Great Scot December 2017 GreatScot_152_Dec_Online | Page 16

News
The perfect agent of change
‘Language learning makes me feel like a blind man seeing the world for the first
time, experiencing new colours and sites.’ Ashvin Appu, Year 6
Ashvin’s quote was very insightful, inspiring
me to ponder the theme of this edition of Great
Scot on diversity and acceptance, as well as
my own passion for language learning. When it
comes to teaching languages, our classes are no
longer confined to the walls of the classroom. In
an instant, we are able to connect and exchange
thoughts with others; and in Ashvin’s words
‘experience new colours and sites’.
Exploring, investigating, discovering,
respecting the views of others and tolerating
differences are essential parts of this process.
Acquiring an additional language is not just
about pronunciation, learning vocabulary and
grammatical patterns: it also assists in learning
to see cultural differences as assets and
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therefore fostering the creation of more caring
communities.
I often find myself not just teaching the
planned curriculum but sharing personal
insights and cultural stories with the boys. We
have discussed concepts such as Pünktlichkeit
(punctuality), Organisation (organisation) and
Gastfreundschaft (hospitality), demonstrating that
all of us are touched and altered by our cultural
upbringing; shaping our personalities, the way we
think, the way we solve problems, as well as the
methods we use to organise ourselves.
The beauty of teaching a foreign language
is to create the awareness that sometimes it is
necessary to step outside our cultural boundaries
in order to realise the impact that our culture has
on our behaviour. It is crucial for all learners to
know the cultural context of which language is
a component, thus gaining greater insight into
varied cultures in order to accept, recognise,
tolerate and respect cultures other than our own.
Gently being guided and coming to realisation
of the truth of this, our boys will be well equipped