketele (dir.), L’analyse qualitative en éducation. Des pratiques de recherche aux critères de qualité (pp.147-168). Bruxelles : de boeck. Luke (2008). Curriculum in context: introductory essay (pp. 145-152). In M. Connelly, M. Fang He & J. Phillion (eds.), The Sage Handbook of Curriculum and Instruction. NY: Sage. Phillipson, R. (2006). Language policy and linguistic imperialism. In T. Ricento (ed.), An introduction to language policy: theory and method (pp. 346-361). MA: Blackwell.
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