scholarly journals Intercultural Learning in Asynchronous Telecollaborative Exchanges: A Case Study

2010 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
pp. 37
Author(s):  
Margarita Vinagre
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Intercultural Communicative Competence ◽  
Way Of Life ◽  
Self Evaluation ◽  
Complex Process ◽  
Intercultural Exchange ◽  
Academic Year

<p>Recent studies have shown the potential that telecollaborative exchanges entail for the development of intercultural competence in participants (Warschauer &amp; Kern 2000; O'Dowd 2003; Liaw 2006; Ware, 2005; Belz 2003; 2007). However, trying to assess the development of such a competence is a highly complex process, especially of those components that go beyond knowledge such as attitudes. In this article I present the findings of an online intercultural exchange carried out between university language students (Spanish-English) during the academic year 2006-2007. Students collaborated electronically outside the classroom via email and wikis and data was gathered from a series of instruments, including email and wiki content, language learning diaries, critical incidents, essays and self-evaluation questionnaires. On the basis of Byram's (1997; 2000) model of Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) we attempted to assess qualitatively the development of the different components of ICC in telecollaborative intercultural exchanges. Our findings suggest that the instruments mentioned can help us to trace the development of intercultural competence with regard to a) interest in knowing other people's way of life and introducing one's own culture to others and c) knowledge about one's own and others' culture for intercultural communication (Byram 2000:4). However, we found little evidence of b) ability to change perspective and, therefore, further research needs to be carried out on how best to encourage students to decentre and to exhibit ‘a willingness to suspend belief in one's own meanings and behaviours, and to analyse them from the viewpoint of the others with whom one is engaging' (Byram 1997:34).</p>

scholarly journals Intercultural Components in the Multimodal Structure of a Language Learning Website

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-74
Author(s):  
Alejandro Fernández Benavides
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Intercultural Communicative Competence ◽  
Communicative Practices ◽  
Multimodal Analysis ◽  
Intercultural Skills

The emergence of language learning websites has generated changes in intercultural communicative practices. Particularly, these sites use a wide variety of modes of communication (visual, linguistic, spatial) which allow the presence of intercultural elements. This interpretative case study analyzes the semiotic structure of one lesson of the language learning website Livemocha in order to unveil the presence of intercultural elements in it. Data were analyzed following a method for multimodal analysis and Byram’s model of intercultural communicative competence. Findings suggest the essentialist view of culture on Livemocha, based on festivals and food, and the potential promotion of some of Byram’s intercultural skills.

scholarly journals Standardizing Differences? Standards for Intercultural Competence in Formal Education

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 249-265
Author(s):  
Ana Jovanović
Keyword(s):  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Critical Analysis ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Fundamental Question ◽  
Foreign Languages ◽  
Intercultural Communicative Competence ◽  
Self Evaluation ◽  
Contemporary Education ◽  
Do So

The importance intercultural communicative competence plays in contemporary education of foreign languages has provided the latter with an approach that is frequently termed intercultural education. Nevertheless, the topic is still quite controversial, to say the least, and especially so in respect to issues related with the evaluation of intercultural communicative competence. In addition to the difficulties of defining the concept and criteria for its evaluation, we need to address the fundamental question of whether it is possible to evaluate intercultural competence at all, and, if this is the case, whether it is moral to do so. Here we explore the case of Serbia and a project whose goal was to define the standards of competence for foreign languages in formal primary education. As a member of the working group, and thus with the privilege of an insider’s perspective, I analyse the steps that were followed in the development of the standards for intercultural competence. This auto-ethnographic exposition aims at offering a critical analysis of intercultural competence in the curricular documents of foreign languages, but also at providing a space for reflection and self-evaluation.

scholarly journals Teachers' experiences, beliefs and conceptions concerning intercultural communicative competence

Interacción ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 69-81
Author(s):  
Julio César Torres Rocha
Keyword(s):  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Intercultural Communicative Competence ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Teachers Experiences ◽  
Personal Experiences ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Autobiographical Accounts ◽  
The Relationship

This is a report of a study on teachers’ experiences, beliefs and conceptions concerning intercultural communicative competence (ICC). The study explored the relationship between teacher cognition, professional identity and intercultural competence. To stimulate reflection as well as to collect data, autobiographical accounts and semi-structured interviews were used. This exploratory case study showed that even when teachers have intercultural experiences in English speaking countries, as it is the case with the three informants in the study described, they continue to have essentialist perspectives of target cultures that, in turn, affect their vision of the development of ICC. Results revealed how teachers’ previous personal experiences are influential in their belief and conception formation of ICC. Besides, they do not master the knowledge, skills and attitudes involved in ICC, in spite of their awareness of the essence and purpose of the development of ICC at different levels.

scholarly journals Incorporating Intercultural Communicative Competence in EFL Classes

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arab World English Journal ◽  
Mahdjouba Chaouche
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Intercultural Communicative Competence ◽  
Language And Culture ◽  
Classroom Activities ◽  
Culture Teaching ◽  
Language Classrooms

In a rapidly globalized world, EFL teachers are increasingly urged to incorporate intercultural competence in language classes. This paper is concerned with the incorporation of the teaching of culture into the foreign Language classroom. The main premise of the present paper is that effective communication is not limited to linguistic competence and language proficiency and that apart from enhancing communicative competence, cultural competence can also lead to empathy and respect toward different cultures as well as promote objectivity and cultural perspicacity. In fact, teaching a foreign language carries a novel culture which includes one’s religion, gender and a set of beliefs. Yet; though language and culture are so closely interwoven into each other that one cannot be conceived without the other, language is still taught as a separate phenomenon from culture and classroom activities are bereft of any instruction of foreign cultures. It is to be noted that much research into the incorporation of culture in language learning remains to be done so that the pedagogical principles of culture teaching may be articulated and applied effectively to the development of materials, and curricula. Thus, the purpose of this paper is first, to explain the ideas and theory which define what is involved in the intercultural communicative competence, and second, to demonstrate what intercultural competence would mean in practice for teachers and learners in language classrooms in an Algerian context and how to make it easily accessible in practical ways.

Didattica delle lingue in prospettiva interculturale: innovazione e potenzialità

2009 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 189-198
Author(s):  
Manuela Derosas
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environment ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Intercultural Communicative Competence ◽  
New Paradigm ◽  
Language And Culture ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Vast Literature ◽  
The Creation

Since the early ’80s the adjective "intercultural" in language learning and teaching has seemed to acquire a remarkable importance, although its meaning is strongly debated. As a matter of fact, despite the existence of a vast literature on this topic, difficulties arise when applying it in the classroom. The aim of this work is to analyze the elements we consider to be the central pillars in this methodology, i.e. a renewed language-and culture relation, the Intercultural Communicative Competence, the intercultural speaker. These factors allow us to consider this as a new paradigm in language education; furthermore, they foster the creation of new potentialities and configure the classroom as a significant learning environment towards the discovery of Otherness.

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.

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.

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.

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