'Absolutely intercultural!' is a podcast that explores various aspects of cross-cultural communication. Since globalization and continuous advances in technology are bringing different cultures closer together, it is important that teachers and students students develop a sense of multicultural awareness for the purpose of becoming a global citizens. Podcasts like 'absolutely intercultural!' also provide ESL students with an abundant amount of opportunities to sharpen their listening skills and digital literacy skills, in addition to learning about cultures that they find interesting. Depending on the ELLs' level of L2 proficiency, ESL teachers can create worksheets that contain written scaffolding to facilitate ELLs' comprehension while listening to the podcast.
Using 'absolutely intercultural!' as a model, ELLs can also create their own podcasts that describe their native culture(s). The ESL classrooms of today are comprised of students from various diverse cultural backgrounds. Other students in the class who may not be familiar with a particular students culture can then listen to the podcast to learn more about their fellow classmate and where they come from. When ELLs become acquainted with their peers, they are able to feel more comfortable in the L2 classroom, which ultimately facilitates authentic intercultural communication and the acquisition of a second language.
ESL teachers can also use these podcasts as assessments to determine the areas of students oral language production that may need more development. Once ESL teachers identify these areas, they can then adjust their instruction in order to help their students improve their speaking skills.
In Episode 104 of 'absolutely intercultural,' Anne Fox discusses a unique method to English language learning. In the UK, Jason West has developed an approach to English language learning, called 'Language Out There,' that requires students to go out in public and communicate with native English speakers. After having practiced a particular language function in the classroom, the teacher then accompanies students on excursions to places where people are socializing, such as cafes and public squares. The students then tell the native English speakers that they are learning English and would like to ask them a few questions. Most of the time, native English speakers are very willing to participate in these interactions. According to Jason West, this approach helps to make teaching and learning the English language more relevant to a, "local people, area, and culture." In addition, this approach also provides English language learners with an opportunity to improve their speaking skills and overall language proficiency by communicating with native speakers.
