In this post I'm going to reflect upon the second lesson of Communicative skills as a European Teacher in which I'll discuss 'Key issues and challenges: culture and language'.
Linguistic diversity is a reflection of cultural diversity. Languages express culturally specific world views and value systems. Every culture has its own words and values (e.g. wanneer woorden weer waarden worden). Linguistic competencies are fundamental as they condition school achievement, promote access to other cultures and encourage openness to cultural exchange.
Openness to cultural exchange... Responsible travel involves more than just being a passive observer. Try to get to know the culture you are visiting, both for your own personal enrichment and also to avoid accidentally offending those around you with different beliefs and views. A good way to get to know a culture better is to try and lean some of its language. A simple 'hello' and 'thank you' can go a long way to breaking down barriers. For example, when you're on holiday in Turkey and someone asks you if you would like to have an apple-tea: don't turn around and just give in. It's an inrichment for your cultural knowledge!
My opinion is you have to taste something first, before you can make a statement. In other words, you have to know the culture, before you make conclusions...
At this moment there are 6 905 282 279 people in the world and numerous cultures. Isn't it a challenge getting to know so many cultures as possible? We would have more respect for each other...
