Global+English+Learning.

Global English learning.

 The XXI st.century global world makes education face a new challenge: the formation of the Global Student, the future Global Citizen. The Global Student should master, apart from a wide variety of academic knowledge, social and intercultural skills which will allow them to take active part of the current Global Village.  English a a "lingua franca" provides the ideal opportunity for exploring global issues, by using material from diverse cultural sources. A Global Student is expected not only to become an intercultural speaker, but also to decide on actions that would lead to global improvement.  Education for Global Citizenship must, therefore, emphasize on the acquisition of knowledge and understanding of social issues, such as justice, equity, diversity, peace and conflict, by fostering critical thinking, respect and cooperation skills and aknowledging values and attitudes that will empower the Global Citizens with a sense of identity, self-esteem, empathy, commitment to social justice and concern for environmental problems.  A Global English curricula must highlight tolerance and respect for cultural others,foster an open mind motivated by curiosity about other cultures, create empathy to other beliefs,values, thoughts and feelings ,and provide the necessary environment to compare and evaluate our own culture with others, thus developing self-knowledge and self-understanding.  Such a new and open-minded educational perspective involves a change of teachers' roles and methodology. The Global Teacher is seen as a "facilitator" providing meaningful tasks, modelling behaviour, guiding students through different stages and exploring different angles to foster critical thinking.The methodology to be used is communicative and content-based and task-oriented.The learning activities shoul never be grammar centered and should provide a skillful scaffold to critical thinking and intercultural literacy.