Conference Contribution Details
Mandatory Fields
Catherine Jeanneau
20th Annual AULC Conference
Language Centres as Hubs for Social, Civic and Collaborative Learning
London, UK
Oral Presentation
2019
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0
Optional Fields
10-JAN-19
11-JAN-19
As Ruane (2003) stated, language centres have a “proven capacity for self-renewal” (p.13) which allows them to engage in novel ways to deliver their activities and expand the remit of their functions. This paper will present some of these new avenues, looking at key concepts such as internationalisation, civic engagement and intercultural communication. We will see how these new developments can be achieved by shifting the boundaries of independent learning to include social and collaborative activities where learners are central and active participants. We will also explore how these initiatives can foster students’ civic engagement by developing volunteering schemes which take full advantage of both home and international students’ multilingual and multicultural background. While language learning is still at the heart of these activities, intercultural awareness and multiculturalism are brought to the forth to create new learning spaces and communities. We will present concrete examples of initiatives (Language Ambassadors, peer-facilitated discussion groups) developed at the Language Learning Hub (University of Limerick, Ireland) which draw upon the aforementioned principles.