Integrating Intercultural Communication Competence toward English as Foreign Language Classroom Activities (original) (raw)

Integrating Intercultural Communication Competencies into Foreign Languages Learning in the Industrial Revolution Era 4.0

Proceedings of the Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies (formerly ICCSSIS), ICCSIS 2019, 24-25 October 2019, Medan, North Sumatera, Indonesia, 2019

The abstract should In the era of the fourth industrial revolution today, the interaction between countries and cultures are no longer confined to overt geographical barriers due to technological advancement. However, these advances have created a countervailing effect on cultural identity, with a tendency to its loss; as well as cultural hegemony of one culture upon another culture. This phenomenon could be seen as well among foreign language learners. This critical literature study aims to examine the urgency of intercultural communication competence in foreign language learning to secure national cultural identity. This study has been commenced with the analysis of the development of intercultural interaction; determinant factors in intercultural competency integration of a language learning process; as well as the utilization of technology to enhance intercultural communication competency in the foreign language learning process. The result shows that information & communication technology (ICT) is beneficial in the materials development for foreign language learning. It carries the role of a media in learning, also as a means of communication to integrate intercultural communication competency into the foreign language learning process in today's era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

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.

The Intercultural Communicative Competence and Digital Education

Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 2017

Developing an intercultural competence, where language is seen as a cultural construct, seems to be consensually advocated by contemporary theories in teaching and learning English as a foreign language. Given its grounding on cultural studies, intercultural education focuses its pedagogical orientation and strategies on popular cultures that are not included within the recognized canons. It also adopts the critical pedagogy that feeds on comparative and reflective practices for the sake of fostering cultural awareness of the world. Apparently, digital education and the ample opportunities initiated by social media and the various forms of Information Communication Technology (ICT) allow for connecting English learners with speakers of English from other cultures, a possibility that is absent in the ordinary reality experienced in English as Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. Based on these premises, the present research article argues for enhancing intercultural competence among Mo...

The Nexus of Language and Culture: A Review of Literature on Intercultural Communicative Competence in Foreign Language Education

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.

ICT FOR INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE DEVELOPMENT. EL USO DE LAS TIC EN EL DESARROLLO DE LA COMPETENCIA INTERCULTURAL.

Pixel-Bit. Revista de Medios y Educación., 2012

En este nuevo siglo, existe una verdadera necesidad de comunicarnos satisfactoriamente con personas de otras culturas. Los docentes somos responsables de la formación intercultural del alumnado. Es más, los profesores de inglés tenemos mayor peso en esta capacitación puesto que nuestro aula es el lugar perfecto para el desarrollo de habilidades comunicativas interculturales. Asimismo, debemos tener presente que los avances tecnológicos han ejercido una influencia determinante en la enseñanza del inglés. Por tanto, este artículo aboga por el uso de Internet como instrumento eficaz en la formación intercultural del alumnado. Así, presentaremos las páginas web y los recursos más útiles para el desarrollo de las competencias interculturales del alumnado. The changes brought about by globalization have determined the success of intercultural communication studies in our age, since there is a pending necessity to interact with people from other cultures. Educators are responsible for an adequate instruction and as L2 teachers we feel our class is the right place to work on specific abilities such as intercultural communicative competence. Moreover, we should bear in mind that the growth of ICT has influenced and reshaped the English language teaching and learning. This paper advocates the use of Internet as an effective tool in intercultural training. Thus, after some theoretical considerations, we will introduce the most relevant web pages and activities to develop our students' intercultural abilities.

ISSUES OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

The increased globalization of the economy and the interaction of different cultures was a reason for the concept of world culture to emerge. It is an idea that traditional barriers among people of different cultures will break down the traditional barriers among people. Intercultural communication takes place between nations and governments rather than individual to individual and it is quite formal and ritualized. Thus successful communication depends on shared cultural norms. The concept of interculturalization emphasizes communication as the primary goal of language learning, sees culture and language as closely linked; recognizes that culture is always present when language is used, sees cultural skills as important as language skills in language learning. When the communication takes place between people of different cultures and they share a common language, things can certainly go wrong. Moreover speaking the language does not mean that you have the background knowledge that native speakers assume you have. The issues of IC such as barriers in communication, stereotypes, ethnocentrism, culture shock and conflicts will be discussed in this study in terms of English language teaching. Key words: intercultural communication, ELT, globalization, foreign language, teaching.

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.

The Role of Foreign Language Teachers in Developing Students’ Intercultural Communication Skills

2014

By now it is well-known that the role of modern education is to equip students with several types of competences necessary for their future personal and professional life. One of these competences, namely communication skills, has a component whose development is, according to the author's opinion, mainly in charge of foreign language teachers. It is their role to create the shift from the ethnocentric level of students' attitude towards cultural issues to the ethnorelativistic stage that is to make their students aware of and accept cultural differences and to help them acquire skills necessary for intercultural encounters. The two main topics present study is focusing on are: to what extent it is necessary to intervene in this respect and which are the ways teachers can develop intercultural sensitivity and competence. The results of a questionnaire applied to more than 200 students of the University of Oradea, Romania-studying Economics, Medicine and Law-confirmed the author's hypothesis that in spite of the extended international relations and travel opportunities Romanian students are not really aware of cultural diversity and its overwhelming impact upon people's behaviour, reactions and way of thinking. To change this situation, teachers, especially foreign language teachers may resort to techniques and methods like simulation games on cultural differences (Barnga, Ecotonos, BaFá BaFá, Randömia Balloon Factory etc.) that intercultural communication trainers use successfully in their seminars to make participants aware of cultural diversity and help them manage real life situations involving international encounters and/or appeal to the opportunities offered by information and communication technologies and the internet, through youtube and different socialization platforms.

Intercultural Communication Skills as an International Tool for the Development of English-Language Communicative Competencies

Journal of Curriculum and Teaching

The aim of this experimental study was to find out whether intercultural communication skills can be used as a tool to develop communicative English-speaking competencies. The experience of three countries: the Netherlands, Singapore, and Belgium was used for this purpose. The population of these countries has a high level of English as a foreign language. The pedagogical experiment was conducted in the course of research. A survey of the 137 participants in the experiment was conducted. The results were processed by mathematical methods of analysis of variance, Cohen’s coefficient and Pearson’s chi-squared test. Statictica software was also used. It was found that the use of such English teaching methods as watching English-language films, and reading English-language art works in the original language promotes the development of intercultural communication skills. Participation in live communication between students and English-speaking foreign classmates and virtual exchange are ...