Exploring the dynamics of intercultural contact and intercultural communicative competence among Chinese college students

This study investigates the relationship between intercultural contact and intercultural communicative competence (ICC) among Chinese EFL learners at a university in Guangzhou. It adopts an integrated framework combining communicative and intercultural competence, analyzing how direct and indirect intercultural contact influences ICC development. Using questionnaires to assess intercultural contact and ICC, data from 185 students reveal that overall ICC is below the intermediate level, with linguistic competence being the weakest dimension. Intercultural contact is similarly limited, with indirect pathways such as multimedia dominating. The study confirms a strong positive correlation between intercultural contact and ICC, highlighting the reciprocal reinforcement between these factors. These findings provide practical insights for designing educational strategies to enhance ICC through increased and diverse intercultural engagement opportunities.

With globalization being a focus of the 21st century, the primary approach for responding to global challenges for higher education institutions is to adopt an internationalization strategy and accelerate the internationalization pace. To cultivate “global-ready” graduates, developing students’ intercultural competence (IC) has become one of the core missions of international and Chinese higher education institutions. Given the scarcity of quantitative studies on Chinese private college students’ IC and inconsistent findings on the relationships between foreign language capability, international experience, and IC in the extant literature, a quantitative study was conducted in a Chinese private college to explore 1,983 undergraduate students’ IC characteristics, examine IC differences across different groups, and investigate the relationships between their English language capability, international experiences, intercultural contact experiences, and IC. Findings revealed students’ IC levels were slightly above average, scoring highest on the Attitude subscale and lowest on the Knowledge of Others subscale. All groups’ differences were statistically significant with a small strength of difference in the College English Test Band 4 (CET-4) and overseas duration groups, and medium strength of difference in the frequencies of intercultural contact groups. All factors examined in the study (i.e., CET-4 score, overseas duration, frequency of communicating with native English speakers, frequency of engaging in intercultural activities, and frequency of contacting cultural products and taking cultural courses) were positively related to IC, but the magnitudes of the association were small.\nThis study suggests directions for improving students’ IC through foreign language education, provides pathways for increasing intercultural contact domestically and internationally, encourages students to participate in cross-border activities, and recommends combining these methods to have a more effective impact on students’ IC.\nThis research has some limitations in the generalizability of the results, one-time survey, self-report data, the time gap between variables, and incomplete coverage of variables. In future research, a longitudinal mixed-method design with samples from diverse cultures in different public or private colleges is recommended to have a more comprehensive study on Chinese college students’ IC.

This article explores intercultural contact as a pathway for the development of intercultural communicative competence (ICC) among EFL undergraduates in China during the post-pandemic era. Adopting an exploratory qualitative design with self-reports and focus group interviews as instruments, the challenges faced by EFL undergraduates in intercultural communication and intercultural contact pathways for ICC development were elicited with thematic analysis via NVivo. The challenges that EFL undergraduates encounter in intercultural communication are scant English proficiency, insufficient intercultural experience, and limited intercultural practise. Direct, indirect, self-engaged, and external contact have been extracted as pathways for the development of ICC among EFL undergraduates. This study provides theoretical and empirical evidence to help researchers understand intercultural contact as a way to develop the ICC of EFL undergraduates in China. The findings of this study shed light on the development of ICC in EFL learning and authentic intercultural contexts, offering lecturers and curriculum designers reference points for constructing criteria and syllabi for intercultural English teaching.

Although intercultural interaction permeates the entire educational system, the introduction of intercultural education at all educational levels is a slow and complex process. Particularly, the intercultural communicative competence (ICC) development among preschool and primary school children requires peculiar teachers’ knowledge and skills to form pupils’ ICC. The purpose of this article is to analyze the process of developing undergraduates’ ICC, and their methodological knowledge and skills in ICC formation in preschool and primary school children. The methodological basis of the work consists in axiological, interdisciplinary, and communicative approaches. The common goal of the research is to develop intercultural skills of future teachers who are ready, on the one hand, to deal with children from interculturally diverse back-grounds, and on the other hand, to prepare children to act in multiculturally diverse society. The study involved 167 students enrolled in the Bachelor programs of Pskov State University. The empirical research included three stages of the experiment. The content of the examination included complexes of interactive methods, with the help of which it was supposed to strengthen the formation of the ICC of bachelors, the ability to work in a team and the development of a set of instrumental competencies together with the development of the methods of teaching ICC to schoolchildren. The practical result of the study is a set of business games facilitating the undergraduates’ intercultural communicative competence development as well as their ability to develop the ICC in preschoolers.KeywordsIntercultural competenceInterdisciplinary approachProfessional developmentProfessional and pedagogical cultureTeaching skills

