• High School/Grades 9-12

AFS Intercultural Programs’ Global Up Americas creates an online space for students in different countries to reflect on cultural identity, intercultural understanding, global citizenship, and how to create positive change in their communities and around the world. Students share their perspectives in open discussions and put their intercultural sensibility skills into practice by working on case studies, doing roleplay activities, or watching and analyzing real life scenarios. A unique element of the program is that teachers who will implement the program first participate in a virtual exchange with their own peers across the Americas, engaging in trainings that equip them with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to incorporate the program into their classrooms.

Activities

The program is divided into two parts: a training for teachers on global competence and a virtual exchange for high school students. Teachers are enrolled in a learning program that includes video modules, forum discussions, quizzes, and discussions focused on current events, cultural and social identity, managing emotional responses, and building meaningful relationships across differences.

Once they complete the training, educators are paired together to run a virtual exchange where students from both classrooms work on the learning program and connect simultaneously to learn from each other and put into practice their intercultural skills. Students engage in open discussions where they share their perspectives and own experiences and take part in hands-on activities to exercise their empathy, active listening, and open-mindedness skills. The program is run in Spanish, English, or both, according to the classroom’s preferences and educational goals.

Program Details