The Role of Intercultural Communication Competence in Iranian EFL Learners' Demotivation: An Examination of the Predicting Causes
Preparing effective language learners who are ready to engage with speakers from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds and to become internationally competent is a significant and challenging task. It is expected that language teaching programs need to provide the opportunity for learners to develop intercultural competency and learner beliefs through raising awareness about intercultural differences. Therefore, the instructional experience is prerequisite in preparing learners to become aware and supporter of the cross-cultural issues that can either facilitate or hinder learners’ achievement. This study intends to explore the relationship between intercultural competence of the learners and their experienced degree of demotivation as expressed by them at the university level. Intercultural competence was operationalized as a multidimensional notion comprising the communication effectiveness, adaptation, social integration, knowledge of the target culture, and language competence. Findings of regression analysis highlighted that only the social integration and adaptation components could predict the degree of demotivation. Additionally, the correlation results revealed a strong relationship between the language competence and communication effectiveness components of intercultural competence. According to the obtained findings, the possible clarifications for the contribution of intercultural competence components to the demotivation of learners were elaborated.