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16Данный выпуск журнала, в связи с профессиональной спецификой поступивших материалов, приводится в авторской редакции.
Ответственные за выпуск:
Вилфред Кюршнер, д-р филол. н., почетный профессор Университета г. Вехта (Германия), председатель оргкомитета Лингвистического коллоквиума, kuerschner-vechta@t-online.de.
Шабанова Татьяна Дмитриевна, д-р филол. н., профессор кафедры МК и перевода БГПУ им. М. Акмуллы (г. Уфа), председатель оргкомитета 49-го Лингвистического коллоквиума, bertha@ufanet.ru.
Юсупова Юлия Рустэмовна, канд. филол.наук, доц. кафедры МК и перевода БГПУ им. М. Акмуллы (г. Уфа), khalits@mail.ru.
M.Z. Altan
21st CENTURY COMPETENCIES & LANGUAGE TEACHING
Keywords: 21st century, competences, language teaching, foreign language.
Abstract: In today's hyper-connected world, no nation can launch a fully effective domestic education agenda without addressing global needs and trends, and nurturing a globally competent citizenship. Therefore, nations should be alerted to know how other nations are approaching to meet the ever increasing challenges.
In a knowledge-based economy where creativity, innovation, and collaboration are highly regarded, one the most important twenty-first century skills students need is global competence. It is now a prerequisite for success in a world that demands scientific and technological literacy as well as cross-cultural leadership.
Competences can be defined as a combination of knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the context and the key competences are those which all individuals needed for personal fulfillment and development, active citizenship, social inclusion and employment.
This plenary speech will introduce the key competencies and specifically focus on the importance of foreign language teaching and learning.
Ключевые слова: 21 век, компетенции, обучение языкам, иностранный язык.
Аннотация: В современном чрезвычайно взаимосвязанном мире ни одна нация не может разрабатывать свою образовательную стратегию, не обращаясь к вопросам глобальных требований, тенденций и не формируя полноправного гражданина мира. Таким образом, представителям различных наций следует быть обеспокоенными тем, как другие нации подходят к решению возникающих задач.
В современных образовательных структурах, в которых высоко оценивается креативность, инновации и сотрудничество, в качестве одного из важнейших навыков студента 21 века рассматривается глобальная компетентность.
Компетенции могут быть определены как сочетание знаний, умений и точек зрения, соответствующих контексту. В качестве ключевых компетенций рассматриваются те, которые необходимы для личностного развития и самодостаточности, активной гражданской позиции, социальной интеграции и трудоустройства.
Данное пленарное выступление представит ключевые компетенции, уделяя особое внимание важности изучений иностранных языков.
Introduction
As globalization continues to confront the individuals worldwide with new challenges, each citizen will need a wide range of key competences to adapt flexibly to a rapidly changing and highly interconnected world.
This need is mostly attributed to the changes in society, and more particularly, to the rapid development of technology and its impact on the way we live, work and learn. Through Infor-
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mation and Communication Technology (ICT) our society is changing from an industrial society to information or knowledge society [11].
One of the biggest challenges facing today's teachers worldwide is making sure that our students are equipped for success in an increasingly knowledge-based, economically interdependent, and demographically diverse society [15].
While in the industrial society the main focus of education was to contribute to the development of factual and procedural knowledge, in the information or knowledge society the development of conceptual and meta-cognitive knowledge is increasingly considered important [2]. This change has inevitable implications for our education systems.
It is important to note that the changes in economy and the labor market caused by globalization and internationalization increased the need of 21st century skills. The need for individuals to flexibly adapt to a changing society as well as the need for sustainable democratic development is also worth to mention.
Overall, economic and societal changes closely related to the recent developments in technology and consequently in the characteristics of the jobs and the home environment seem to be regarded as the most important driving forces that call for 21st century skills [14].
As a result, the education ministers of OECD countries embraced the concept of lifelong learning in 2004, which covers all purposeful learning activities in a person's life.
