Things you can do…
Learn by doing and use the activities listed in the Cultura project.
Set up exchanges within this across-disciplinary professional organisation for telecollaboration and virtual exchange in higher education.
Things you can read…
Intercultural competence
New developments in virtual exchange for foreign language education. (2019)
Robert O’Dowd & Breffni O’Rourke. Language Learning & Technology, 23(3), 1–7.
Languages for Intercultural Communication and Education
Series Editors:
Michael Byram (University of Durham, UK)
Anthony J. Liddicoat (University of Warwick, UK)
The overall aim of this series is to publish books which ultimately inform learning and teaching, but whose primary focus is on the analysis of intercultural relationships, whether in textual form or people’s experience. There are also books which deal directly with pedagogy, with the relationships between language learning and cultural learning, between processes inside the classroom and beyond. They all have in common a concern with the relationship between language and culture, and the development of intercultural communicative competence.
These twelve journals deal with intercultural awareness and competence
This journal focuses on Study Abroad Research in Second Language Acquisition and International Education
Metalinguistic competence
Key Topics in Second Language Acquisition
By Prof. Vivian Cook and Prof. David Singleton (2014)
This textbook offers an introductory overview of eight hotly-debated topics in second language acquisition research… Each chapter comprises an introductory discussion of the issues involved and suggestions for further reading and study. The reader is asked to consider the issues based on their own experiences, thus allowing them to compare their intuitions and experiences with established research findings and gain an understanding of methodology… The topics in question are:
- How different languages connect in the mind;
- whether there is a best age for learning;
- the importance of grammar in acquiring and using a second language;
- how the words of a second language are acquired;
- how people learn to write a second language;
- how attitude and motivation help to learn a second language
- the usefulness of second language acquisition research for second language teaching;
- the goals of language teaching.
Implicit and Explicit Knowledge in Second language learning, Testing and Teaching (2009)
By Dr. Rod Ellis, Shawn Loewen and Prof. Catherine Elder
The implicit/explicit distinction is central to our understanding of the nature of L2 acquisition… A number of key issues in SLA are examined and include: the learning difficulty of different grammatical structures, the role of L2 implicit/explicit knowledge in language proficiency, the relationship between learning experiences and learners’ language knowledge profiles, the metalinguistic knowledge of teacher trainees and the effects of different types of form-focused instruction on L2 acquisition.
Language Awareness publishes international research on language awareness research and practice, including the role of cognition, explicit learning and instruction techniques.
Participate in…
Explore the Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition.The mission of CARLA is to study multilingualism and multiculturalism, to develop knowledge of second language acquisition, and to advance the quality of second language teaching, learning, and assessment by:
- conducting research and action projects
- sharing research-based and other forms of knowledge across disciplines and education systems
- extending, exchanging, and applying this knowledge in the wider society.
Centre for Applied Language Studies/ Lárionad na dTeangacha Feidhmeacha is based in the University of Limerick.