LaTeS 2014 Archive

The first LaTeS event took place on March 8, 2014, on the University of Arizona campus in the Integrated Learning Center (ILC) room 119, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A certificate for 7 hours of Continuing Education was offered.

Speakers in 2014 were:

• Carmen King de Ramírez, Arizona State University, presenting a workshop on cultural intelligence activities.
• Paul Renigar and Stefano Maranzana, University of Arizona, presenting a workshop on the use of the internet in language instruction.

Speaker: Carmen King de Ramírez, Ph.D. (Arizona State University)
Facilitator: Margarita Balentine (Arizona State University)
Workshop Title: Interacting with the Global Community: Cultural Intelligence Activities for the Classroom

Despite years of taking language and culture courses, many students still experience difficulties in intercultural encounters due to a lack of cultural understanding. In this workshop, Dr. King de Ramírez specifically addresses some of the gaps that currently exist in many culture courses and proposes the integration of the Cultural Intelligence (CQ) model as a useful pedagogical tool for the classroom. This method, coined by Ang and Early (2003), provides many advantages over other cultural training approaches given its focus on meeting individual student’s needs through a 4 step plan for cultural adaptation (Drive, Knowledge, Strategy, Action). The CQ model is highly attractive to cross-curriculum teachers given that it does not present country specific content but can be applied to any new cultural encounter (Earley and Peterson; Livermore).

The workshop Interacting with the Global Community: Cultural Intelligence Activities for the Classroom offered participants opportunities to engage in object lessons based on CQ theory. The workshop was divided into 30 minute segments on developing cultural Drive, Knowledge, Strategy, and Action in students. Object lessons presented in each segment of the workshop illustrated CQ concepts as well as provoked meaningful group discussions regarding cultural identities, systems, and values. Upon completing this workshop, participants are better prepared to create activities and lesson plans that increase their students’ ability successfully evaluate and interact in intercultural exchanges.

Earley, C., & Ang, S. Cultural intelligence. Palo Alto, CA: Stanford Business Books, 2003. Print.

Earley, C., & Peterson, R. “The elusive cultural chameleon: Cultural intelligence as a new approach to intercultural training for the global manager.” Academy of Management Learning & Education, 3, (2004), 100-15. Livermore, D. Liderar con Inteligencia Cultural: El Nuevo secreto para el éxito. Nashville: Grupo Nelson, 2012.

Speakers: Paul Renigar and Stefano Maranzana (University of Arizona)
Additional Presenters: Rachel Ly, Allie Henderson, Frankie Della Cioppa, Marie Lo Duca, Chrissy McKay, Kasey Shores, Laura Santana, Lorene Dameff (All University of Arizona)
Workshop Title: Web 2.0 for Language Instruction and Intercultural Competence

This was a hands-on workshop on how to effectively use the latest communications technology, the Internet’s Web 2.0, for second language (L2) and culture teaching. These tools include everyday familiar platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc., as well as blogs, wikis and podcast. In this workshop participants considered how to use these new technologies to enhance and liven up the classroom environment. As a social phenomenon, language is acquired and used through interaction, in an array of contexts for a multitude of practical purposes (Firth & Wagner, 2007). Web 2.0 allows for a broad array of activities that can situate learning in context and foster interaction. This workshop was intended for, but not limited to, instructors of any foreign language, regardless of their familiarity with computer-mediated tools.

Studies have shown that Web 2.0 tools enrich the classroom setting by 1) exposing students to real texts and cultural artifacts in the target language (Warschauer & Grimes, 2007); 2) allowing real and meaningful communication with peers and native speakers (Garrett, 2008); 3) motivating the students and giving them a sense of authorship (Sykes et al., 2008); 4) transforming students into active learners, collaborators and explorers (Thorne, 2008); 5) developing intercultural competence (Elola & Oskoz, 2008). A literature review was followed by a demonstration of practical uses of these tools. The workshop defined what Web 2.0 platforms are available, which ones to choose according to the intended pedagogical goals, why, and how to set them up, maintain them, and integrate them into foreign language teaching.

The second part of the workshop demonstrated “hands-on” activities to stimulate higher levels of critical thinking among L2 communities of practice (Wenger, 1996). Participants in the workshop experienced language acquisition from the perspective of today’s Digital Native students who intake and process information in non-linear and multimodal ways (Prensky, 2011). The central tool of choice was Facebook. The activities showed a variety of practical ways to guide classroom discussions, grammar/vocabulary/culture lessons in ways that continue outside of class. English was used as the L2 of choice for the workshop and the focus was on dialogism. While hovering around Facebook as a “central hub”, participants discussed how to use videos, articles, chat, threads, PowerPoint presentations, images and games that enhance the learning experience and promote a more meaningful engagement with the topics studied.