Promoting Internet-mediated intercultural foreign language education in China: models & implications...

Promoting Internet-mediated intercultural foreign language

education in China: models & implications

Presented by Liang WangThe Open University, UK

Weihai, ChinaAug 17-18, 2007

China 2007 International Conference on Online FLE

Outline

• Introduction to ICFLE• FLE in China & online

development• Theoretical & pedagogical

development• Cases of online FLE development• Implications

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Weihai 17-18 Aug, 2007

Introduction to ICFLE – 1

• Internet-mediated intercultural foreign language education (Belz & Thorne, 2006)

• 4 types– Telecollaboration (Int’l class-to-class

exchanges)– Tandem learning (language exchanges)– Local learner-informant partnership (via

Internet connection)– Internet community

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Introduction to ICFLE – 2

• Gap in China - National syllabi emphasize ICC & use of

Internet resources- More discussion, less action

• Purpose – Highlight the potentials and challenges that

Internet technologies bring to ICFLE in China– A progressive approach to a pedagogical

framework

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FLE in China – 1

• Huge population vs. limited educational resources (Jin & Cortazzi, 1998)

• Teaching-to-exam mode vs. needs of competent language professionals (ibid.)

• ‘Teacher-led, classroom-dependent, and textbook-based’ (Gu, 2002)

• Online programs no better than e-textbooks (Gu, 2006; Zhong & Shen, 2002)

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FLE in China – 2

• Trend: - Classroom plays the key role &

textbooks the central part- Shift from teacher dominance to

learner autonomy- Real-life tasks with Internet use- Blended instruction involving Internet

technology mediation?

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Towards a framework of ICC – 1 • The intercultural

communicative competence model (Byram, 1997)

– Communicative competence

– Intercultural competence

• Knowledge• Attitude• Skills • Critical cultural

awareness Page 6/14

knowledge

Skills (interpret, relate) Attitudes

Critical awareness

Skills (discover, interact)



Towards a framework of ICC – 2

A progressive approach- A process model of intercultural teaching & learning

(Liddicoat, 2004)

- A technological dimension (information & communication tools)

A pedagogical framework for online ICC development

Input Noticing

Noticing

Reflection

Reflection Output

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Cases of online ICC development – 1 Cultura project (Furstenberg et al., 2001)

• Telecollaboration (constructivist approach)• Critical perceptions of both the home culture

and the target culture• Active participation and progressive activities

• Filling in web-based questionnaires in their own languages (input – lexical, semantic awareness)

• Comparing results in parallel lists (noticing)• Hypothesizing possible reasons for differences and

similarities with additional resources (exploring, interpreting, constructing…)

• Interacting and negotiating with online partners to investigate the cultural values and beliefs (reflecting, re-constructing)

• Huge effort in design and implementationPage 8/14



Cases of online ICC development – 2CrossCall project (King, 2006)

• Local learner-informant partnership• Linking pupils in school language classes with

local undergraduates of the target languages• Meeting pupils’ needs of real one-to-one

communication with competent speakers for linguistic and cultural exchanges• Face-to-face meeting at the start; Paired

groups• VLE WebCT under teachers’ guidance

- socializing, input- consulting, negotiating- reflecting, constructing

• High demand in stable and secure connectionPage 9/14



Cases of online ICC development – 3Blue Rain Café (Gao, 2007)

• Developed from an English language club • Internet community without native speaker

of English• Meeting in an online forum

• Enhancing language learning & use with spontaneous use of Internet tools

• Social networking via the medium of English

• Strong sense of community ID building• unorganized input, exploring, discussing,

reflecting• No designated pedagogic tasks, nor

professional instruction Page 10/14



Implications – Where to Go?

Case 1 (Cultura): establishing collaborative institutional partnership (policy, pedagogy, technology)

Case 2 (CrossCall): utilizing local foreign residents who are qualified as language and cultural informants in VLE (overseas teachers, students, business and industrial personals)

Case 3 (Café): leading learners through purpose-built process of community of practice in line with intercultural learning

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Painstaking Vs. Icebreaking

Adapt rather than adopt!

Qs & As

Contact: [email protected]

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Main references:BELZ, J. A. & THORNE, S. L. (2006) Introduction: Internet-mediated Intercultural Foreign Language Education and the Intercultural Speaker. IN BELZ, J. A. & THORNE, S. L. (Eds.) AAUSC 2005: Internet-mediated Intercultural Foreign Language Education. Boston, Thomson Heinle.BYRAM, M. (1997) Teaching and Assessing Intercultural Communicative Competence, Clevedon: Multilingual Matters Ltd.FURSTENBERG, G., LEVET, S., ENGLISH, K. & MAILLET, K. (2001) Giving A Virtual Voice to the Silent Language of Culture: The CULTURA Project. Language Learning & Technology, 5, 55-102. http://llt.msu.edu/vol5num1/furstenberg/default.html (Accessed on 14/03/2004)GAO, X. (2007) A tale of Blue Rain Cafe: A study on the online narrative construction about a community of English learners on the Chinese mainland. System, 35, 259-270.LIDDICOAT, A. J. (2004) Internationalisation as education. Part 1 of Models of intercultural learning and development. http://www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au/learningconnection/staff/intrnt/report/models.pdf (Accessed on 29/06/2005)KING, T. (2006) Final Report to CfBT Education Trust. London, University College of London.O’DOWD, R. (2006) Telecollaboration and the Development of Intercultural Communicative Competence, Munchen, Langenscheidt ELT GmbH.THORNE, S. L. (2006) Pedagogical and Praxiological Lessons from Internet-mediated Intercultural Foreign Language Education Research. IN BELZ, J. A. & THORNE, S. L. (Eds.) AAUSC 2005: Internet-mediated Intercultural Foreign Language Education. Boston, Thomson Heinle.

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Note: English corner/club is a form of interaction between non-native speakers of English at fixed places beyond the classroom. This is a unique sociocultural phenomenon in China due to the short of proficient and native speakers and the lack of real-life opportunities for authentic communication.

An image of Blue Rain Café (source from Gao, 2007)

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Promoting Internet-mediated intercultural foreign language education in China: models & implications...

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