Components Of Intercultural Competence Research Articles

Massive Open Online Courses and intercultural competence: analysis of courses fostering soft skills through language learning.

This paper aims to survey language teaching MOOCs that promote intercultural competence (IC). Specifically, the survey aims to identify the keywords most relevant to MOOCs with IC components, the languages taught, the offering countries, and the embedded soft skills. The selection of keywords is important because they can indicate connection between different disciplines. After trialing a broader set of keywords in several rounds of initial search, we identified five keywords that are the most relevant to language education with IC components on MOOCs: culture, intercultural, cross culture, multi culture, and society. Then courses with these five keywords on language learning are selected for further analysis. The results are summarized as follows: (1) Most language teaching MOOCs are found under the keyword "culture," indicating a strong connection between language education and intercultural communication; (2) In terms of the target languages and the offering countries, it is found that English, Chinese, and Spanish are the major languages widely taught in the context of intercultural competence; China, United States, and Ireland are the three countries which offer the highest numbers of MOOCs in this respect; United States, United Kingdom, and Australia are the three countries which offer the highest numbers of MOOCs of different languages. The results indicate that a limited number of languages and offering countries dominate the language learning MOOCs. The study calls for a plurality of languages and cultures to be taught through MOOCs, making more diversified knowledge systems accessible to global audiences. (3) The language teaching MOOCs not only focus on language but also aim to foster five types of soft skills (language learning skills, communication skills, business and entrepreneurship skills, career development skills, and cultural development skills), suggesting that intercultural competence and its related soft skills are usually important components embedded in such MOOCs courses.

Video-Based Cultural Literacy to Support Intercultural Competence in Japanese Language Classes

Intercultural competence needs to be possessed by students to become part of a global society. In line with that, the need for Japanese language learning that integrates between cultures is getting bigger. Original videos can be one of the sources of cultural literacy to expand intercultural experience and understanding. The objectives of this study are to (1) describe video-based cultural literacy activities by implementing intercultural pedagogic principles and (2) describe students' intercultural competencies, including the components of values, attitudes, and knowledge. The learning procedure is managed by intercultural pedagogic practices, which consist of (1) interaction, (2) paying attention, (3) comparing, (4) reflection, and (5) tentative conclusions. The research methodology used is descriptive qualitative. This study shows that the use of video in Japanese intercultural learning is beneficial as a source of information. Furthermore, implementing pedagogic practices is also helpful in providing clear guidelines for teaching and learning activities. Students' perceptions, as outlined in written sentences, can be known and analyzed based on the components of intercultural competence. Students can expand intercultural knowledge and improve intercultural understanding and competence through the use of video-based cultural literacy by implementing intercultural pedagogic practices
 Keywords :
 Jurnal Pendidikan Bahasa Jepang Japanese Education JournalIntercultural CompetenceJapanese LiteratureJapanese Language Education

Intercultural competence development during the adjustment period of Indonesian students in the UK

International students must successfully adjust to cross-cultural differences in order to fulfil their academic goals while studying abroad. As a result, students must acquire new skills, especially intercultural competence, in order to properly communicate with people from other cultures. The purpose of this study is to investigate how Indonesian students in UK universities integrate various components of intercultural competence. This study sheds light on why intercultural competence is required and how it is developed. It is grounded in an ethnographic framework involving twelve student blogs and seven student interviews and observations. According to the findings of this study, the intercultural competencies required by Indonesian students in the United Kingdom can be divided into two categories: attitudes and skills. Accepting cultural differences and having an open mind are examples of necessary attitudes. Some necessary skills are the ability to learn new things about a different culture and the ability to follow the rules of the host society. Intercultural competence is distinct and complex phenomenon that have received little academic attention and hence merit additional examination. The data show that during their studies, all of the individuals had difficulty adjusting to cultural differences. According to the findings of this study, Indonesian students studying in the United Kingdom must adjust to cultural differences in order to create favourable views about living abroad. This study serves as evidence that intercultural competence is essential in this situation.

