Towards intercultural competence fostering ESOL learners’ cultural awareness in Ireland through learning materials

The promotion of intercultural competence plays an important role in language education and this study focuses on one aspect of this, cultural awareness. Fostering cultural awareness has an even more central role in teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) since efforts are critical to preparing learners to be successful participants in their new society. In these efforts, learning materials are a crucial stimulus for cultural awareness. There is little dedicated material for ESOL in Ireland, and the cultural content of what little there is has not yet been systematically researched. This study contributes to filling this gap by investigating teachers’ views on the cultural content in a most often used material of their choice, and through the researcher’s analysis and evaluation of the cultural content in the most frequently used Irish published textbook The Big Picture, and non-Irish (UK) published textbook New Headway Pre-Intermediate as identified by this study. The study ascertains the degree to which these materials promote cultural content knowledge, and engage cognitive and affective processing of cultural content. To estimate the potential of materials used in ESOL provision in Ireland for fostering learners’ cultural awareness, mixed methods were used in the form of a survey questionnaire and materials evaluation analysed via thematic and content analysis. Data collection and analysis were supported by the frameworks developed by the researcher for analysing materials for (1) the promotion of cultural content knowledge, (2) activation of cognitive and (3) stimulation of affective processing of cultural content as the three components of intercultural competence that foster cultural awareness. This study tested the validity and reliability of these frameworks as well. The study revealed the suitability of one frequently-used resource designed for the Irish context as it promoted appropriate cultural content knowledge via cognitively engaging and affectively stimulating activities; however, another, a UK-produced ELT coursebook was found not to be very helpful in this due to its lack of cultural content appropriate to the Irish context. It also emerged that teachers must put in a lot of effort to compile resources and materials to meet learners’ needs. The findings will contribute to the ongoing research into the needs of, and development of ESOL materials by offering insights into the cultural content of the materials currently in use, and providing practical guidelines in the form of frameworks to evaluate existing and create suitable materials as regards promoting cultural awareness, not only for the Irish ESOL context but also for language teachers in other international contexts

Towards intercultural competence: models and frameworks for developing ESOL learners’ intercultural competence in Ireland

Without the study of culture, second language acquisition is not complete (Kramsch, 1993). Teaching about culture raises the learners’ awareness of the target culture and compares it with the home culture, providing an intercultural competence (Ibid). Due to the growing number of immigrants in Ireland (CSO Ireland, 2017), there is also an increasing number of immigrant learners in the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) providers in Ireland. The successful integration of these learners into Irish society depends on the successful development of their intercultural competence. This paper aims to provide insight into the models and frameworks for developing intercultural competence through the use of English language teaching materials in an Irish context. The paper involves presenting four models-based frameworks. The frameworks consider increasing content knowledge, sharpening mental skills, fostering attitudinal skills and increasing awareness which constitute the four fundamental components of intercultural competence. The paper endeavours to contribute to the vibrant global conversation among professionals about how to develop intercultural competence. Most significantly, however, it attempts to support teachers in incorporating cultural elements into their teaching materials effectively and appropriately

BCR and TLR9 induced signals synergistically activate TAK1 and p38 MAPK in human B cells that is independent of BAFF.

<p>(A) Purified human B cells were left untreated (0 h) or pretreated with 100 ng/ml BAFF for 2 h or 20 h, and then in the last 30 min of pretreatment were activated with anti-Ig (2.5 µg/ml) and/or CpG (1 µg/ml), (B) B cells were stimulated with anti-Ig (2.5 µg/ml), CpG-ODN (2 µg/ml) or the combination of both reagents as indicated for 30 min, in the absence (-) or presence of specific TAK1 inhibitor, (5Z)-7-Oxozeaenol, then samples were subjected to Western blot analysis using pTAK1 or pp38 MAPK specific antibodies. C) Control and TAK1-specific siRNA transfected BJAB cells were activated with 2.5 µg/ml anti-Ig and 1 µg/ml CpG for 30 minutes, and subjected to Western blot analysis to measure TAK1, pAKT and pp38 level. SHP1 was used as a loading control.</p

Plasma blast generation induced by single or combined stimuli of B cells via BCR, TLR9 and BAFF-R is partially inhibited by (5Z)-7-Oxozeaenol.

<p>Purified B cells (2×10⁵ cells/well) were cultured with anti-Ig (2.5 µg/ml), BAFF (100 ng/ml) and CpG (0.5 µg/ml) for 4 days in the presence of IL-2 (50 ng/ml) and IL-10 (50 ng/ml). Percentages of CD27⁺⁺ CD38⁺ plasma blast cells were evaluated by flow cytometry. Samples in the right column were treated with 5Z-7 Oxozeaenol (100 nmol).</p

Phospho-flow analysis of p38 MAPK activation in resting and activated B cells from healthy blood donors and from RA patients.

