Facilitating Intercultural Study through Novel Reading —The Application of Reading Task Journals

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 436
Author(s):  
Yanwei Nie
Keyword(s):  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Task Difficulty ◽  
English Language ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Intercultural Communicative Competence ◽  
Reading Task ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Novel Reading

As English becomes the global lingua franca, the correlation between the English language and a particular culture is problematic (Baker, 2012). Thus, EFL learners are expected to cultivate their intercultural competence while improving their linguistic competence. There is a growing interest in introducing novel reading to intercultural communication courses, because EFL learners can be exposed to more cultural varieties and understand the culture concepts better by drawing on examples from the novel. However, many EFL learners feel overwhelmed to read due to the reading task difficulty and the lack of guidance about intercultural study. This paper aimed to investigate the effectiveness of applying reading task journals to facilitate students’ intercultural study through novel reading. The research findings indicate that the difficulty of novel reading lies in the cultural aspect and the reading task journals successfully help EFL learners comprehend the novel, raise the awareness of the reading process, improve language skills, undertake intercultural study and enhance intercultural communicative competence in the end.

scholarly journals STEREOTYPING IN THE CLASSROOM: PROMOTING INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
Fauzul Aufa
Keyword(s):  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Intercultural Communicative Competence ◽  
Efl Learners

Teaching and learning languages involve more than targeting grammatical and lexical knowledge. To achieve communicative competence in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context, EFL learners need to develop their intercultural competence. This article proposes one of influential aspects of target culture (i.e. stereotypes) that may be encountered by EFL learners in learning. Further, the author argues why learners need to be exposed with stereotyping features across cultures and how this can be incorporated into English Language Teaching (ELT) by providing an example of teaching activities that can be adapted in a language classroom. Briefly, it is expected that this article may provide EFL teachers with a better understanding of integrating intercultural elements of a target language in their teaching practice. In turn, this may be useful to facilitate EFL learners in developing their intercultural communicative competence particularly with regards to cultural stereotype features.

scholarly journals Iraq EFL Learners’ Perceptions of Intercultural Communicative Education Through Online Platform

2021 ◽  
pp. 482-500
Author(s):  
Khaldoon Waleed Husam Al-Mofti
Keyword(s):  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
English Language ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Intercultural Communicative Competence ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Cultural Aspects ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Efl Teaching

Intercultural communicative competence or intercultural competence (hence ICC or IC) refers to the essential competency or the awareness that EFL learners should have to act effectively and successfully in intercultural situations. However, ICC or IC’s integration in EFL classrooms is often a challenge and remains limited in EFL teaching. This is because language instructors usually tend to focus on knowledge especially the linguistic items of target language rather than its cultural aspects. Hence, the current research reports on a triangulated study aim to explore the Iraqi EFL learners’ perceptions before and after the integration of the ICC in the online course. The study also attempts to show the learners’ attitudes towards the intercultural communicative competence teaching (hence ICCT) model used to improve the learners’ ICC competency. The participants were 40 Iraqi EFL students studying English language at the department of English, College of Arts, University of Anbar. Data were collected via two research instruments, namely a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with the learners. The questionnaire was used for quantitative data collection, while the interviews questions were used for collecting qualitative data. The findings obtained revealed that there was an interesting significant difference in the perceptions of the EFL learners after the ICC’s integration course. This is attributed to the increased knowledge and awareness of the learners about ICC's important role in the English culture. Similarly, learners had positive attitudes towards the ICCT model and its steps. Thus, with the obtained results, the study encourages the integration of ICCT in EFL teaching.

scholarly journals A Text-Driven, Task-Based Approach to the Design of Materials for Teaching Intercultural Communicative Competence

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 47
Author(s):  
John Harper
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
English Language ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Guangdong Province ◽  
Materials Design ◽  
Teacher Preparedness ◽  
Intercultural Communicative Competence ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Materials Used

