<b>Third places and the interactive construction of interculturality in the English as foreign/additional language classroom

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Based on the assumption that the construction of interculturality in third places is essential for foreign/additional language teaching and learning, this paper aims at discussing how these third places are interactively constructed in real classrooms. In order to achieve that objective, I will first review some theoretical studies that have dealt with the construction of third places and interculturality in the classroom. Then, the methodological procedures will be explained. After that, I will contextualize, analyze and compare some real classroom episodes taken from different studies pointing out their different interactional features. The findings show that the episodes investigated present two types, having either an 'essentialist cultural orientation' or an 'intercultural orientation'. In the former orientation, the episodes cannot be considered third places as culture is an object constructed as an entity in its own right (Liddicoat & Scarino, 2013). On the other hand, in the latter orientation, third places seem to be constructed as teachers and learners are seemingly interactively engaged in the practice of meaning-making by confronting different points of view.Keywords: English language classroom, interaction, cultural and intercultural orientations, intercultural approach.Terceiros espaços e a construção interativa da interculturalidade na sala de inglês como língua adicional RESUMO. Partindo do pressuposto de que a construção da interculturalidade em terceiros lugares é essencial no ensino e na aprendizagem de línguas estrangeiras/adicionais, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo discutir como esses terceiros lugares podem ser construídos de forma interativa em salas de aula reais. Para atingir esse objetivo, vou, primeiramente, revisar alguns estudos teóricos que têm lidado com a construção de terceiros lugares e interculturalidade. Em seguida, os procedimentos metodológicos serão explicados. Depois disso, buscarei contextualizar, analisar e comparar vários episódios de salas de aula reais provenientes de uma gama estudos que apontam para diferentes características de interação. Os resultados mostram que os episódios investigados são de dois tipos, apresentando ou uma 'orientação cultural essencialista' ou uma 'orientação intercultural'. Na orientação cultural essencialista, os episódios não estabelecem terceiros lugares, já que "[...] a cultura é vista como um objeto em si mesma" (Liddicoat & Scarino, 2013, p. 48). Por outro lado, na orientação intercultural, terceiros lugares são construídos interativamente pelos professores e alunos envolvidos na negociação de significados por meio do confrontamento de diferentes pontos de vista.Palavras-chave: sala de aula de inglês, interação, orientação cultural e intercultural, abordagem intercultural.

Promoting a look beyond stereotyped cultural representations in teletandem

“…In line with an intercultural approach (KRAMSCH, 1993(KRAMSCH, , 2005(KRAMSCH, , 2011(KRAMSCH, , 2013BYRAM, 1997;BYRAM;GRIBKOVA;STARKEY, 2002;GIL, 2016), having the ability to interact effectively with people from different cultures involves being able to overcome stereotyped representations, since they can trigger negative visions of other groups (BYRAM, 1997). In order for this to happen, Byram, Gribkova and Starkey (2002, p. 25) claim that foreign language teaching should help students "to examine and challenge generalizations or stereotypes, and suggest or present other viewpoints".…”

Secondary school students’ perceptions of language-learning experiences from participation in short Erasmus+ mobilities with non-native speakers of English

“…The relevance of this for the present study can be tied to the importance of not seeing culture and language as something fix, but rather as something being created dynamically between the speakers within each communication context, in this study represented by the various mobilities. Gil (2016) points to the close resemblance between the ideas of third places from Kramsch (1993), and Byram's model of intercultural competence (Byram et al 2002) when she writes that: For Byram, to have an 'intercultural attitude' means being able to reflect upon one's own values and beliefs and understand that they are not the only 'correct' ones, and also be able to see how these values and beliefs might look from an outsider's point of view, someone who has different values, beliefs and behaviours (Gil 2016: 338).…”

Fostering cultural competence awareness and dispositions to reach thirdness or decentering by engaging in intercultural dialogue

“…To conceptualize Kramsch's idea of decenteredness within the context of pedagogy, Gil (2016) divides classroom cultural moments into two categories. On the one hand, a teacher can design lessons that emphasize static representations of a culture or what she calls "essentializing cultural episodes" (p. 341) (ECEs).…”

“…The current study will use this model to explain students' results in the area of intercultural awareness in the different postmeeting narratives. Gil (2016) offers two orientations that help explain the cultural experiences in a language classroom. The first one is called an essentialist cultural orientation.…”

“…Furthermore, this study explores the trained group potential for decentering. According to Gil (2016), the examination of decentering has mostly remained at a theoretical level. This empirical study will contribute to the scant body of research in this area.…”