<span lang="EN-US">In globalization, possessing intercultural communicative competence (ICC) is essential for individuals’ success. However, students face motivational barriers in online intercultural learning. Thus, this study aims to explore the effectiveness of integrating gamification with self-determination theory (SDT) to enhance the intrinsic motivation, ultimately aiding in the development of intercultural communication competence among Chinese vocational college students enrolled in online English intercultural learning. Employing a mixed-methods approach involving pre-post questionnaires and interviews, the study engaged 38 vocational college students from the automobile and rail transit faculty in a four-week online English intercultural learning module enriched with gamified elements such as points, badges, leaderboards, levels, and quests. The findings indicate that gamified learning effectively fulfills students’ needs for competence and autonomy, partially addressing their needs for relatedness and consequently fostering an upsurge in intrinsic motivation. Additionally, improvements were observed in knowledge, attitude, and skill, with marginal changes noted in awareness. It is concluded that gamified learning approaches based on SDT can positively contribute to the development of intrinsic motivation and intercultural communication competence. These findings hold practical implications for educational institutions and researchers to cultivate intrinsic motivation and ICC through online gamified learning.</span>

1 IntroductionOne of the main benefits of student mobility within the Erasmus programme is often quoted to be gaining greater (inter)cultural awareness, which in turn leads to enhanced intercultural communicative competence, an important skill, which in a globalised world increases and strengthens Erasmus students' employability. By acquiring (inter)cultural awareness students expand and deepen their understanding as to how cultural values and conventions affect our attitudes and behaviour (Byram 1997; Chen, & Starosta 1998-99), a competence that helps them mediate effectively between cultures and languages in intercultural encounters, termed intercultural communicative competence (Byram 2012; Chen, & Starosta 1998-99; Deardorff 2004; Fantini 2000/1).The Green Paper on Learning Mobility (COM 2009, 329: 5) suggests that mobility adds to human capital, as students access new knowledge and develop new linguistic skills and intercultural competences. However, studies by a number of researchers (Dervin 2009; Golubeva 2003; Holmes, & O'Neill 2012) point to the fact that development of (inter)cultural awareness is not naturally acquired through exposure to intercultural contacts in an international environment and that residence in a foreign country does not of itself produce positive representations of that country (Byram, & Zarate 1995; Dervin 2008; Anquetil 2009), what is more, it does not even abate students' stereotypical perceptions of otherness (Starkey, & Osler 2009; Starosta 2014). In order to help students derive benefit from their study period abroad in terms of enhancing their intercultural communicative competence, intercultural learning should, therefore, be assisted, facilitated, guided.The need to help students delve into intercultural issues and integrate new communication paradigms during their study or work sojourn abroad was also confirmed by the initial research within the IEREST project. Responses to questionnaires gathered from students who had participated in the Erasmus exchange programme previously, those currently taking part in it and those preparing for a sojourn abroad, as well as their discussion in focus groups, indicated clearly that the majority of students perceived a need for guidance in intercultural matters (for further discussion on this see Beaven, A., Borghetti, C., Van Maele, J., and Vassilicos, B. 2013). Moreover, the relevance of guidance for students preparing for study and/or work mobility as to the way in which to approach intercultural matters in international contacts is evidenced by a slew of teaching modules and courses dealing with intercultural issues (e.g. the Interculture Project at Lancaster University in UK; SALTO - an EU project within the Youth in Action Programme; De.C.I.D.E - an EU project within Lifelong Learning Programme; Mobility for Young People by AHA Moments; Intercultural Competence Training by Kwintessential) that are proposed to students by various tertiary institutions and projects in the EU and beyond.A number of theoretical paradigms concerning intercultural learning, communication, and pedagogy underpin existing courses such as those listed above, aimed at developing intercultural competence for Erasmus mobility, as well as other teaching materials and study programmes tackling intercultural communication topics. As a consequence, many authors and researchers have recently discussed the elusive problem of defining intercultural competence (Byram 2012; Deardoff 2009; Dervin 2009; Holmes 2009; Rathje 2007; Spitzberg, & Changnon 2009) and have identified the term 'intercultural' as polysemic, often used interchangeably with a number of variants derived from 'culture' such as 'cross-cultural', 'transcultural', 'intercultural' as labels for the same meaning (Beaven, Comas-Quinn, & Sawhill 2013). Similarly, Byram (2012). Holliday (2012) and others pointed to a proliferation of rather confusing terminological variants in the field of 'interculturality', all entailing very different ways of treating cultural matters and intercultural contacts, thus indicating the coexistence of multiple and sometimes contradictory approaches to facilitating the process of developing (inter)cultural awareness and competence. …

