Internationalization at Home as A Resource for the Development of the Linguistic Skills of Writen Expression and Comprehension

Yolanda García Hernández and Adrián J. Acosta Jiménez
Universidad Autónoma De Madrid

Abstract

The emergence of COVID19 on the world scene was a challenge for the entire society and, in this particular case, for the teaching and learning methods of foreign languages in Higher Education Institutions. Teachers and students were faced with the need to achieve their linguistic and intercultural academic goals in a totally new environment, characterized by the massive presence of digital and online teaching and by a big lack of motivation. In this study, we will analyze the relevance of virtual exchange and collaborative learning with foreign students while staying at the home university, in order to improve the skills included in the CEFR. Starting from a case study of German as a foreign language tuition and based on qualitative data, we will show the usefulness of internationalization at home as an effective tool for the development of not only linguistic skills - such as the written expression and comprehension -, but also the required intercultural competence. Furthermore, we will also present how that internationalization at home is an equally useful tool to encourage motivational factors in foreign language learning and teaching. We will highlight the relevance of this teaching tool at a time when teachers and students had to get used to new practices overnight. Based on the provided data, we will be ready to conclude that internationalization at home is a tool that has responded to a very specific situation during lockdown but that, in addition, and due to its pedagogical relevance, should continue to be used at HEIs.





Presentation