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Teaching English in school requires some background knowledge of the various English-speaking countries. Today in the field of foreign language teaching and in cultural studies, there has been a trend to go beyond earlier concepts of teaching cultural awareness. While earlier concepts of area studies as well as intercultural competence adhered to ideas of national differences, thus instructing students in ‘culturally adequate’ behaviour, the evolving concept of transculturality calls such national constructs into question. This course will focus on defining terms such as intercultural learning, intercultural (communicative) competence, transcultural (communicative) competence, Fremdverstehen, etc. In this context the topic Ireland in the English classroom offers a great variety of historical and political issues, of social and (inter)cultural questions. Using a variety of text types and media, this course will explore the history and culture of Ireland. Themes will be looked at in their historical dimension as well as in their relationship to representations through films, literary texts, songs, cartoons, textbooks etc. today. A range of topics will be discussed and analysed, such as stereotypes, geography, politics, education, the media, current issues as well as relevance for language teaching.
Literature: Eisenmann, Maria (2009): Ireland – Changes and Challenges. Paderborn: Schöningh. |
