Intercultural Evidence

When one thinks about a foreign language, it is usually accompanied with some idea of culture that is related to that language. Culture is usually viewed as a multitude of facts describing things like food, music, traditions, and beliefs and is seen as something separate from language. However, the relationship between language and culture can not be separated. The language someone speaks directly affects their perspectives in some regards, whether they be big or small. Because of this, it is better to think in terms of interculturality instead of culture. Interculturality entails the idea of viewing others from a different "culture" with respect and understanding, realizing that one's own culture is not superior to another's. Using this approach when teaching students a foreign language will allow them to be more receptive and reflective of the target culture.

During the MAFLT Program, I created some intercultural activities that could be used in my Spanish classes. I attached some of the artifacts below. The first attachment is an activity design outline describing people's television viewing habits and how that can relate to a person's identity. The other attachments are materials for an activity dealing with a person's clothing and how it relates to their identity. Clothing is something that can be very unique to certain groups of people and it is often the first thing others use to make their first judgement. It is important for students to understand the significance of clothing to certain groups of people and with this improved understanding, they will be better equipped to make effective intercultural interactions.