Intercultural training - Intercultural pedagogy
"Intercultural school": intercultural communication and education in the school environment

Europe is home to linguistically, culturally and ethnically ever more complex societies. Education and teachers hold the main responsibility in making Europe, and Hungary as part of Europe, home to all those living in the region. Our conviction is that conventional teaching techniques and educational strategies cannot prepare students for success in life and successful social integration. These conventional strategies maintain the differences between students both in and out of the school environment. Cultural differences are understood as a danger and not as a useful resource. In the "intercultural school" - as opposed to conventional school environments - cultural diversity is seen as an advantage and not a threat for both students and teachers. 
 

The intercultural educational approach addresses the following questions:

  • How does diversity influence classroom work?
  • How can mutual understanding, creativity and cooperation, that is, the basic values of democracy, be transmitted in the classroom and in activities outside the classroom?
  • How can the different cultural backgrounds of students be fruitfully used as a resource in teaching?
  • How can the pedagogical methods of inclusion be used to improve the results of students who lag behind their peers?
  • What kinds of solutions have been offered in Europe to prevent the failure of students with different cultural backgrounds?
Structure of our intercultural education training courses:

  1. Images of the other, discrimination and integration in the practice of education
  2. Relationships between culture and identity and their appearance in the educational process, the intercultural conflict
  3. Background and tools of intercultural education:
  • "Multiculturalism" and "interculturality" - etymology and historical context
  • Description of a multicultural/intercultural society and its educational needs
  • The goals of intercultural education
  • Realization levels of intercultural education
  • Presentation of practical examples and good practices
  • Designing an action plan
References