A Humanist Didactics of Languages and Cultures for Human Globalisation

In this paper, of a keynote presentation at the conference, Defays builds an argument for a humanist approach to teaching and learning languages, challenging previous and current methodologies, and proposing a didactics- a theory of teaching and learning- for languages and cultures that will prepare young people for the diverse globalised futures with which they will engage. He challenges common myths and misperceptions about the learning of French, and French as a language, and seeks to bring more learners into the fold of French language learning and use, and to recognise French for its global significance. With the ultimate purpose of achieving a world where languages, cultures and communities cohabit harmoniously, he explains three dimensions of this ideal didactics- humanistic, ecological, and gentle and sustainable.