<p>PBMC (4×10⁶ cells) were left unstimulated (control) or stimulated with anti-Ig (7.5 µg/ml), CpG (4 µg/ml) or both agents for 30 min at 37°C. p38 phosphorylation was tested in the CD19⁺ CD27⁻ naive B cell subset. (A) The activation of p38 MAPK in healthy (square; <i>n</i> = 17) and RA (triangle; <i>n</i> = 13) B cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. (B) The relative activation of p38 MAPK was calculated based on the alteration of phosphorylated MAPKs expression in resting and stimulated naive B cells (stimulated sample MFI/resting sample MFI). Paired Student's t-test was used to assess the differences of phospho-p38 MAPK expression between control and stimulated samples. *<i>p</i><0.05, **<i>p</i><0.005, ***<i>p</i><0.0005.</p

Synergistic stimulation of IgG producing plasma cell differentiation by anti-Ig and CpG ODN in the presence of TAK1 inhibitor.

<p>Purified human blood B cells (10⁵ cells/well) were cultured with anti-Ig (2.5 µg/ml), BAFF (100 ng/ml) and CpG (0.5 µg/ml) as indicated below the figure for 4 days in the presence of IL-2 (50 ng/ml) and IL-10 (50 ng/ml). Numbers of IgG producing plasma cells were determined by ELISPOT assay. Spot numbers in the presence of vehicle (white bars) and spots in the TAK1 inhibitor treated samples (black bars) are shown. Means ±SD of three different experiments.</p

Screening of BCR and TLR9 stimulated kinase activation pattern in BJAB Burkitt's lymphoma cells by MAPK protein profiler array.

<p>BJAB cells were treated with 5 µg/ml anti-Ig and/or 2 µg/ml CpG for 30 minutes. Relative phosphorylation values were calculated as the ratios of signal strengths for each kinases as compared to positive control spots. Only kinases that were activated are shown.</p

BCR synergizes with TLR9 on a TAK1 dependent manner for cytokine production in primary human B cells.

<p>Secreted IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and TNFα were measured after 48 h from culture supernatants of vehicle treated (white bars) and TAK1 inhibitor treated (black bars) purified human tonsill (A) and blood (B) B cells. Data represent the mean ±SD of three different experiments with resting tonsill B cells (A), while one experiment with blood B cells (B) is shown. *p<0.05.</p

TAK1 dependent activation of the MAPK and NFκB pathways in B cells stimulated with combinations of anti-IgG, CPG ODN and BAFF.

<p>Resting tonsill B cells were stimulated with combinations of anti-Ig (2.5 µg/ml), BAFF (100 ng/ml) and CpG (2 µg/ml) for 30 min with or without TAK1 inhibitor ((5Z)-7-Oxozeaenol), and the phosphorylation of various signaling molecules was tested by Western blot.</p

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Background<p>The T-helper 17 (Th17) cells have a prominent role in inflammation as well as in bone and join destruction in both rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis (RA and PsA). Here, we studied Th17 cell differentiation in RA and PsA.</p>Methods<p>Blood samples from healthy donors, RA and PsA patients were collected. CD45RO⁻ (naive) and CD45RO⁺ (memory) T cells were isolated from peripherial blood mononuclear cell by magnetic separation. Naive T cells were stimulated with anti-CD3, anti-CD28, and goat anti-mouse IgG antibodies and treated with transforming grow factor beta, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1_β, and IL-23 cytokines and also with anti-IL-4 antibody. IL-17A and IL-22 production were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, RORC, and T-box 21 (TBX21) expression were analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and flow cytometry. C-C chemokine receptor 6 (CCR6), CCR4, and C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 3 expression were determined by flow cytometry. Cell viability was monitored by impedance-based cell analyzer (CASY-TT).</p>Results<p>RORC, TBX21, CCR6, and CCR4 expression of memory T cells of healthy individuals (but not RA or PsA patients) were increased (p < 0.01; p < 0.001; p < 0.05; p < 0.05, respectively) compared to the naive cells. Cytokine-induced IL-17A production was different in both RA and PsA patients when compared to healthy donors (p = 0.0000026 and p = 0.0001047, respectively). By contrast, significant differences in IL-22 production were observed only between RA versus healthy or RA versus PsA patients (p = 0.000006; p = 0.0013454, respectively), but not between healthy donors versus PsA patients.</p>Conclusion<p>The naive CD4 T-lymphocytes are predisposed to differentiate into Th17 cells and the in vitro Th17 cell differentiation is profoundly altered in both RA and PsA.</p