New opportunities for languages learning through twenty-first-century knowledge-building communitiestwenty-first-century knowledge-building communities

New opportunities for languages learning through twenty-first-century knowledge-building communitiestwenty-first-century knowledge-building communities

This chapter explores how language learning pedagogies are changing as a result of new technologies and opportunities for international collaboration, and glocal community engagement in the facilitation of purposeful conversations that respond to mutual needs. It explores various initiatives that have emerged as a result of creating connections to fulfil the need for more authentic languages learning spaces (O’Neill 2015; Yardley 2008). These initiatives show how practices have responded to opportunities afforded by digital communication technologies and social networking, providing for both international language-exchange and more localised community involvement in using English, as well as facilitating students’ use of their home languages and cultures. The way such approaches are able to build participants’ capacity, encourage authentic and deeper languages learning (Tochon 2014), add value to educational experiences—as well as sustain student engagement—is described and discussed. The potential of these approaches is further explored through the lens of knowledge-building communities (Bindé 2005) and the importance of student voice and agency, and intercultural literacy for the reshaping of languages policy, curriculum and practice. A model of operation is advanced and explored in terms of language learning being at the forefront of a modern responsive and innovative education system that acknowledges our globalised world and diverse multilingual contexts (Spring 2015).

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