Early Language Learning & Multilingual Education Network

ABSTRACT

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In an era of rapidly increased interconnectedness and globalization, fostering cultural and intercultural awareness in early childhood education has become a fundamental goal of pedagogy. The integration of cultural and intercultural awareness through English as a Foreign/International Language in Greek early years settings has become a priority resulting in curriculum goals being aligned with such priorities. Hence, early childhood education is not only tasked with traditional foundational learning but also with cultivating inclusive, democratic, and intercultural values. When young children learn about different ways people live, speak, behave, celebrate, and eat, they begin to understand the world beyond their immediate environment and limited scope and thus begin to make sense of it. Introducing English in early childhood education can become an ideal vehicle for promoting cultural and intercultural awareness through enhancing, curiocity, openness, respect, empathy, inclusion, and global citizenship. 

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BIO

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Ioannis Karras is a professor of applied linguistics and intercultural communication at Ionian University, Greece. Ioannis holds a B.A. in English and a B.A. in Linguistics from the University of Calgary, Canada; an M.Ed. in TEFL from the Hellenic Open University, Greece, an M.Sc. in Intercultural Communication from the University of Warwick, the UK and a PhD in Applied Linguistics from The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece. Ioannis has lectured as a visiting professor/invited speaker at various universities around the world. He has extensive experience teaching Applied Linguistics, and Intercultural Communication at the Undergraduate, Masters, and PhD level. He has delivered numerous talks at international conferences and has conducted seminars and workshops in several countries. Ioannis has (co)-authored and edited books, book chapters, and articles in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings.