Ethical issues in foreign/world language teaching – the example of teaching for intercultural citizenship

Abstract

In this article, we discuss some ethical issues arising from teaching foreign or world languages for intercultural citizenship. From this perspective, language education engages students in critical investigations of social issues and in the application of linguistic, communicative and intercultural skills beyond the classroom toaddress such issues in the society. After introducing intercultural citizenship, we illustrate some ethical issues for teachers raised by such teaching with a project carried out in Higher Education in Argentina and the United Kingdom. We argue that an ethically justified position takes into account the pedagogical strategies in teaching for intercultural citizenship which may expose learners to risk and, secondly, consider whether it should also include teaching new values as found in other societies. We conclude that the second is not necessary and that it is more important to encouragea critical mindset in learners, which is directed towards their own values as well as new ones they might encounter.