<<Au Bord de l'Inde>>: du local au global

Abstract

Cultural objects, public icons, celebrities have in common that they produce a unifying effect, it is indeed their role, their raison d'etre. They contribute to the construction of an integrated system, a chain of shared signifiers. This dimension is of particular interest for teaching practices in non-Francophone situations, which often involve the management of homogeneous groups. Bringing these familiar signs into play opens interesting perspectives, such as the reappraisal of the learner's cognitive capital, and the ability to opt out of the functional strategies that derive from the objective of adapting to the environment of the target language. The work presented here brings together short portraits of iconic figures of contemporary India; they associate and blend to compose a familiar cultural landscape. In discussing these objects, we realize that language education cannot be content with just having to support the learner in his journey to where the target language is used; it must also reach out towards the learner, so as to integrate his/her identity and knowledge.