Why Intercultural Language Studies ? Intercultural Language (original) (raw)
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V International Forum on Teacher Education, 2019
Intercultural communication as an academic subject was introduced into linguistic Bachelor and Master education in Russia about twenty years ago. Unlike various aspects of linguistics, English studies, British and American literature which have been part and parcel of the curriculum in foreign language departments for many decades, this subject is new both to teachers and students. Its appearance in the curriculum is due to Russia's entering the global educational environment. This subject as central theoretical component of training specialists in foreign languages requires practical manuals with reference to new educational standards. Intercultural communication as a field of study is so wide that it requires the efforts of specialists in linguistics, psychology, cultural anthropology, etc. It is but natural that teaching intercultural communication in universities is limited mostly to contrastive insights into communication between representatives of two linguo-culturesthose of Russia and the country/countries of a foreign language (mostly English). This paper discusses various ways and means of developing intercultural competence, practiced in Samara State University of Social Sciences and Education. The paper also presents the results of regular anonymous questionnaires among our students dealing with teaching intercultural communication. The authors conclude that theory of intercultural communication is firmly rooted as the subject that forms young people's cultural awareness. Our experience shows that students are genuinely interested in the subject, mostly because of its possible application to their future profession.
Cambridge Open-Review Educational Research e-Journal (CORERJ), 2019
The issue of intercultural communication has garnered more attention than ever as the world changes with increasing mobility both physical and virtual. Such change not only transforms how we communicate but also foregrounds cultural differences and the implications of intercultural understanding. Scholarly debate on the nexus of language and culture has ignited considerable research effort to contextualise foreign language education to accommodate such changing landscape. This article reviews both this debate and empirical effort with two aims. First, it aims to explore theoretical debates on the nature of the relationship between language and culture to identify the theoretical underpinnings of educational practice. Second, it reviews relevant empirical research to reveal how the issue of language and culture has been addressed in foreign language classrooms. In the theoretical overview, three highlights in the language-culture nexus debate are summarised, followed by the proposed dual focus on language and culture in foreign language education. Particularly, a model of intercultural communicative competence (ICC) is reviewed in detail as the paradigmatic example of addressing both language and culture in foreign language education. In the empirical review, scholarly works inspired by the ICC model are synthesised into three different themes, namely "Developing ICC: The traditional classroom approach", "Developing ICC: The telecollaboration approach" and "Assessing ICC". Insights and limitations of previous studies are discussed and future research directions are proposed at the end.
Intercultural Aspects in Language Education
Prominent
Intercultural understanding essentiallybecomes a part of living with others in the diverse world of the twenty-first century. It assists people to become responsible local and global citizens through their education for living and working together in an interconnected world. Language is a major component and supporter of culture as well as a primary tool for transferring message, which is inextricably bound with culture. Language is a key component of culture. It is also a primary medium for transmitting the culture itself. Without language, culture would not be possible. Students learning their native language are learning their own culture. Meanwhile, learning a second language also involves learning a second culture to varying degrees. A language is influenced and shaped by culture. It reflects culture. Cultural differences are the most serious areas causing misunderstanding, unpleasantness and even conflict in cross-cultural communication. Both foreign language learners and te...
Developing intercultural communicative competence – the two sides of the coin
Educational Role of Language Journal, 2019
Effective intercultural communicative competence goes beyond a good command of the foreign language and an insight into the foreign culture. What real-life intercultural communication often calls for is an ability to present one's own cultural identity in the foreign tongue. Are our learners empowered to face this challenge and how can the foreign language teacher cater for this need? The aim of this paper, which was developed on the basis of the author's presentation at the 4 th conference of the Educational Role of Language network "From theory to practice, from practice to theory", is to outline the contemporary understanding of the essence of intercultural communicative competence underpinning the need for language teachers to devote equal attention to both the target and the local culture and language in order to prepare competent language users who can function as efficient mediators in the process of intercultural communication. In an answer to some of the deficiencies identified in educational practice, some practical ideas are also shared on how to exploit the rich affordance of language classes to enhance both the language command and the intercultural communicative competence of the learners.
