TESOL Professional Development through Global Conversations Partnerships

Abstract

English language teaching is growing increasingly complex in a global world that requires cross-cultural competence and understanding. This global trend in education is crucially important to TESOL classrooms where integrating cross-cultural communication is a valuable skill in engaging with the global community. Within the context of this discussion, the chapter provides a detailed description of a cross-cultural partnership called “Global Conversions” mediated by two collaborating universities: Volga State University of Technology in Russia and LCC International University in Lithuania. The design of Global Conversations focuses on providing opportunities for professional development, improving English language skills, developing readiness for cross-cultural communication, and engaging in conversations about cultural diversity, social responsibility, and values with newly encountered colleagues from a different cultural background. The history and protocol for how this program was implemented along with examples of student reflections on their interactions with international partners are discussed. The chapter includes the results realized by student participants and positive outcomes as assessed by the collaborating instructors. Finally, the factors that need to be taken under consideration for introducing this type of program into teacher development courses are discussed along with identifying potential challenges that can impact the success of online cross-cultural partnerships generally.