Teacher Virtual Academy Holds Third Meeting, Discusses Interculturality in Language Learning

HUMANIORA – (15/8/2024) The Teacher Virtual Academy (TVA) program continues with its third meeting held on Wednesday, August 14, 2024. This third session featured Dr. Galuh Nur Rohmah, M.Pd., M.Ed., a linguistics expert and lecturer at the Faculty of Humanities, as the main speaker. With the topic "Interculturality Culture and Local Languages in the Language Classroom," Dr. Galuh discussed the importance of integrating local culture and interculturality into language teaching in the classroom.

This topic is an essential part of TVA Episode 1, which focuses on the main theme, "Current Issues in English Language Teaching: Facilitating Best Practices for Language Learning." Interculturality and local culture are the primary focuses of this discussion, considering their urgency in effective and relevant language learning.

In the era of globalization, the ability to understand and interact with various cultures has become an increasingly vital skill. Dr. Galuh emphasized that teaching a language is not merely about imparting linguistic skills but also involves understanding the cultural values that accompany it.

“Language learning based on interculturality allows students not only to learn the language technically but also to understand the cultural context of that language,” Dr. Galuh explained during her session.

She added, “By introducing local culture and promoting interculturality, we can build a bridge of understanding between students and the broader world while also strengthening their own cultural identity.”

The training session was interactive, with many questions from participants interested in learning more about how to implement the concepts of interculturality and local culture in language teaching. Kakha, who acted as the moderator, helped guide the discussion and ensured the session ran smoothly.

This meeting not only enriched the teachers' understanding of current issues in English language teaching but also inspired them to continue developing innovative and locally relevant teaching methods. The Teacher Virtual Academy will continue with other interesting topics, with the hope of continuing to support the professional development of English teachers throughout Indonesia. [al]