For example, the European Youth Pact which is annexed to the conclusions of the Brussels European Council stressed the need to encourage the development of a common set of core skills in 2005 [5].
In my speech, I will use the term 21st century skills or 21st century competences as an overarching concept for the knowledge, skills and dispositions individuals need to be able to contribute to the knowledge society in 21st century and I will introduce the key 21st century competences and specifically focus on the importance of foreign language teaching and learning in this list.
In a knowledge-based economy where creativity, innovation, and collaboration are highly regarded, one of the most important twenty-first century skills students need is global competence. It is now a prerequisite for success in a world that demands scientific and technological literacy as well as cross-cultural leadership.
In today's hyper-connected world, no nation can launch a fully effective domestic education agenda, without also addressing global needs and trends, and nurturing a globally competent citizenship.
Globally competent individuals should be able to investigate the world and recognize and respect others' perspectives without prejudgment.
What is Global Competence?
Global competence can be described as "the capacity and disposition to understand and act on issues of global significance [3].
The debate should not only focus on what important 21st century competences are, but also where and how these competences can be acquired and assessed.
Therefore, developments towards the knowledge society have implications for our education systems [e.g. 9; 4; 12].
Education, generally having two roles, social and economic, has a key role to play in ensuring that all citizens acquire the key competences needed to enable them to adapt flexibly to such changes.
Therefore, there is a strong need to change curricula so that students develop competences which are needed in the 21st century [e.g. 2; 13]. One might argue that in addition to education also other parties of society might also provide relevant opportunities for acquiring 21st century competences.
It is obvious that globally competent students will require globally competent teachers. To achieve this, teacher preparation programs need to take concrete steps to internationalize their curriculums and provide meaningful experiences for teacher candidates, as well provide the faculty who are responsible for training the next generation of teachers with opportunities to develop their own global competences. Therefore, in order to prepare globally competent teachers, we surely need globally competent teacher educators. Key competences
Competences are defined here as a combination of knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the context.
Key competences are those which all individuals need for personal fulfilment and development, active citizenship, social inclusion and employment.
Key competences for lifelong learning — A European reference framework sets out eight key competences [10]:
1) Communication in the mother tongue;
2) Communication in foreign languages;
3) Mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology;
4) Digital competence;
5) Learning to learn;
6) Social and civic competences;
7) Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship; and
8) Cultural awareness and expression.
Although, the key competences are all considered equally important since each of them can contribute to a successful life in a knowledge society, in this paper only highlighted items are discussed as they are related to linguistics and language/foreign language teaching directly. As one can notice, many of the competences overlap and interlock and aspects essential to one domain will support competence in another. Competence in the fundamental basic skills of language, literacy, numeracy and in information and communication technologies (ICT) is an essential foundation for learning, and learning to learn supports all learning activities [10].
There are a number of themes that are applied throughout the Reference Framework: critical thinking, creativity, initiative, problem solving, risk assessment, decision taking, and constructive management of feelings which play a role in all eight key competences [10]. Communication in the mother tongue:
A positive attitude towards communication in the mother tongue involves a disposition to critical and constructive dialogue, an appreciation of aesthetic qualities and a willingness to strive for them, and an interest in interaction with others [10:14].
This implies an awareness of the impact of language on others and a need to understand and use language in a positive and socially responsible manner.
Here, I would like to share world famous Tata Poet Abdullay Tukay's poem on mother
tongue!
"Oh My Mother Tongue Oh, beloved native language Oh, enchanting mother tongue! You enabled my search for knowledge Of the world, since I was young As a child, when I was sleepless Mother sung me lullabies And my grandma told me stories Through the night, to shut my eyes Oh, my tongue! You have been always My support in grief and joy Understood and cherished fondly
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Since I was a little boy
In my tongue, I learned with patience
To express my faith and say:
"Oh, Creator! Bless my parents
Take, Allah, my sins away!"
