Author: Julia Savaniu
Date of Publication: March 2024
Notes: Scottish Languages Review Issue 37
Intercultural understanding is widely recognised as an invaluable life skill, allowing humankind to appreciate and communicate in the diverse world they inhabit. The International Baccalaureate’s (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) expresses to learners the clear link between developing intercultural understanding and being multilingual, as learning to speak foreign languages supports cross-cultural interaction and the development of empathy from a shared understanding of experiences. However, the same message is not as explicit in Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) documentation, therefore there is a gap in research regarding the extent to which learners in the Scottish curriculum are developing intercultural understanding through the learning of modern languages. Overall, the findings of this article suggest that both the PYP and CfE can improve how they support learners to acquire the skills needed to thrive in modern global society, in terms of clarifying their principles to support teachers to enact meaningful learning opportunities. This conclusion should be of relevance to the policy-makers and educators of these curriculums, who can impact how learners of all ages develop respect for those from different cultures as well as language skills to communicate and reach a common understanding.