<p>Although a large body of research points to the need of providing English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners with intercultural communicative competence (ICC), questions remain as to exactly how ICC should be incorporated into the EFL curriculum. These questions arise in part due to issues of already-packed curricula which seem not to leave time for the teaching of ICC and in part due to issues of teacher preparedness. Additionally, questions arise concerning which culture should be taught. Taking into account materials used in the English Language Center (ELC) of Shantou University (Guangdong Province, China), this paper argues that a text-driven, task-based method of materials design allows for the inclusion of ICC across the EFL curriculum. It also argues that such a method lends itself to the teaching of ICC through a consideration of a variety of cultures.</p>

scholarly journals Interculturality in English Language Teaching – A Small Study with Portuguese Teachers

e-TEALS ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-125
Author(s):  
Ana Ponce de Leão
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
English Language ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Intercultural Communicative Competence ◽  
Language Teacher ◽  
Teachers Perceptions

Abstract UNESCO and many other organisations worldwide have been working on approaches in education to develop tolerance, respect for cultural diversity, and intercultural dialogue. Particularly, the Council of Europe has laid out guiding principles in several documents to promote intercultural competence, following Byram’s and Zarate’s efforts in integrating this important component in language education. The commitment to developing the notion of intercultural competence has been so influential that many countries, e.g., Portugal, have established the intercultural domain as a goal in the foreign language curricula. However, this commitment has been questioned by researchers worldwide who consider that action is needed to effectively promote intercultural competence. The research coordinated by Sercu, for example, suggests that, although foreign language teachers are willing to comply with an intercultural dimension, their profile is more compatible with that of a traditional foreign language teacher, rather than with a foreign language teacher, who promotes intercultural communicative competence. In this study, I propose to examine teachers’ perceptions and beliefs about intercultural communicative competence in a cluster of schools in Portugal and compare these findings with Sercu’s study. Despite a twelve-year gap, the present study draws similar conclusions.

scholarly journals Developing Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) in English for Palestine (EFP) Textbooks for Grade Seven

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-93
Author(s):  
Mona J. Alnajjar
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Intercultural Communicative Competence ◽  
Interactive Strategies ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
English Textbooks ◽  
Communicative Teaching ◽  
The Impact

This research aims to investigate Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) in English for Palestine (EFP) textbooks A and B for grade seven. It adopts Byram's (1997) model as a theoretical framework for analyzing the content of grade seven textbooks. It also explores the categories and levels of cultural content to develop intercultural communicative teaching in English teaching. Further, it pinpoints different strategies to develop and promote ICC in teaching. In this qualitative research, the researcher uses content analysis. The findings show that the analysis of the Palestinian English textbooks for grade seven A and B develops ICC to a great extent. Moreover, many interactive strategies and pedagogical methods are used in these textbooks to develop ICC such as role play, poems, reports, emails, and conversations. Based on the research findings, English for Palestine textbooks for grade seven increase the awareness towards the Palestinian culture and deepen students' recognition of their identity, language and religion. It is concluded that these textbooks successfully enhance students' critical awareness and understanding of other cultures besides having a sense of pride of their own culture. In light of the research findings, the researcher recommends conducting empirical researches to measure the impact of ICC on students' language proficiency form the stakes holders' perceptions in the field of English language teaching.

scholarly journals Raising Students’ Cultural Awareness and Developing Their Intercultural Communicative Competence: The Case of the Greek State Primary School EFL Textbooks

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 154
Author(s):  
Zoumi Iakovina ◽  
Ioannis D. Karras
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
English Language ◽  
Critical Evaluation ◽  
Intercultural Communicative Competence ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
English Textbooks ◽  
Intercultural Interactions ◽  
Diverse Cultures

