3.1 Who?
3.2 Why?
3.3 What?
3.4 How?
3.5 The evaluation
3.6 Final checklist
3.7 Lessons learnt
3.8 Models for timetabling
3.9 Sample questionnaire

3.2 Why do you hold this workshop?

If the participants are pre- or in-service teachers or teacher educators, then they probably all have learnt something about Cultural Studies if not intercultural communication. In any case you should definitely build on their existing knowledge.

To this end, a short needs analysis questionnaire should be filled in by the participants prior to the workshop (see Sample Pre-Workshop Questionnaire). If this is not possible, the trainer has to informally find out what the participants' expectations might be. It may also help to ask for a description of their professional profile from the host institution) in advance. These are useful steps to follow:

1. On the basis of the information you have, analyze the target situation: What knowledge or skills (or other aspects of intercultural competence) will the participants primarily need in their work?  
2. Compare what they probably already know or have with what is required of them;
3. Think about their needs, expectations, and their reasons for attending the workshop.

After you have done the needs analysis you can define the overall aim/s of the workshop or course.

The aims may be some of the following:

• To raise cultural awareness;
• To develop the participants' intercultural competence (knowledge, skills, attitudes);
• To learn to deal with cultural diversity in and outside the classroom;
• To become familiar with the basic theoretical framework of intercultural communicative competence;
• To define terms like culture, acculturation, intercultural communication, and intercultural competence;
• To practise designing and trying out activities with an intercultural focus to be used in a language course;
• To analyse the cultural components of currently used coursebooks;
• To practise modifying and/or supplementing exercises in currently used coursebooks to be able to turn any exercise into a culturally enriching activity;
• To learn to use literature, films and/or music to develop intercultural competence;
• To learn how to assess intercultural communicative competence;
• To discuss the importance of teaching culture when teaching language;
• Any other aim relevant to the professional needs of the trainees in the field.

After stating the aim/s, draft some objectives: i.e. statements of what the participants will learn and what they will be able to do by the end of the workshop/s or course, e.g

1. to understand the formation of one's own experience, opinion and attitudes;
2. to better understand one's own cultural identity and how it is formed;
3. to understand what unites or separates people from different cultures;
4.  to understand and break stereotypes;
5.  to deal with culture clashes and culture shock;
6. to share a common understanding of the key concepts of intercultural communication;
7.  to analyse currently used coursebooks from an intercultural perspective;
8.  to differentiate between activities that are knowledge-based and skill- or attitude-centred;
9.  to design or adapt  (language) exercises with an intercultural focus;
10. to lead intercultural awareness raising games, simulation activities and role-plays as well as ethnographic tasks that develop intercultural competence;
11. to know the basics about the assessment of intercultural communicative competence;
12.  to argue one's own opinion respectfully and listen to others' without premature judgement;
13.  to work in a group and encourage openness, empathy and cooperation;
14. to accept the new role of guide, researcher, and participant in the learning process as a teacher or trainer.

next chapter: 3.3 What?