Page 11 - BRIDGES - ISSUE 7

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The power of English as a bridge for creating do, and neitherwas the past. We must
pressforward to find our best. There
cultural understanding in EFL classes are no limits to future abilities, just
limits to what we can do now. We
«« nication, and motivate them to teach should keep in mind that innovation
from a global perspective. matters because people matter, and
Special Interest Groups must be set change succeeds or fails according to
—
suits in a course where the textbook up to1.conduct research on language how people individually and collec-
—
becomes the "bible". Focusshould be teaching content, methods, and tively respond to it. We simply must
on depth of coverege rather than approches hat can help students be- keep shining the light of knowledge
amount of content coverege. Teach- come activeglobalcitizens in their lo- and wisdom on the darkness of igno-
ers must open space for facilitating cal cultures; 2. develop instructional rance, prejudice, ethnocentricism,
critical thinking.Teachers havealmost strategics that promote tolerance,glo- streotypes, and racism until we find
complete power over what happens in bal awareness,cultural understanding, our best. If wecontinue onsuch a path,
their classrooms because they estab- and social responsibiity; 3. work to at some point in the future, humanity
lish theclimate and structure the learn- overcome national stereotypes and will bridge thegap between reality and
ingexperience.Therefore, the teacher negative images held by teachers and utopia. And the present power and
is an important variable in students’ learners that hinder peace, coopera- state of English will be very helpful to
learning to think. The teacher is a tion and trust; 4.disseminate teaching make this vision happen.So let’sgive
facilitator of learning who helps stu- ideas through publications, research, a chance and do not wait politicians,
dents todevelop their intellectso that ready to use classroom materials and historiansorother government organi-
they can produce their own ideas, not the web;5.arrange workshops,semi- zations to lead usor tell us what todo.
just reproducesomeone else’s ideas. nars,conferences that introducesELT If not us who, if not now, when.
Those students taught to think criti- professionals to fields such as global
callywill learn howtolisten better, read education, peace education, etc. 6. References
more carefully, pay closer attention, work tofurther the profession by mak-
and react more knowledgeably to me- ing English language teaching more Altan, M. Zulkuf. (1998). "Critical
dia, government, and commercial relevant toworld realities;7.link ELT Thinking&SomeStrategicsof to De-
velop Critical
propaganda.Students will seek alter- members and affiliate groups world- Thinking in Education". Cukurova
nativesources of facts and ideas.They wide who are working in areas linked
UniversitesiEgitim Fakultesi Dergisi,
willquestion both theirand theircoun- toglobal issues;and8.toestablish links 2,17,
try’s role. They will challenge their with professional associations to ex- 215-221.
teacher, themselves,and others to pro- plore ways of working together to Altan, M. Zulkuf. (April, 1995).Cul-
vide solutions to world problems. In achieve mutual goals.
fact students needs habitsof mind that After such pre-service and in-service ture in EFLContexts-Classroom and
Coursebooks".
make it more likely that they will be training process, teachers would be-
able to resist propaganda and manipu- gin to discuss global isues, eg., war, Modern English Teacher, 4(2),58-60.
Hardy, Charles. (1989). The Age of
lation. Critical thinking is absolutely peace, human rights, environment, Unreason. London: Cox &Wyman
necessary to recognize the process by hunger; social issues, e.g., Ltd.
which information about the world is ethnocentricism, streotypes, racism,
filtered and processed. prejudice,violence, powerty,social in-
equality.They would grow ideals,eg.,
Preparation of ELT teachers social responsibility, global awareness,
tolerance, cultural understanding,so-
First of all ELT teachers need "global " cial justice, respect for diversity and
knowledge about the world in general world citizenship.
as well theirsubject mattersthey teach.
Content and experiences in global Conclusions
education need to be infused through-
out teacher education programs.Sec- Startingfrom the late20th century, it
ondly, Field experiences,study tours, became an educational must that the
semesters abroad, student teaching, needs of humanity transcend cultural
internships, student and faculty ex- differences or national borders as we
changes,in othercountriescan be high- share a common future. However, we
lighted as some of the ways teachers are all aware that the present state of
can build cultural understanding, de- theworld is not the best humanitycan
velop skills in cross-cultural commu-

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