From Foreign Language Education to Education for Intercultural Citizenship: Essays and Reflections

Drawing on 50 years of experience with languages as a learner, teacher, and researcher, Byram (education, Durham U.) presents a collection of essays for language educators interested in thinking about their teaching in the wider context, to see the bigger picture, and to clarify or renew their vision and their work in the classroom. Coverage includes the purposes of foreign language teaching, what is possible and desirable in the classroom, the role of language teaching in education systems aimed at encouraging young people to identify with the nation state, and ways in which foreign language education can go beyond the traditional educational goal to introduce a critical internationalism and encourage intercultural citizenship. No subject index. Distributed in the U.S. by UTP Distribution. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
This collection of essays analyses the evolution of theory of intercultural competence and its relationship to education for citizenship. It does so by analysing the concepts of intercultural competence, including the notion of the intercultural speaker, by discussing the ways in which language education policy develops and by comparing the theories and purposes of foreign language education and education for citizenship.