Challenges for teaching/learning foreign languages and cultures in Portugal

Abstract

A new political and economic order in Europe and the world, as well as contemporary philosophical perspectives, require a different approach to the teaching/learning of foreign languages/cultures. This should be centred on the development of critical cultural awareness, the acquisition of intercultural communication skills and the ultimate goal of training democratic citizens. Since studying a foreign culture can no longer be restricted to historical and/or literary analyses, training foreign language/culture teachers should include new pedagogies and interdisciplinary areas such as Critical Pedagogy, Cultural Studies and Intercultural Communication. The proposals submitted here are based on my theoretical research and the results of an empirical study carried out with secondary school English teachers in Portugal.