There are many different sorts of learning opportunities through which students in New Zealand schools can develop and use their international capabilities. They can be developed across the curriculum, in any learning area.
This page suggests four different contexts for developing international capabilities. These suggestions are not exhaustive and schools are encouraged to offer a range of different tasks and contexts to help students become internationally capable.
Learning a foreign language is an effective way for students to develop cross-cultural communicative competence and an awareness of other cultures and worldviews. Gaining facility in another language allows a person to subtly and emotionally relate to people in the country or countries where that language is spoken.
Social science subjects provide opportunities to learn about other countries and and social, economic, and political systems in other parts of the world.
Business studies helps build students’ creative thinking, entrepreneurship, and international-mindedness. For students who wish to extend their skills and continue their business learning at the tertiary level, the GEE (Global Enterprise Experience) is a key opportunity to apply and further develop their international capabilities.
Bringing diverse cultural and international perspectives into classroom discussions, by drawing on the cultural diversity of the students present, creates international capability learning opportunities.
Students’ international capabilities can also be fostered through co- and extra-curricular activities, such as joining clubs and societies, taking part in community service opportunities, buddying an international student, joining a leadership programme and participating in an overseas study trip, a school-to-school exchange, or a virtual international exchange.
Published on: 26 Jun 2014
