Permit Project

THE MAKING AND REMAKING OF A NATION

Adding the intercultural dimension to language teaching

class 4E

Rolando da Piazzola Piazzola sul Brenta Italy

ASSUMPTION

We can start from this reflection: … By observing and reflecting on

the way that other cultures manage their social relationships through language, and comparing the practices of others with our own, we become intercultural language learners. (John Corbett University of Glasgow)

But simple observation is not enough: something more is needed.

INTERCULTURAL OBJECTIVES

To enable students to understand and respect people from other cultures as individuals with other distinctive perspectives, values and behaviours

to help them interact with people of other cultures

To create intercultural awareness

LANGUAGE OBJECTIVES

To consolidate skills in writing argumentative texts / opinion essaysTo express one's own opinion and support it with factual evidenceTo develop abilities in arguing on critical incidents.To deliver oral speeches to peers

DISCIPLINARY OBJECTIVES

To go deeper into the knowledge of the main historical and social events of the USA by analysing Obama's and MLK's speechesTo understand the causes which forced signers to write the Declaration of IndependenceTo analyse the main features of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

ASSESSMENT TOOLS

self-assessment questionnairePermit portfolioself-monitoring logbooks final test

MAIN SOURCES

THE PILOT: 1.Getting into the mood: creating the setting for intercultural work

getting in touch with partners from Slovenia and Turkey through the space

providng definitions of culture answering questions prepared by partners

THE PILOT: 2. Working on the sources

Reading and watching Obama'sVictory Speech

studying causes and effects of American Revolution and analysing the Declaration of Independence

The UDHR I have a dream by MLK

THE PILOT:3. Taking action and becoming aware of intercultural and global issues

Students prepare a speech of 5 minutes on a topic of interest to be delivered to their peers

MATERIAL IN ACTION: 1.interaction on the space

MATERIAL IN ACTION: 2.argumentative essays

MATERIAL IN ACTION: 3. getting ready for the speech

MATERIAL IN ACTION: 4.the test and the questionnaire