Journal | EL.LE
Journal issue | 5 | 2 | 2016
Research Article | Service Learning: Theoretical Foundations and Advantages for FL Students
Service Learning: Theoretical Foundations and Advantages for FL Students
Abstract
A Service Learning (SL) experience, which means putting a course's content into practice by serving either a local or an international community, enhances learning while also reinforcing the sense of civic responsibility and personal value. In the context of a language course, SL experiences can further students’ communicative and intercultural competence, enhance their motivation and develop their metacognitive skills. While research has reached conclusive evidence on the many benefits of SL for students, communities and teachers, it has also shown that those benefits can only be achieved when the SL experiences are carefully planned and executed. Whether they are a compulsory or optional element in a language course or whether they require face-to-face presence or they are fully online, this study offers an overview of the different models and considers their particular context, resources and goals.
Accepted: Sept. 13, 2016 | Published July 1, 2016 | Language: it
Keywords Motivation • Service Learning • Intercultural competence • Experiential strategy • Willingness to communicate
Copyright © 2016 Luisa Canuto. This is an open-access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction is permitted, provided that the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. The license allows for commercial use. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Permalink http://doi.org/10.14277/2280-6792/ELLE-5-2-3
