Pedagogy For Intercultural Learning

For 10 years, members of Une Terre Culturelle have elaborated methods of actions and a pedagogy suitable for intercultural exchange. The organization’s efforts has enabled more than 90 exchanges in Europe, North Africa, in the Middle East and South America since 1992. It is from these concrete experiences that Une Terre Culturelle has implemented a unic pedagogy suitable for international exchanges.

In each exchange we create a favorable environment for efficient and mutual intercultural learning («learning about each other», «knowing ourselves to know the other better »). To do so, we elaborate our programs based on a framework involving:

- Exercises on communication and contact, trust verbal and non verbal communication
- Deciphering and decoding methods, intercultural exercises fostering the knowledge of our own culture and «others’»
- Games and exercises in linguistic animation to motivate participants in learning languages.
- Discussions and meeting with local players related to the seminar’s theme.
- Workshop on using these methods at work
- Visits to organizations to give participants the opportunity to establish contact with local partners and eventually, to further develop youth exchange project (multiplying role)

 

Franco-German Youth Exchange
Berlin

Linguistic Barrier

One of the major difficulty with exchanges is the communication methods between participants of different cultures and language barrier. It is evident that in order to have an optimal synergy during the exchanges, adequate measures must be taken for participants to be able to communicate with each other. At formal times, interpreters are in charge of the translation which allows everybody ti express themselves in their own language. At informal times, participants rely on their own linguistic skills using sometimes a third language such as English.

Work Preparation With The Participants

A few months before the exchange, coordinators start recruiting participants. From designing the project to finalizing it, a thorough preparation is done. The programs offered to participants must address the objectives set and respond to their expectations.

Work Within The Pedagogical Team

Preparation meetings between training teams from each country are organized in order to harmonize working methods. This working session enables the pedagogical team to set up a final program taking the group requirement in account. It also gives the team the occasion to be familiar with the different places where the future exchange will take place (housing, conference rooms, city...). It is also an important intercultural learning opportunity for the pedagogical team.

For the team, preparation work consists in sharpening and adapting working methods that are appropriate for such exchanges.
For participants, teachings coming out of such preparation are necessary to create an appropriate environment for the intercultural exchange experience.