Intercultural Communicative Competence through the Eyes of Turkish University Students
Journal Title: International Journal of Curriculum and Instruction - Year 2017, Vol 9, Issue 2
Abstract
With increased globalization over the last few decades, the status of English has been recognized as an international language. Thus, the need for an intercultural focus in foreign language teaching has become crucial. Many researchers, concerned with intercultural awareness, intercultural competence, intercultural communicative competence (ICC) and the integration of intercultural competence into English language teaching, conducted studies in various parts of the world. This mixed-method study examined the ICC perceptions of 93 English language learners enrolled in the English Language Teaching Departments of three universities in Turkey. The study specifically searched into learners’ perceptions of efficiency of English language courses about intercultural awareness and competence. Data were collected through a questionnaire, a semi-structured interview and focus-group interviews. Findings indicated that English language learners were aware of the importance of intercultural competence but that they expected to be exposed more to intercultural aspects of English in their English courses. The study revealed that in designing the curriculum and choosing the activities, intercultural aspects should be emphasized more and the teacher should have an active role in helping the learners become aware of intercultural competence. The study also implies that teachers should be involved in in-service teaching programs which aim to (1) provide necessary background on intercultural competence and (2) help teachers integrate their theoretical and practical knowledge on intercultural competence into in-class activities.
Authors and Affiliations
Aynur Kesen Mutlu, Yesim Kesli Dollar
Keywords
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