Communication in foreign languages:
Communication in foreign languages broadly shares the main skill dimensions of communication in the mother tongue: it is based on the ability to understand, express and interpret concepts, thoughts, feelings, facts and opinions in both oral and written form (listening, speaking, reading and writing) in an appropriate range of societal and cultural contexts (in education and training, work, home and leisure) according to one's wants or needs 10:14].
Communication in foreign languages also calls for skills such as mediation and intercultural understanding.
Essential knowledge, skills and attitudes related to this competence:
In the context of multicultural and multilingual societies, it is recognized that the mother tongue may not in all cases be an official language of the State, and that ability to communicate in an official language is a pre-condition for ensuring full participation of the individual in society(EC, 2006:14).
Mother tongue could be as one of several official languages. It is important to recognize that many citizens live in bilingual or multilingual families and communities, and that the official language of the country in which they live may not be their mother tongue [10:14].
Social and civic competences
These include personal, interpersonal and intercultural competence and cover all forms of behavior that equip individuals to participate in an effective and constructive way in social and working life, and particularly in increasingly diverse societies, and to resolve conflict where necessary [10:16].
Essential knowledge, skills and attitudes related to this competence:
For successful interpersonal and social participation it is essential to understand the codes of conduct and manners generally accepted in different societies and environments (e.g. at work).
It is equally important to be aware of basic concepts relating to individuals, groups, work organizations, gender equality and non-discrimination, society and culture [10:17].
Understanding the multi-cultural and socio-economic dimensions of European societies and how national cultural identity interacts with the European identity is essential [10:17].
The core skills of this competence include the ability to communicate constructively in different environments, to show tolerance, express and understand different viewpoints, to negotiate with the ability to create confidence, and to feel empathy [10:17].
Civic competence is based on knowledge of the concepts of democracy, justice, equality, citizenship, and civil rights, including how they are expressed in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and international declarations and how they are applied by various institutions at the local, regional, national, European and international levels [10:17].
Full respect for human rights including equality as a basis for democracy, appreciation and understanding of differences between value systems of different religious or ethnic groups lay the foundations for a positive attitude [10:17].
Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship
Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship refers to an individual's ability to turn ideas into action. It includes creativity, innovation and risk-taking, as well as the ability to plan and manage projects in order to achieve objectives [10:17].
Essential knowledge, skills and attitudes related to this competence:
Entrepreneurship and education are two such extraordinary opportunities that need to be leveraged and interconnected if we are to develop the human capital required for building the societies of the future.
The ability to judge and identify one's strengths and weaknesses, and to assess and take risks as and when warranted, is essential [10:17,18].
Entrepreneurship is the engine fuelling innovation, employment generation and economic
growth.
Cultural awareness and expression:
Appreciation of the importance of the creative expression of ideas, experiences and emotions in a range of media, including music, performing arts, literature, and the visual arts [10:18].
Essential knowledge, skills and attitudes related to this competence:
Cultural knowledge includes an awareness of local, national and European cultural heritage and their place in the world.
It covers a basic knowledge of major cultural works, including popular contemporary culture. It is essential to understand the cultural and linguistic diversity both within the country and abroad (in Europe and other regions of the world) the need to preserve it and the importance of aesthetic factors in daily life.
A solid understanding of one's own culture and a sense of identity can be the basis for an open attitude towards and respect for diversity of cultural expression. A positive attitude also covers creativity and the willingness to cultivate aesthetic capacity through artistic self-expression and participation in cultural life [10:18].
Why foreign Language (s)?
Global competence requires knowledge of other world regions, cultures, and international issues; skills in communicating in different foreign languages in addition to English while working in global or cross-cultural environments.
With people, information and capital flowing more freely than ever, the ability to think critically across different societies, to communicate in different languages and to form connections with a variety of people internationally is becoming more important than ever.
❖ Foreign language competence offers stimulation to our minds.
❖ It gives lusting for knowledge and oozing curiosity at every turn.
❖ Through foreign language, the familiar becomes fascinating, and our minds open to new ways of approaching even the simplest areas of life.
