Using Picturebooks to Promote Intercultural Sensitivity and Citizenship Education in Primary English as a Foreign Language Classroom

• Main Author: do Amaral, Maria Madalena Trindade
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01-01-2024
• Subjects: Attitudes; Cultural differences; English as a Second Language; Foreign language education; Foreign language instruction; Students; Teaching
• ISBN: 9798346733478

This report aims to understand how picturebooks can be used to promote intercultural sensitivity and citizenship education in primary English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom.Intercultural sensitivity can be defined as the ability to develop desire or motivation to understand other cultures as well as develop respect for cultural differences and learn to carry out appropriate and enjoyable interactions. It is essential that young children attain these skills, so that when they come in contact with different cultures in the future, they will be confident, attentive and competent in their intercultural encounters. The project also aimed to work towards the students’ citizenship education, an essential part of the Portuguese curriculum which educates young learners to be responsible and critical citizens. The three picturebooks used in this study were carefully chosen, and were not only valuable tools to introduce intercultural sensitivity and citizenship education into the classroom, but were also pertinent in language acquisition and improving literacy skills. The books were read aloud to 23 students who also completed questionnaires, tasks and took part in discussions. When analyzing each of these tools, the results showed that the students had become more aware of their own culture and different cultures, and had developed empathy and respect for others, which are skills needed to appropriately carry out intercultural interactions and improve intercultural sensitivityPicturebooks helped the students learn to value diversity, by developing empathy with characters from the stories and their situations.