Modern Languages: Learning and Teaching in an Intercultural Field (Teaching and Learning the Humanities Series)

221 Pages·2004·1.27 MB·English

by  Dr Alison Phipps

Alison Phipps &Mike Gonzalez Alison Phipps &Mike Gonzalez
T T
L L
Mo d e r n
‘… offers a radical way of reconceiving teaching and learning in languages. …
It has made me think about modern languages and language teaching and
learning in quite new ways.’
Professor Ronald Barnett, Institute of Education, University of London, UK
‘Every so often a book come&s along filled with so much wisdom, critical La n &g u a g es
insight, and sheer humanity that it takes one’s breath away. (This) is such
a book.’
Professor Henry Giroux, Waterbury Chair, Penn State University, USA
HThis accessible book aims to challenge and stimulate all those engaged with H
teaching modern languages in higher education. It is not a ‘how to’ book;
rather it engages with the complex, often paradoxical position of modern
languages today and offers ways in which teachers of modern languages can
Learning &Teaching in an Intercultural Field
position themselves critically in that rapidly changing context.
It works with the concepts of languaging and, being intercultural, which arise
from examination of research findings, current models of work within the
H H
discipline and a reflection on existing teaching practices.
Beginning with an analysis of the ‘crisis’ in modern languages in the UK
and North America, the authors draw on data and descriptions of learning
experiences in the field. Key problems for teachers and learners are identified
and elaborated through examples, which point to generic as well as specific
issues, and solutions in teaching languages in higher education.
E E
Alison Phippsand Mike Gonzalezare both senior lecturers in modern
languages at the University of Glasgow.
Cover design by Gil Adam
S AG E Publications S AG E
London • Thousand Oaks • New Delhi
S AG E
www.sagepublications.com
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Modern Languages
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Modern Languages
Learning and Teaching in an
Intercultural Field
Alison Phipps and Mike Gonzalez
Sage Publications
London • Thousand Oaks • New Delhi
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© Alison Phipps and Mike Gonzalez 2004
First published 2004
Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study,or criticism or review,as
permitted under the Copyright,Designs and Patents Act,1988,this publication may be
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in writing of the publishers,or in the case of reprographic reproduction,in accordance with the
terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency.Inquiries concerning reproduction
outside those terms should be sent to the publishers.
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 0-7619-7417-2
ISBN 0-7619-7418-0 (pbk)
Library of Congress Control Number 2003115340
Typeset by Pantek Arts Ltd,Maidstone,Kent
Printed in Great Britain by T.J.International,Padstow,Cornwall
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Contents
Acknowledgements ix
Foreword xi
Introduction xv
1 The politics of languages 1
The challenge we face working together with words … 1
On origins: the discipline of modern languages 4
There is modernisation … and modernisation 7
Global speech? 10
National languages – global markets 15
2 Signs of belonging 21
Inside the stockade 22
Clearing the way 27
3 Culture in pieces 35
Canon versus culture 35
Benchmarking culture 40
Culture wars 47
So what does it mean to teach culture? 48
4 Culture and beyond 53
A traveller’s tool kit 53
Functionalism and ideology 53
To travel and to translate 56
Prospecting for culture 59
Messy cultures 61
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vi Modern Languages
Culture and politics 62
Culture is for the attic 66
5 Lanaguaging matters 71
Moving the furniture 71
Disciplinary violence 72
The potlatch principle 76
Gathering around the table 80
6 Languaging in time and place 87
Visible practice 87
Fun,risky,scaffolded practice 88
Reflective speaking,critical listening 94
And is there teaching still to be done? 98
Texts and untexts 102
Becoming… 107
7 Being there 109
Points of departure 109
Cutting the cords 113
How to be fluent 116
Beyond travel 119
Languaging as ethnography 124
Other lives,other worlds 128
8 Resonant reading 131
Holy writ 132
Only connect 137
Poetry under pine trees 140
Communal exploration 146
9 Living in translated worlds 149
Minefields at the border 149
Seeking translation 154
Finding translation 157
Being in translation 163
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Contents vii
10 Being intercultural 166
Being languagers 166
Practical resources for utopia 171
Bibliography 173
Index 195
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Acknowledgements
We would like to take this opportunity to thank numerous friends and col-
leagues. We have gained immeasurably from working with students of
German and Hispanic studies and of Anthropology at the University of
Glasgow.Their openness and engagement have sustained us throughout.In
particular we are profoundly grateful to our respective partners Clare
Maclean and Robert Swinfen for patiently tolerating our often excessive
enthusiasm for this project.This book would never have been possible with-
out our involvement in the Barcelona Group.Our thanks to Melanie Walker,
Quintin Cutts,Judy Wilkinson and Chris Warhurst for creating new critical
spaces in the institution.We learned much from Ron Barnett and Jan Parker
who took the time to read drafts of the manuscript at various stages.Their
conviction that the project was worthwhile sustained us.
We are grateful to our initial reviewers and readers for their warm
endorsement and practical, critical suggestions. All errors which have
escaped undetected in the final process are,however,our own responsibility.
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