Teacher of German as a foreign language as an intercultural mediator? Review of selected research conducted by German philologists in Poland

Abstract

This article intends to contribute to the academic debate on the role of a foreign language teacher as an intercultural mediator. Specifically, the authors present a critical overview of constitutive characteristics of an intercultural mediator. Furthermore, the authors discuss research on the state of intercultural competence of Polish teachers of German as a foreign language, both in pre-school education and in primary, secondary and higher education in Poland. This reflection on the role of teachers as (inter)cultural mediators concludes with a discussion of proposals for the development of intercultural competence of foreign language students, especially of students of German philology and applied linguistics.

Keywords

• : intercultural education
• intercultural competence
• teaching german as a foreign language in poland
• language teacher
• intercultural mediator
• students of german philology and applied linguistic