This study explores the determination of intercultural communicative competence (ICC) and the formation of communicative leadership competence (CLC) in students, particularly focusing on the relationship between these two competencies. The development of ICC and CLC is crucial in an increasingly globalized world, where effective communication across cultural boundaries is essential. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods to provide a comprehensive understanding of these competencies among students. The quantitative part of the study aims to assess the students’ level of ICC and CLC using standardized tests and surveys. The sample consisted of 120 students, divided into two groups: 60 with advanced language proficiency and 60 with beginner to intermediate proficiency. Data was collected through tools such as the Intercultural Communication Inventory and a Self-Reported Likert Scale for ICC, and the Leadership Competence Scale and 360-Degree Feedback for CLC. The results of the study show that students with higher language proficiency and increased intercultural exposure tend to exhibit higher levels of ICC and CLC. A positive correlation was found between ICC and CLC, indicating that students who are more competent in intercultural communication are also more likely to demonstrate effective communicative leadership skills. Furthermore, the study identified that the development of these competencies is influenced by factors such as exposure to diverse cultural settings, participation in intercultural activities, and leadership training programs.

Developing intercultural communicative competence among Chinese university students is essential in the era of globalization; however, disparities persist between ranked universities and general universities. While RUs benefit from extensive internationalization resources, general universities often lack structured intercultural communication instruction and opportunities due to resource disparities, prestige, or geographic constraints, and economic and social factors. This study aimed to enhance intercultural communicative competence in general universities by proposing and testing the Triad-Layers intercultural communicative competence model, an experiential framework grounded in Vygotsky’s social constructivism. Using a qualitative design and development research approach, the study involved 40 first-year undergraduate students from non-English majors and adopted mixed methods. Data were collected through pre- and post-instruction intercultural communicative competence tests, semi-structured interviews, and students' reflective writing. The model consisted of three phases: MOOCs for pre-class preparation, interactive in-class activities, and post-class reflective writing. Quantitative results showed significant improvements in intercultural communicative competence, with the strongest gains in source culture knowledge and communication skills. The findings of the study revealed that students increasingly viewed intercultural communication as an opportunity rather than a barrier, actively engaging in intercultural exchanges and developing conflict navigation strategies. The model also mitigated Chinese Cultural Aphasia by enhancing cultural knowledge. This study demonstrates that experiential, curriculum-integrated approaches can effectively foster intercultural communicative competence in resource-constrained settings. It highlights the need to assess the effectiveness of MOOCs during pre-class preparation, balance source and international culture content to address, and emphasize student-centered pedagogies even during theory introduction.

This study explores the relationship between intercultural contact (IC) and intercultural communication competence (ICC) among Chinese international students at Lancaster University, UK. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research analyzes the frequency and nature of IC and self-assessed ICC levels.Findings reveal a predominance of indirect IC, such as media consumption and cultural events, over direct interactions with native English speakers. Self-assessment of ICC indicates strong attitudes towards cultural diversity but identifies areas for improvement in domestic cultural knowledge and cognitive skills.Statistical analysis demonstrates a significant positive correlation between IC and ICC, with direct IC positively impacting communication skills and indirect IC contributing to cultural knowledge and positive attitudes.These findings emphasize the importance of both direct and indirect IC in developing ICC. Educational institutions should focus on facilitating diverse IC opportunities to enhance students’ language proficiency, cultural adaptation, and overall well-being.

This study examines the influence of reading multicultural literature (ML) texts on the development of Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) among Chinese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. Despite the increasing importance of ICC in language education, Chinese students often lack direct intercultural experiences. To address this gap, this study investigates how reading multicultural short stories can improve learners' cultural knowledge, interpretive skills, intercultural attitudes, and critical awareness. Fifteen participants were first-year English majors at a Chinese university who engaged with four multicultural texts through an inquiry-driven, spiral reading approach. A qualitative design was utilized, collecting data from reflective journal entries and follow-up semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was conducted following Byram's (1997) ICC model. The findings revealed a three-phase developmental trajectory of ICC aligned with the KWL framework (Know–Want to Know–Learned). Phase 1 showed surface-level awareness and initial curiosity; Phase 2 demonstrated increasing empathy, openness, and interpretive skill; Phase 3 reflected critical cultural reflection and integrated intercultural understanding. Additionally, an iterative spiral model illustrated how each literary text encouraged deeper ICC development through recursive interpretation, emotional engagement, and ethical insight. The study emphasizes the transformative potential of ML to promote meaningful intercultural learning in EFL contexts. It provides pedagogical implications for integrating literature-based methods into curriculum design to develop reflective, empathetic, and globally competent communicators.

Numerous students are encouraged to study overseas in the hope of becoming competitive professionals in a global community. The two major benefits of studying abroad as commonly believed are foreign language acquisition and intercultural communicative competence development. To gain a deeper understanding of whether study abroad programmers have significantly positive impact on students’ linguistic gains and development of intercultural communicative competence, this paper reviews recent research on the development of language proficiency and intercultural communicative competence in the context of study abroad. It is found that study abroad duration is one of the key factors that influence the development of sojourners’ language acquisition and intercultural communicative competence. Students participated in one semester achieved the greatest development in terms of intercultural communicative competence. Regarding language learning, students’ speaking, listening, and reading skills could be significantly improved in both long and short term programmers. However, their writing skills need comparatively longer time to be substantially enhanced. Strategies that can be employed to maximize the students’ benefit from study abroad programmers are also identified.

