Remapping the Foreign Language Curriculum: An Approach through Multiple Literacies

Teaching Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

by Janet K. Swaffar

Book by Janet Swaffar, Katherine Arens

217 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2005

Reviews

[Athenameilahn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a really helpful guide for injecting more culture into your language classroom. There are a few points where I wondered how the suggestions could be adapted to be more learner-centered. There were others when I wondered how a teacher could continue in the target language. For example, when introducing vocabulary related to homes the authors suggest bringing in an excerpt from a novel that describes home furnishings. The idea is students have the chance to work with the vocab while also learning about the piece's historical context and the social class of the inhabitants. Later on they provide tables (matrix) and précis to help illustrate the suggestion, but I am doubtful it could be incorporated entirely in the target language. I'd like to read something that takes this a step further to weave together cultural discussions into more communicative tasks.

That said, it offers many, many helpful suggestions for working with primary texts and the writing style is a pleasure to read because it's challenging and incredibly stimulating.

[Guy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting if technical. Not something to read for fun. But it will take me a while to think through the questions it poses.