Council of Europe, Strasbourg, 2002
It has been widely recognised in the language teaching profession that learners need not just knowledge and skill in the grammar of a language but also the ability to use the language in socially and culturally appropriate ways. This was the major innovation of 'communicative language teaching'. At the same time, the 'communicative approach' introduced changes in methods of teaching, the materials used, the description of what is to be learnt and assessment of learning. The Council of Europe's 'Common European Framework of Reference' embodies these innovations and also emphasises the importance of 'intercultural awareness', 'intercultural skills', and 'existential competence' (see Appendix 1). The 'Common European Framework', like other recent publications, thus introduces the 'Intercultural Dimension' into the aims of language teaching. Its essence of is to help language learners to interact with speakers of other languages on equal terms, and to be aware of their own identities and those of their interlocutors. It is the hope that language learners who thus become 'intercultural speakers' will be successful not only in communicating information but also in developing a human relationship with people of other languages and cultures.
THE ESSENCE OF THE PROCESS OF INTERCULTURAL AND INTERLITERARY COMMUNICATION
Actual problems of linguistics and linguodidactics in modern foreign language education, 2024
Abdykhanov U. K., Latyshev O. Yu. THE ESSENCE OF THE PROCESS OF INTERCULTURAL AND INTERLITERARY COMMUNICATION // Actual problems of linguistics and linguodidactics in modern foreign language education / editorial board: G. A. Nikitina (editor-in-chief) [et al.] - Saratov: Saratov University [edition], 2024. - Issue. 2. - 336 p. : ill. URL: https://www.sgu.ru/nauchnye-izdaniya-sgu/sborniki-iprodolzhayuschiesya-izdaniya/aktualnye-problemy-lingvistiki-i-5-0\. - Access mode: free. Continuing editions of SSU on the website www.sgu.ru. ISSN 2949-2874 (Online). - Image. Text: electronic. – P. 18-28.
The Significance of Intercultural Communication Studies for Second Language Teaching
This paper describes the importance of studying intercultural communication as it relates to the teaching of English as a second language. It demonstrates that teaching a second language is not only about teaching syntactic structures or learning vocabulary and expressions, but needs to incorporate cultural elements because learning a language means learning a culture. Effective communication is more than a matter of language proficiency. Apart from enhancing and enriching communicative competence, intercultural competence can also lead to empathy and respect toward different cultures as well as promote objectivity and cultural harmony. If the goal of teaching a second language is to enhance effective communication with people from all walks of life, the underlying culture should not be ignored for it is the root of one's communicative behavior.
Ways of Forming Intercultural Communication in Foreign Language Teaching
Science and Education, 2020
The article provides information about cultural iceberg, intercultural communication competence and ways of forming it in teaching English. It is known that in teaching a foreign language it is important to develop not only the language skills of students, but also their intercultural communication competence. Intercultural communication, international cultural competence, differences between cultures play an important role in language learning and teaching, and extra-linguistic aspects of intercultural communication (worldview, rituals, customs, human language, taboos, stereotypes, the role of society in multiculturalism, image, symbols) it is important to use culturally appropriate features in communication (greetings, ways of expressing politeness, ways of addressing, idioms, etc.) as well as to explore aspects of another language culture.
Professional competencies in language learning and teaching, 2019
B usiness schools and their foreign language departments are expected to support their students in the transition from the academic sphere into the world of work, where non-domain skills including intercultural competencies have gained importance in degree jobs. To react to labour market trends, the Institute of Business Communication and Professional Language Studies decided to offer courses of intercultural skills with the aim of preparing students for appropriate and effective communication in an international environment. This is to be achieved by developing open, conscious, and adaptable behaviour and also by the acquisition of the linguistic and non-language elements of intercultural communication. Students should know how information is conveyed both in their mother tongue and the target language (explicit and subtle ways of expressing thoughts, potential areas of misunderstanding). The paper also deals with the benefits business organisations can gain by possessing intercultural competencies.