Effectiveness of Intercultural Competence to Enhance Reading Comprehension Ability of EFL Learners

This special project mainly focuses on investigating the effectiveness of intercultural competence to develop and enhance reading comprehension of English as Foreign Language (EFL) learners in second language (L2) classrooms. Three areas will be explored in relation to the effectiveness of L2 learners’ intercultural familiarity to their reading ability. First and foremost, the relationship between intercultural competence (ICC) and reading comprehension will be discussed by reviewing several related studies. Based on the ICC modal proposed by Deardorff (2006), the components of intercultural competence are: awareness and knowledge, skills, and attitudes are the key factors to influence EFL learner’s ICC. Finally, three factors: EFL learners, non-native Chinese teachers and schools and communities will be taken into account to improve EFL learns’ ICC. As EFL learners, communicating with more and more foreigners online or offline can be one of the useful methods.

The effects of multilingual and multicultural practices on divergent thinking. Implications for plurilingual creativity paradigm

AbstractThis study opens a project that empirically investigates the Plurilingual Creativity paradigm. This paradigm expands the Multilingual Creative Cognition by making shifts in the conceptualization of the phenomena of multilingualism and creativity, respectively. We examined how multilingual and multicultural factors can contribute to divergent thinking. Online data collection included assessments of language repertoire, multicultural experience, intercultural competence, and divergent thinking. A series of regression analyses obtained evidence for the direct contribution of language repertoire, intercultural competence components and multicultural experience to divergent thinking. In addition, language repertoire was found to moderate the link between management of intercultural interaction and fluency, multicultural experience and both flexibility and originality in divergent thinking. These findings emphasize the importance of considering the contribution of plurilingual/pluricultural factors of language repertoire, multicultural experience, and intercultural competence to creativity. Thereby, these findings provide empirical support for the conceptual shift toward plurilingual creativity.

Intercultural education in understudied contexts: lessons learned to rethink the conceptualization and assessment of intercultural competence

ABSTRACT Extensive research has been done to identify the conceptual components of intercultural competence (IC), which resulted in a plethora of models and a wide array of differently defined constructs that are in use today to develop and assess IC. However, the majority of IC research comes from relatively similar contexts that are westernised, high on the diversity scale, and employ modern educational practices. This research study set out to investigate an understudied context that is non-western, low on the diversity scale, and retains a traditional educational system based on textbook memorisation. The aim was to examine whether such context would yield IC components similar to or different from those existing in established models. Primary data collected from 32 students, in a Palestinian high school, was analyzed, revealing 14 IC components, which, by comparison to secondary data from literature, were relatively similar to components in established IC models, yet with subtle differences. The three-phase deductive-then-inductive content analysis approach implemented in this study provided us with evidence to support arguments against the one-model approach for IC development and assessment and voice out the need for a more realistic and ethical approach that takes the different sociocultural, geopolitical, and educational contexts into account.

Phonetic competence features as a component of intercultural communicative competence of prospective German language teachers

The article presents the results of a theoretical study of the linguistic component ofthe intercultural education of the German language. The phonetic features of the German language are presentedon the basis of its pluricentric character. Examples of phonetic phenomena of the national variants of theAustrian and Swiss German languages are given. The phonetic phenomena of the German language, whicharise in the process of mastering and communicating in German, are indicated and affect the language and stylisticliteracy of future teachers. Purpose. The problem of the formation of German-speaking phonetic competencein modern conditions is outlined. The levels of proficiency in phonetic skills and abilities while using a foreignlanguage are noted. Methods. Thorough study of the researches on phonetic material; selection and analysisof chosen authentic texts, scientific sources; phonetic phenomena selection and analysis. Results. The researchillustrates samples of phonetic competence that determine the nationally marked feature of the German languageand constitute the content of educational and methodological material for the skills and abilities of interculturalcommunicative competence development.Conclusion. Thus, the work presented the main pronunciation and intonation characteristics of the Germanlanguage, which are the object of development and improvement in prospective teachers during the formationof intercultural communicative competence. The article investigated linguistic basics for teaching the aspectof the German phonetics. In addition, the paper outlines the phonetic national features of German variants,which highlight the culturally marked characteristics of German in the countries where the language is studied,and require additional attention in the educational process to acquire linguistic and sociocultural knowledge,skills and abilities as the components of intercultural competence.

