Description

Untangling the various approaches to language teaching and their history/ Gerdi Quist maps recent thinking in language studies at university. Using an interdisciplinary theoretical framework/ drawn from educational philosophy/ cultural studies/ intercultural studies and language pedagogy/ the author discusses the many tensions and currents in contemporary language teaching. The author puts forward an alternative pedagogy/ that of a cultuurtekst-perspective/ which engages learners at complex linguistic and cultural levels. In discussing the case study in which this approach is tested/ the author develops her argument for embracing various critical perspectives through the personal engagement of students. From the start the author acknowledges her own engaged position as a language teacher in a liberal humanistic educational environment. She adopts a self-critical perspective through which her engagement with adverse student reaction leads to deepening insights both for the author and her students as part of the non-linear process of learning. Gerdi Quist teaches Dutch language and lectures on multiculturalism and intercultural communication. Recent publications included a book chapter and journal articles on language pedagogy and intercultural communication.