Heart of Language: Teamwork as Sociogenesis

Inspired by my experiences as a graduate student in the Santa Barbara UC Links program some years ago, I created a new program in Augsburg, Germany. As part of my bilingual ‘Media & Learning Communities/Medien & Lerngemeinschaft’ seminar, the ‘English Media Club’ project connects University of Augsburg faculty, undergraduate students, international Erasmus+ (visiting) students, and local school age children in Augsburg, Germany. In this chapter I describe the crucial, multi-level teamwork of such a Uni-After School partnership, with a focus on language-learning processes, building on John Dewey’s claim that “The heart of language…is the establishment of cooperation in an activity in which there are partners, and in which the activity of each is modified and regulated by partnership” (Dewey, 1925/1958, p. 179). Such a ‘learning communities’ approach to language, living, and learning has, in fact, profound implications for language learners, affording optimal possibilities for young people as active participants in vibrant, intercultural, technologically enhanced learning communities. In particular, I look up-close at the planning, filming, editing, and presenting of our case study film, ‘Dark Dreams’ where teamwork and social creativity flourished on a daily basis.