Abstract:

Nowadays languages are an essential subject for the training of people. Europe forms an economically and socially interconnected multicultural community in which each member country has a different language. This particular multicultural situation of the European continent has its translation into the global environment in which we find ourselves, where communication technologies allow us to interact at any time in a ubiquitous way. In this type of multicultural environments, language learning is essential to ensure the mobility of people and a considerable increase in job opportunities.

However, it is a difficult task and students may find the subject of language difficult due to the inherent complexity. In this work, learning languages and culture is understood as a means to a greater end. Shared values and a common project are required to motivate students on that path. In this activity, an approach with a Situative perspective that encourages social interactions is proposed.

It is this common project that will generate a motivational framework, and therefore will become the driving force of learning. The construction of this common field cannot be based on specific needs but on global needs, as is the case of the environmental actions in favor of climate care proposed in this work.

In this area we propose the design of a higher education course that, through the engine of global mobilization for climate, allows overcoming the main psychological obstacles when starting a language. Specifically, the presented model will make use of the concepts of Learning Communities and Connectivism to enhance interactions and language learning, while promoting cultural exchange. Thus interactions can be globally boosted with digital tools promoting the digital competence in language acquisition.

In the methodology, it is also worth highlighting the concept of integrated content and language treatment promoted by the European Commission: Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). The focus of this new design is on the attractive capacity of social relationships to overcome obstacles and prejudices towards the acquisition of new languages.

Keywords:

Language learning, Learning communities, digital competences, connectivism.