The present study focuses on the critical evaluation of the cultural content incorporated in the 5th and 6th grade English textbooks, which are taught in the Greek state primary school. Given that we are living in the era of increasing globalization, it is deemed essential that aspects of diverse cultures should be reflected in the English textbooks, thus enabling contemporary EFL learners to master the ability to use the English language efficiently in their intercultural interactions regardless of their socio-cultural background. The research findings succinctly reveal that the vast majority of state EFL teachers in Greece are fervent proponents of an intercultural approach in their teaching practices. However, they are not reliant on the prescribed textbooks under scrutiny for promoting the intercultural dimension in their educational methodology, since their cultural input is assessed as deficient and inadequate for dynamic intercultural instruction.

scholarly journals Developing intercultural competence in an academic foreign language classroom

2018 ◽  
pp. 133-154
Author(s):  
Monika Kusiak-Pisowacka
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Foreign Language Teaching ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Intercultural Communicative Competence ◽  
Communication Course ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Students First ◽  
Interesting Area

This paper focuses on the issue of developing intercultural communicative competence (ICC) in a higher education context, with a special focus put on teaching advanced foreign language (FL) students. First, the concept of ICC is discussed on the basis of Byram’s (1997) theory, which is still considered the most comprehensive model for describing the principles of developing and assessing intercultural competence in foreign language teaching. Next, a short overview of studies related to teaching ICC conducted by Polish researchers is presented. This is followed by a description of an Intercultural Communication course designed for university students and conducted by the author of the paper. In this report, the theoretical principles, the main aims of the course along with the techniques applied in teaching and evaluating students are discussed. It is hoped that the paper will be a useful contribution to discussions concerning developing ICC and will stimulate further research in this interesting area of education.

Networking-Based Strategies of Intercultural Communicative Competence Development Among Kazakhstani University Students

2019 ◽  
pp. 197-210
Author(s):  
Azamat Akbarov
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Cultural Knowledge ◽  
Necessary Condition ◽  
Intercultural Communicative Competence ◽  
Intercultural Understanding ◽  
Intercultural Awareness ◽  
Language Communication

This chapter presents an empirical study of the intercultural communicative competence of students of Kazakhstani universities. The study results indicate that students should develop their cultural knowledge, intercultural receptivity, communication strategies, intercultural awareness etc. A number of issues related to the formation of intercultural competence in the process of teaching foreign-language communication, taking into account the cultural and mental differences of the native speakers, which is a necessary condition for a successful dialogue of cultures are also discussed. The concept of communicative competence in teaching foreign languages stipulates development of students' knowledge, skills and abilities that enable them to join the ethno-cultural values of the country of the studied language and use the foreign language in situations of intercultural understanding and cognition in practice. Conjunction of such knowledge, skills and abilities constitutes communicative competence. Based on the results of the research, proposals are made for the curriculum and teaching of intercultural communication and methods of developing intercultural communicative competence of students of Kazakhstan universities in a networked environment.

scholarly journals Content-based instruction in the flipped classroom to enhance EFL learners’ intercultural communicative competence

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 117
Author(s):  
Rohmy Husniah ◽  
Nicholas Lischynsky ◽  
Abdul Ghani Abu ◽  
Farah Natchiar
Keyword(s):  
Flipped Classroom ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Private University ◽  
English Department ◽  
Classroom Setting ◽  
Intercultural Communicative Competence ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Based Instruction ◽  
Students Satisfaction

The use of educational technology has given rise to the flipped classroom in providing learners with opportunities for active learning and engaging with material inside and outside class. Many previous studies have reported students’ satisfaction in using the flipped classroom for medical, math, and English courses; however, research on using flipped classroom to enhance learners’ intercultural communicative competence (ICC) in the EFL classroom remains insufficient. Therefore, this paper studies a one-semester project in which learners developed their ICC skills through content-based instruction (CBI) in a flipped classroom setting. Twenty-six students in the English department of a private university in Indonesia participated in this study. Using qualitative data analysis, the results show that CBI and flipped classroom improved the participants’ ICC significantly. These results could be valuable for those who wish to conduct similar research.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document