Communication and Participation

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Communication and Participation

• Materials for Developing
• Intercultural Competence
• in British Studies Courses
• in Tunisia
• Jonathan Mason

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Context and Issues

• Tunisian Faculties
• British Studies
• Intercultural Competence
• Materials Development

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The University English Courses

• Students have previously studied at least 7 years
  of communicative English
• Year 12 1st cycle
• Written lang., oral lang., applied lang.,
• civilisation, literature, other languages.
• Year 34 2nd cycle
• Linguistics, civilisation, literature
• Some faculties offer a choice

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The teaching of civilisation

• Until 2007 - 50 American Studies
• - 50 British Studies
• From 2007 - General cultural studies
• (LMD reform) American Studies
• British Studies

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• British Studies as Content Courses

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Language and Culture

• Civilisation is a discipline that has mainly
  developed in a foreign language teaching context
• It involves more than just developing knowledge
  about Britain, America etc.
• Todays world is becoming increasingly
  interconnected
• When our students learn language, they have to
  deal with the culture
• We have to teach and learn how to interact
  critically with other languages and cultures

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Intercultural CompetenceTwo models

• Michael Byram
• Byram has produced what is to date the most
  fully worked out specification of intercultural
  competence, which involves five so-called
  savoirs
• John Corbett An Intercultural Approach to ELT,
  2003, p31
• Milton J. Bennett
• Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity
• Milton J. Bennett Becoming Interculturally
  Competent, 2004
• First developed in 1986 by M. Bennett

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Byrams Five SavoirsTeaching and Assessing ICC
(1997) p34
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Corbett (2003), p31

• Together these savoirs indicate the students
  ability to reach Kramschs third place, that
  is, a vantage point from which the learner can
  understand and mediate between the home culture
  and the target culture (Kramsch, 1993)
• Kramsch, C. 1993. Context and Culture in LT, OUP

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Corbett (2003), p2

• ICC includes the ability to understand the
  language and behaviour of the target community,
  and explain it to members of the home community
  and vice versa. In other words, an
  intercultural approach trains learners to be
  diplomats, able to view different cultures from
  a perspective of informed understanding.

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Corbett (2003), p20

• Learners may not wish to adopt the practices or
  beliefs of the target culture, but they should be
  in a position to understand these practices and
  beliefs if they wish fully to comprehend the
  language that members of the target culture
  produce.

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Students Needs

• If students are going to be able to effectively
  interact in tomorrows world (and even
  todays!), they need
• - Right attitude to interaction with other
• - Knowledge about the other culture
• - Skills of discovery, interpretation,
  relating and interaction
• - Critical awareness

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The Developmental Model of Intercultural
Sensitivity (DMIS)
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Comments on the DMIS

• Helpful for measuring progress in intercultural
  sensitivity and competence
• Ranges from people in isolation from other
  cultures (or at least denial), to immigrants
  truly integrated in another culture
• Highlights that knowledge, skills and attitude
  dont necessarily lead to sensitivity and
  competence it depends on what type they are and
  on an acceptance/adaptation worldview

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The Tunisian Context

• Tension from British involvement in the Middle
  East
• Findings from questionnaire on the word British
• Fear of cultural imperialism esp. from the US
• Development of pan-Arab identity
• This affects how Tunisians see Britain and
  affects the teaching of British Studies

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• Over the past few years, wars, occupation and
  acts of terror have exacerbated mutual suspicion
  and fear within and among societies. Some
  political leaders and sectors of the media, as
  well as radical groups have exploited this
  environment, painting mirror images of a world
  made up of mutually exclusive cultures,
  religions, or civilizations, historically
  distinct and destined for confrontation.

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• (But) the history of relations between cultures
  is not only one of wars and confrontation. It is
  also based on centuries of constructive
  exchanges, cross-fertilization, and peaceful
  co-existence. Indeed, the(se) stereotypes only
  serve to entrench already polarized opinions.

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• It is essential, therefore, to counter the
  stereotypes and misconceptions that entrench
  patterns of hostility and mistrust among
  societies. In this context, the need to build
  bridges between societies, to promote dialogue
  and understanding has never been greater. This
  urgent task constitutes the raison dêtre of the
  Alliance of Civilizations. Launched by the
  Secretary-General of the United Nations in 2005.
• Alliance of Civilisations, High level Group
  Report, Nov. 2006

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Tunisian British Studies Students and the DMIS
scale

• Many start around the defense stage
• Many teachers reinforce this!
• With the limited level of contact with people
  from Britain it would be unrealistic to expect
  students to reach the adapt or integrate
  stages
• So how can they be helped towards the
  minimisation and acceptance stages?
• Constraints of British Studies content courses

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Materials Development

• Not just the materials!
• Not just pieces of paper
• Materials should be tailored to what best helps
  students learn
• Materials should be engaging
• Materials should engage the affective dimension

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Key Issues for Intercultural Competence

• Traditional area studies vs culturalist
  approach
• Isolated theory vs ethnographic personalisation
• Traditional teaching vs use of technology

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My Research

• Action research project
• Started with a 3rd year option group on CBI
• Year 1 Preparation
• Year 2 First cycle with option group
• Year 3 Second cycle with option wider
• Year 4 Wider research and writing up
• Still processing the first year of data ?

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First Years Process

• Questionnaire and interviews at start of year
• Ethnography exercise in first semester
• Mid-year group feedback
• Questionnaire on technology in second semester
• Writing exercise towards the end of the course
• End of course questionnaire
• Logs and observation throughout the year

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Ways of measuring change

• Subjective
• Objective

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Findings from Questionnaires
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Findings from Writing Task
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Findings from Interviews
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Findings from Ethnography
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Findings from Technology Q.
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Implications for Materials Design