Experimental approach of otherness in the teaching/learning process of foreign language-culture

Abstract

The present complex case study intends to explore how collaborative learning contributes to cultural growth in the training of teachers of Spanish as a foreign language at university. Data was gathered from Hungarian L1 teachers of Spanish enrolled in BA, MA and PhD Philology programmes as well as from designers of teacher training programmes. Participant observations, audio recordings of lessons, semi-structured interviews and the researcher's journal were used as instruments for data collection; the participants' e-mail messages and course syllabi were also part of the data sources. Interpretive content analyses were carried out on the data. The results suggest that collaboration influences cultural growth positively because it empowers future and practicing language teachers to enhance culture learning; it also provides participants with opportunities to expand their notions of culture and gain a deep understanding of the culture of the teaching profession. These contributions of collaborative learning refer not only to increasing awareness and sensitivity of different products, behaviours and values of cultures but they presuppose the application of abilities to read and understand cultures and of making the experience of culture visible and accessible to others.