For as much as there is a great noise in the city caused by hustling over large balls ... from which many evils might arise, which God forbid, we command and forbid on behalf of the King, on pain of imprisonment, such game to be used in the city in the future.
--Proclamation by King Edward II, April 13, 1314 (in Bode, 1978)
With the highly publicized arrival of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan--the non plus ultra of soccer tournaments--and a plethora of books, TV shows, and athletic events dotting the soccer landscape, it is hard to imagine that the game of soccer (or football, as it is more commonly known) could have ever been more popular than it is today. Along with this event come the differing interpretations of the true meaning and practice of fair play of the XVII FIFA World Cup. In today's diverse language classrooms, instructors of Koreans and Japanese must look for the linguistic and cultural opportunities and challenges this quadrennial tournament entails. The way we design and articulate our interdisciplinary language programs can ultimately determine how we and our students will experience the 2002 World Cup Tournament taking place in the Land of the Morning Calm and the Land of the Rising Sun.
The 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan (May 31-June 30, 2002) will be not only the first in World Cup history to be hosted jointly by two countries, but also the first to be held in Asia. With 13,000 participants, 32 national teams (from 198 countries), 64 matches (32 respectively in Korea and Japan), 3.5 million expected spectators in Korea and Japan, and a projected TV audience of 41 billion, the 2002 World Cup is anticipated to be the most spectacular single sporting event in the modern world. This practical and easy-to-follow teaching guide offers a simple, organized way to develop and implement a World Cup unit in your second language curriculum.
At a time when "multiculturalism" has become an important watchword, the emotional and often hotly disputed debate over World Cup Summer '02 offers the first and perhaps best opportunity for all Korean and Japanese students of foreign languages to understand the genesis and evolution of the game of soccer. It is of important educational value for all students then to understand that the "Age of Soccer" began long before October 26, 1863, when the world's first football league--The Football Association in England--was founded at the Freemason's Tavern in London. For centuries, different peoples in different parts of the world, and for different reasons, set out to engage in games that closely resemble what we know today as soccer/football. Therefore, soccer can be a good starting point for educating about multicultural recognition, appreciation, and respect. Teaching and learning within a multicultural, holistic approach that spans centuries of history is not easy even for the most willing, knowledgeable, and competent educator. How well you fare will depend largely upon the time, the effort, and the energy you are willing to invest. Recapturing in words and pictures something that has developed over centuries is both a challenge and an opportunity for students of all races and cultures to jointly discover new knowledge.
The following three projects are successful classroom-tested, year-round projects that have been implemented by this author in a variety of second languages, including English, over the past fifteen years. They utilize soccer and the World Cup Tournament as a springboard to language and culture learning and are presented here in no particular order of importance.
Because this topic spans centuries of history, it is only wise to sub-divide this unit into smaller historic journeys, each an entity in itself, but incomplete if examined outside the larger and more complex framework. Exploring this topic from the viewpoints of history, philosophy, literature, religion, and the social sciences could offer an opportunity for students to produce a World Cup video program. Students could produce a picture and photo series in chronological order accompanied by narrations and descriptive comments; they could interview students and community members on the importance of this year's tournament; or even organize activities celebrating the event, which could then be videotaped as a report or documentary. Students engaged in such projects will keep abreast of activities, both here and abroad, which revolve around this event that has changed the course of sport history in Japan. The final student productions, if they utilize the best of sound, special effects, soundtrack, etc., could even be advertised in the local newspaper or possibly aired on a local cablevision channel.
Based on a study of the history of hooliganism (the word's origin is unclear, but it may come from Patrick Hooligan, an Irish hoodlum in late 19th-Century London), have students write down a series of questions they would ask "hooligans" if they were present in the classroom. Using these questions as a framework, students should discuss the problem from the perspective of the "ugly sports fan." Hypothetical conflict-resolution activities--role-play situations outlining what they would have done differently, and how and why--are highly encouraged.
Have students speculate orally or in writing how their world would have been had the World Cup Tournament, or soccer, not existed. This is a good time to illustrate the prominence soccer has on the world stage, so much so that it can spark the worst sports-related riot in history (a riot after the 1964 Olympic qualifying match in Lima, Peru, left 309 dead and 1,000 injured), or even cause a border war between two countries (Honduras and El Salvador--the 1970 World Cup).
The following list contains specific recommendations for a variety of fun and interesting classroom-tested language tasks and projects emphasizing specific and combined skills. Depending on curriculum emphasis and the students' level of linguistic proficiency, interests, and needs, have your students:
These are some suggestions that epitomize the pedagogical truism: "It's not the materials that count, it's what you and your students do with them!" While space doesn't permit including more activities here, anyone interested in additional ideas and materials (historical perspectives, synopsis of the rules, and additional activities and games) please contact the author by e-mail: jliontas@nd.edu.
Once hailed and honored as the game that assured an abundant crop, soccer is fast becoming the most famous and controversial sport of modern times. For all its interest and relevance, the story of soccer will remain a great mystery should instructors of Koreans and Japanese drop the ball and miss the unprecedented opportunity to present to their students the most spectacular show in sport. As I have argued elsewhere:
No matter whether it is called soccer, Fußball, fútbol, or calcio, and no matter whether it is played on the sandy beaches of Rio de Janeiro, on the muddy fields in London, in the dusty streets of a village in Cameroon, or on the manicured grass in Chicago's Soldier Field, the world's most universal game seems to have the innate power to transcend all boundaries of race and culture. It speaks all languages, transcends time, appeals to the imagination and creativity of both the young and old alike: in short, it unites the nations of the world unlike any other team sport before it has done. (Liontas, 1994, p. 51)
These activities offer a pluralistic approach by which language educators can begin to formulate workable linguistic and cultural activities involving the game of soccer. Whether or not we will take full advantage of this momentous opportunity and whether or not we will be able to justify to students the need for the presence of this global event in our curricula remains to be judged by those who will participate. Until then, tomorrow's "goals" are ours to seize today. Remember: The possibilities are only as limited as your own creativity and imagination. Have a great 2002 World Cup Korea/Japan Tournament. And don't forget! The next chance you will have "to get the ball rolling" again is four years away.
Bode, P. (1978). America's new sport: Soccer. New York: Walker Publishing.
Liontas, J. (1994). World Cup--America '94: Making the ball talk in your classroom. Mid-Atlantic Journal of Foreign Language Pedagogy, 2, 51-71.
Menke, F. G. (1969). The encyclopedia of sports. New York: A. S. Barnes.
1. The 32 national teams that will compete in Korea and Japan this year are listed alphabetically below by their corresponding FIFA Confederation: AFC (Asia): China, Japan, Korea Republic, Saudi Arabia; CAF (Africa): Cameroon, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia; CONCACAF (North and Central America and the Caribbean): Costa Rica, Mexico, USA; CONMEBOL (South America): Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay; and UEFA (Europe): Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey.
2. Answer: They are energy particles in the atmosphere "spherics," based on a story that "justice" and "evil" spherics are always in a battle; the specific characters are a coach (Ato) and two star strikers (Nik and Kaz). (www.jawoc.or.jp/index_e.htm).