View Content #25692

Learning objectives:

• Students will be able to articulate some of their language ideologies.
• Students will be able to summarize some language ideologies of others.
• Students' understanding of the roles of individual beliefs and cultural background on the formation of language ideologies will become more nuanced.

Mode: Awareness of language ideologies is a beneficial tool for intercultural communication.

Materials needed: Exchange partners, discussion questions handout

Procedure:

The key experience in this activity is an information exchange with someone from the target culture. For students in a study abroad context or with a large heritage community nearby, it may be easy to arrange face-to-face conversations. Otherwise, we recommend setting up a virtual exchange; this activity can be one part of the overall virtual exchange experience. For more information about virtual exchanges, visit the Virtual Exchange Coalition's website. Those who are learning about the Middle East and North Africa may be especially interested in the Stevens Initiatve. 

1. Start by introducing the concept of language ideologies, as defined on the discussion questions handout. 
2. Have students complete the first box for each of the seven questions on their own.
3. As a class, debrief by discussing some of the most interesting or prevalent responses to different questions. Emphasize that there is no one correct answer; the purpose of this activity is to explore the diversity of language ideologies. 
4. Have students work in pairs to complete the second box for each of the seven questions. 
5. In the follow-up discussion, explore potential factors in different ideologies: age, gender, cultural background, etc. Are there certain ideologies that may be typical of your students' home culture(s)?
6. Prior to working with exchange partners, be certain that your students are open to exploring a wide range of ideologies and ideas that may be different from their own. The exchange partners should also have completed the first two boxes for each question in advance.
7. Provide dedicated time for your students to complete the third box for each question with their exchange partners. Allow extra time for and encourage follow-up questions and discussion.
8. Once again, in the follow-up whole-class discussion, explore potential factors behind different language ideologies. Are there clear differences between your students' home culture(s) and the target culture? How might students put their new insights into language ideologies to use in future intercultural interactions?
9. Have students complete the fourth box for each question with any final thoughts. The final reflection questions at the end of the handout serve as a culminating activity.