ABSTRACTOne of the goals of foreign language (FL) education is to produce intercultural speakers. Telecollaboration can act as a catalyst for promoting language skills development, intercultural communicative competence (ICC), and multiple literacies. The significance of multimodal communicative competence (MCC) on the success or failure of a telecollaborative project and its interdependence with intercultural communicative competence (ICC) have already been established. The very few systematic reviews on ICC and second language (L2) or FL learningdo not take into account the different modalities through which learners interact and co-construct meaning and intercultural competence. Drawing on ecological linguistics (EL) and semiotics, the present review contributes to the field of applied linguistics by reviewing online intercultural exchanges (OIEs) and ICC development in relation to the modality used for each exchange that is reviewed. Features of the context of each study that was conducted in either a K-12 or a university setting were coded according to a coding scheme and analysed quantitatively using descriptive statistics. The findings of studies conducted in university contexts, were reviewed in-depth inductively in relation to the impact of Web 2.0 tools – and especially multimodality – on learners’ development of ICC. The exclusive focus on university contexts in the in-depth review stems from the frequency at which universities serve as contexts for OIEs, comprising in this case more than two-thirds of the reviewed studies. Analysis of the data suggests that multimodality in Web 2.0 tools and applications affects ICC development in multiple ways but more research on ICC and L2 and FL learners in multimodal environments needs to be conducted.

The paper is focused on the intercultural communicative competence as an integral part of vocational training of journalism students. The aim of the paper is: 1) to define the intercultural communicative competence dimensions; 2) to outline the ways of development of intercultural communicative competence of journalism students; 3) to find out the attitudes of journalism students to intercultural communicative competence development; 4) to assess the levels of journalism students’ intercultural communicative competence and develop recommendations for its development. A mixed research design was employed which involved 14 ESP teachers and 26 bachelor students of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv during the autumn trimester of 2021. The study shows that the students are fully aware of the necessity to develop intercultural communicative competence. Based on the survey of the ESP teachers, we outlined the dimensions of journalism students’ intercultural communicative competence development and suggested the ways of building intercultural communicative competence in journalism students. The levels of assessment of intercultural communicative competence of journalism students were outlined and defined. The final results indicate that journalism students whose study was more practice than theory oriented (group 1) showed better learning outcomes than those who were mostly focused on the acquisition of theoretical knowledge (group 2). Methodical guidelines for ESP teachers were developed.

This study investigates how world Englishes (WE) and translanguaging may be combined to enhance intercultural competence in intercultural communication. First, this paper reviews WE contributions to intercultural communication and explores the potential of translanguaging in facilitating intercultural competence in intercultural communication. Second, semi‐structured interviews were conducted to explore the perceptions and practices of WE, translanguaging, and intercultural competence in intercultural communication among Chinese university students with the aim to investigate how their experiences of WE and translanguaging enhance intercultural competence in intercultural communication within both local and global contexts. The findings revealed the possibility of integrating WE and translanguaging into the promotion of intercultural competence in intercultural communication. Such an integration of WE and translanguaging through the intercultural dimensions in English language learning can help enhance linguistic and cultural diversity, and equip individuals with the skills to effectively navigate the multilingual and multicultural world in response to diverse communicative needs.

In the era of globalization and technological advancement, developing intercultural communicative competence (ICC) and creative skills has become a central goal of English education. Yet relatively few studies have explored the integration of cultural content and creative thinking within task-based language teaching (TBLT), particularly in constrained contexts such as Chinese EFL classrooms. This study investigated the effects of cultural content-based creative tasks on students’ ICC development and examined how their ICC improved during classroom activities. A quasi-experimental, single-group interrupted time-series design was conducted with 111 third-year Chinese EFL learners enrolled in three intact classes at a provincial university in China, all taught by the same instructor-researcher. Over two months, these students engaged in creative tasks incorporating Chinese, British, and American cultural content. ICC was assessed through a self-report inventory administered before and after the intervention, and through observed classroom performance evaluated with the RAICC Rubrics by three independent raters at three stages. Significant differences between students’ self-reported ICC scores before and after the intervention demonstrated the effectiveness of cultural content-based creative tasks in enhancing learners’ perceived ICC. The upward trend in observed ICC performance scores across lessons also indicated growth in cultural knowledge, competence in managing intercultural interactions, and openness to cultural diversity. These findings underscore the potential of cultural content-based creative tasks within TBLT to foster ICC in EFL contexts comparable to the Chinese setting and provide evidence-based strategies for integrating cultural learning into language pedagogy.