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Interculturality and GTA Training in the Age of Globalization
Author(s) -
Chalupa Cynthia,
HoecherlAlden Gisela
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
die unterrichtspraxis/teaching german
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1756-1221
pISSN - 0042-062X
DOI - 10.1111/tger.12107
Subject(s) - communicative competence , interculturality , intercultural competence , german , pedagogy , intercultural communication , conversation , graduate students , globalization , psychology , cultural competence , competence (human resources) , professional development , sociology , communicative language teaching , language education , political science , linguistics , law , social psychology , philosophy , communication
German, and increasingly French and Spanish, programs are by nature global because they attract graduate students and faculty from around the world. Most have studied the language and “big C” cultural products during their graduate studies, but they have not necessarily learned approaches for fostering intercultural communicative competence in the classroom. The demands of communication in the global age require not only that language learners examine cultural products and practices but also that they investigate the unique perspectives that underlie them. This need suggests that graduate teaching associates (GTAs) receive training in how to foster intercultural communicative competence and that the responsibility lies with language program directors to incorporate new aspects of teacher training into graduate student professional development. With that in mind, this conversation explores (1) how to promote interculturality within individual language programs that are characterized by global teaching staffs and (2) the training of GTAs on strategies for cultivating intercultural communicative competence in the classroom. Through added modules during pre‐service orientations and ongoing professional training, graduate teaching associates can be better prepared to meet the needs of 21 st century students.