❖ Studies show that children enrolled in foreign language courses demonstrate stronger cognitive skills, particularly in the area of creativity and adopt a personality appreciating diversity at early ages.
❖ The real world extends beyond the classroom walls; language learning takes place in and out of the classroom. Therefore, foreign language teachers should be effective to bring outside to the classroom.
❖ Foreign language learning opens the minds to new cultures and new ways of thinking. It gives us a deeper respect for our multi-faceted world. It helps us to travel and make connections with people overseas.
❖ Speaking a second language can improve our cognitive skills. According to a Harvard study, bilingual babies showed advanced skills in monitoring changes in their environment, compared to monolingual babies [9].
❖ A University of Chicago study showed that thinking in a foreign language helps to reduce biases in your decision-making [8].
❖ There's even research that has demonstrated that being bilingual can help delay the onset of dementia and other symptoms of Alzheimer's disease [1 ].
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❖ If we are serious about educating globally competent individuals for a promising tomorrow, we need to have students who can engage in many different societies and be able to build cooperation between them. The key of such an endeavor is through foreign language (s).
❖ The pursuit of foreign language education should not be considered a luxury to be sought by a few. Foreign language instruction should be a core element to our education and taught both as early as possible and as effectively as possible.
❖ Teachers need the stimulation of new thinking and new techniques to keep a fresh and lively approach to their teaching, but without losing their grip on enduring truths of learning and teaching that have proved to be basic to effective language experiences.
❖ In a world that is increasingly interdependent, we can no longer afford to remain monolingual and even with one foreign language! Learning foreign languages is no longer a pastime: it is a must!
❖ Foreign Language does not and should not mean only English! It is estimated that there are approximately 6500 spoken languages in the world! However, about 2,000 of those languages have fewer than 1,000 speakers [7].
❖ In the EU27 in 2009, 82% of pupils at primary and lower secondary level and 95% of those in upper secondary level general programs were studying English as a foreign language. The second most commonly studied foreign language at primary and lower secondary level was French (16% of pupils), followed by German (9%) and Spanish (6%), while at upper secondary level it was German (27%), and followed by French (26%) and Spanish (19%) [6].
❖ We should encourage our students to learn languages other than English and some common languages. Programs should provide opportunities and encourage learners to learn Chinese, Hindi, Arabic, Portuguese, Turkish, Russian, Japanese, ect. Since these languages are in the list of most widely used languages in the world.
To be effective, foreign language teaching needs well qualified foreign language teachers. Besides relevant qualifications, foreign language teachers need sufficient and appropriate teaching resources as well as clear teaching guidelines. Yet, even if these needs are met, implementing official recommendations might still prove to be a challenge in some countries.
Conclusions
It is obvious that in today's hyper-connected world, no nation can launch a fully effective domestic education agenda, without also addressing global needs and trends, and nurturing a globally competent citizenship. However, a clear analysis worldwide shows that most students do not possess the aforementioned necessary twenty-first century competencies outlined above. Therefore, the main goal of administrations and education ministries should be to increase the global competencies of all citizens.
Individual differences should be considered while determining the expected educational outcomes or achievement targets for each skill. Additionally, the links between formal and informal learning environments as well as their contributions to the acquisition of 21st century skills should be explored.
We are good at teaching content, but not teaching individuals how to use it creatively and innovatively. Therefore, entrepreneurial teaching focusing on individual differences and alternative assessment should be at the core education.
Globally oriented education systems are the ones which can create a global vision and culture, recruit and prepare internationally oriented teachers, transforms curriculum and instruction by integrating international content, emphasize the importance of foreign language(s) proficiency, and expands student experiences through effective use of technology, international travel and partnerships, and international service learning and internships. We should not forget that globally competent teachers start with having globally competent teacher educators who will prepare these teachers. Here it becomes very important to have a common understanding of what internationalization means.
Transforming curriculum to meet those demands and preparing teachers meeting these needs require a commitment to internationalization at all levels, e.g., individual, departmental, college, institutional and more importantly at nationwide level.
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