How Can Language Learning Contribute To Peace

Abstract

In terms of distance, globalization has managed to transform our world into an enormous village in less than a 40-year period. Continuous technological and social developments as well have undoubtedly made their contribution to informing people about the unknown and the unfamiliar. Various signiicant attempts have been constantly made aiming at crossing borders and cultures in order to maintain peace among countries in different regions. Numerous organizations and associations have also made serious efforts to join this challenge. However, there is one thing which, despite not having been overlooked promises a lot and has yet a lot more to contribute to the cause of peace, and that is language. If peace as a concept means knowing, understanding and tolerating others, and the medium which enables the transmission of knowledge and culture is language, then we should accept that it is essential to comprehend the strong relationship between peace and language. The aim of this article is to present a brief overview of concepts like global education and peace education with a focus on the relationship between these terms and language teaching. Another important issue this article addresses is how peace and global issues can be incorporated in various aspects of language teaching with the aim of raising students’ awareness and commitment to matters of international importance and interest. Since educators and especially language teachers very often become their students’ most affective role-models, this article also touches upon the signiicant role of language teachers’ attitudes and viewpoints in teaching and promoting peace in the classroom and outside it.