- Title
- Informed Interdependence: A model for collaboration in fostering communicative competencies in a Commerce curriculum
- Creator
- Siebörger, Ian, Van der Merwe, Kristin, Adendorff, Ralph D
- Date
- 2015
- Type
- text
- Type
- article
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10962/124822
- Identifier
- vital:35700
- Identifier
- https://doi.org/10.2989/16073614.2015.1023502
- Description
- The current orthodoxy among academics in higher education studies is that content and language learning should be integrated in order to facilitate communicative competencies in degrees seeking to prepare students for business and professions such as accounting, engineering and pharmacy. Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) has been well-theorised and its goals are laudable; however, we contend that a one-size-fits-all solution of complete integration is not the most practicable or pedagogically-sound option in all contexts. Instead, we argue that establishing relationships of Informed Interdependence between content and language courses may offer greater benefits in specific contexts. This argument may appear counterintuitive, but we believe it has significant insights to add to the continuing dialogue around the use of CLIL. Accordingly, we describe a Professional Communication course at Rhodes University and then outline how we have responded to changes in our context through a process of engagement which led to a new course, namely, Professional Communication for Accountants, and recurriculation of the original Professional Communication course. In reporting on this process we foreground the importance of suitable boundary objects and discursive spaces around which interdisciplinary collaboration can occur. We provide staff and student reactions to a pilot project designed to test the curricular innovations made thus far, and conclude by reflecting on the efficacy of an Informed Interdependence model in our context.
- Format
- 19 pages, pdf
- Language
- English
- Relation
- Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, Siebörger, I., van der Merwe, K. and Adendorff, R., 2015. Informed Interdependence: A model for collaboration in fostering communicative competencies in a Commerce curriculum. Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, 33(1), pp.81-98, Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies volume 33 number 1 81 98 2015 1607-3614
- Rights
- Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies
- Rights
- Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the Taylor & Francis Online Terms and Conditions Statement (https://www.tandfonline.com/terms-and-conditions)
- Hits: 607
- Visitors: 721
- Downloads: 130
Collections
van der Merwe, Kristin
Siebörger, Ian (Mr)
Adendorff, Ralph (Prof)
RU Department of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies
SDG 04. Quality Education
| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details | SOURCE1 | Informed Interdependence A model for collaboration in fostering communicative competencies in a Commerce curriculum.pdf | 503 KB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details |