'Fourth International Research Conference on Intercultural Studies and Foreign Language Teaching'

School of Education, University of Durham, 13-20 December 2001

Both events gave a unique opportunity to meet Professor Michael Byram, one of the best known experts in the field of intercultural education, as well as several teachers and academics involved in intercultural studies all over the world. For the first four days the School of Education at Durham invited researchers from various countries including e.g. Germany, Bulgaria, Belgium and Mexico to discuss respective chapters in their collaborative project on intercultural awareness in foreign language teaching, drama and psychotherapy. For me, coming from the TEFL background, it was a new and valuable experience, which helped me to see issues of communication in a wider perspective. The concept of intercultural experience was interpreted not only with respect to the cultures of ethnic/national groups. This usual interpretation was widened to include passing from one professional group to another, engaging new social identities, relating to a group of students with a multiplicity of ethnic identities etc., the situations that all people can identify with. Intercultural experience understood in this way develops the individual and extends the individual's diverse relationships with their social environment. Thus, pedagogical implications seem evident. Although developing intercultural understanding is a challenge not only for foreign language teachers, most of the participants were teacher trainers like myself (from Bulgaria, Belgium, Denmark or Spain). During the symposium we had time to update each other on current projects and research conducted in the field, reforms in respective educational systems, etc.

 

The symposium was beneficial in many different ways. It gave me insight into the process of working on the book at various stages before its publication. It was also an opportunity to discuss such key issues as intercultural competence by either clarifying the subtleties in meaning or comparing different approaches. We also tried to explain to each other how our perception and understanding of such issues as teaching for European citizenship (advocated by Michael Byram) or dangers of linguistic imperialism (discussed with German, Chinese and Bulgarian representatives) depend on our country's geopolitical position and historical background.

 

The second half of the week was devoted to presentations and discussions within Cultnet, an international support group of less advanced researchers gathered by Michael Byram. Since I was the only representative from Central Europe my presentation on our Polish school reform experience and the British Council Poland project concerning writing materials for teaching British Studies introduced some new aspects to their discussion. At the same time, I learned that in countries as different and distant as Poland, Japan and Sweden the school reform is taking similar directions reflecting global trends in education. E.g. integrating subjects supersedes traditional, academic, subject-oriented approach, which is received by teacher trainers and teachers themselves with worries or even hostility. Our comparison of official documents issued by respective ministries of education made us realise another similarity, that is, a common responsibility of teachers to interpret and find ways of putting the general guidelines into practice. However, sharing both doubts and solutions has a therapeutic effect. None of us had doubts that continuing with a support group like Cultnet makes sense. We had 'known' each other from our e-mail exchanges, thanks to which Cultnet exists. Nevertheless, meeting members of the group 'in person' gave stimuli and fresh ideas for further 'virtual' contacts. We ended up very efficiently designing a web site for Cultnet and a summer school for researchers. The foreign language teachers' perceptions of their profession in Europe are going to be investigated by members of Cultnet and the results published as our collaborative project.

 

The atmosphere of co-operation was enhanced by more experienced colleagues giving their reassurance and suggestions on how to conduct research. I received a lot of stimulating personal feedback, including Michael Byram's criticism concerning achieving objectivity, formulating topics and finding appropriate research methods. All in all, I returned with lots of ideas concerning my future PhD research. Due to the beginning of Christmas break I managed to do only some limited research in the library looking through the most recent issues of periodicals, access to which is very limited in Poland.

Last but not least, the experience was satisfying and inspiring because of establishing personal contacts resulting already in exchanging books and periodicals by post, but most of all because of the possibility of future co-operation on projects and hopefully establishing institutional links between our universities.