Intercultural Competence in a Translator Training Program: Exploring Students’ Self-Assessment and Perceptions

Intercultural competence is significant for translators and it needs to be emphasized in translator training programs through comprehensive inclusion. However, students’ perceptions and levels in this competence are not always taken into consideration in the development of translator training program. Therefore, this study aims to explore students’ self-assessment of their intercultural competence (IC) and their perceptions along with how the case-study program develop IC among students. First, it introduces the definition and components of IC based on the literature. Second, it investigates an undergraduate translation program as a case study and it uses two questionnaires, designed on Promoting Intercultural Competence in Translators project’s (PICT) identification of IC, to identify students’ IC and their perceptions of its significance. The results indicate a good level of students’ IC as well as high-level perception of the significance of IC and that the case-study program have a substantial inclusion of IC. In addition, the resuts are consistent with the results of PICT, which implies that the courses in the case study program in this study were sufficient to develop IC among students and emphasized the significance of IC to students. Also, the study offers tools which can be used by other researchers to self-assess the IC of students in different programs.

Intercultural Competences in the French Financial Services Companies

The aim of this paper is to explore public corporate news related to the topic of intercultural competence (ICC) in 4 French companies in the year of 2018. In order to answer the research question, a computerized lexical content analyses were done of 424 separate news (texts), with 243,146 words. The research model generated a bottom up clustering on keywords, titles and abstracts. The examination of the data concentrates on 4 main clusters of news that focus on (1) motivation as an affective component - desire to cooperate with strangers, (2) knowledge as a cognitive component – understanding and awareness, (3) skills as a behavioral component – personal ability to engage behaviors, and (4) financial performance as a final success result – companies' ability to gain competitive advantage and create future value. A transversal review of the four clusters reveals that ICC as a portfolio of specialized competences whose complementary intellectual resources are crucial for the companies’ value creation process is insufficiently present in the communication practices. ICC as a part of human capital is a key companies’ resource for creation of future value and should be therefore more considered in companies’ communication practices. The article contributes to the current literature on ICC narratives. It seeks to provide explanation of which ICC components companies focus most on in order to gain competitive advantage and financial performance.

Towards intercultural competence: Using consensus to identify essential personality traits for an inclusive extension education workforce

The rapid diversification of workforces and client stakeholder groups has prompted a growing emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion as a critical component of professional development across industry sectors. While the proliferation of intercultural competence training models has increased awareness among employers and workforces, the competencies advocated in these models may not always be relevant to an organization or institution’s operational context. This study addresses the need for contextually grounded intercultural competency models targeted to extension education contexts. Using a three-phased Delphi approach, data were gathered from a panel of 36 intercultural competency experts. The panel identified nine personal traits thought to be critical for the recruitment and development of culturally competent extension educators. The authors explain how these results may be used to recruit extension educators with traits conducive to engagement with a broad audience of stakeholders using culturally sensitive and responsive techniques. Given the distinct processes by which different components of intercultural competence are developed, we recommend specific measures and techniques administrators can utilize to recruit and develop extension educators who possess the agreed-upon intercultural personality traits.

CONCEPTUALIZATION OF THE MODEL OF INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE OF FUTURE PROFESSIONALS OF SOCIONOMIC PROFESSIONS

The relevance of the study is due to the fact that intercultural competence should be inherent in almost every professional, especially in the socionomic professions. This article describes the necessary prerequisites for conceptualizing the model of intercultural competence of future professionals in socionomic professions. The purpose of this article is to proceed on the basis of the generalization on the conceptualization of the model of intercultural competence of specialists of socionomic professions taking into account the challenges and requirements of modern society. We used theoretical methods in the study, namely analysis, abstraction, generalization, explanation and classification. The author analyzes the most typical and used definitions of the studied phenomenon, which are found in the scientific achievements of researchers and the basic concepts that underlie their interpretations. Based on the analysis of the scientific literature on this problem, we have attempted to identify and characterize the leading structural components of intercultural competence of socionomic professions: motivational, cognitive, activе, communicative, conative. Based on the generalization of theories and models of intercultural interaction and intercultural competence of researchers, an attempt was made to define the conceptualization of the model of intercultural competence of socionomic professions taking into account modern challenges. The development of this model will provide a fuller understanding of intercultural competence in the context of the peculiarities of the professional activities of specialists in socionomic professions and understanding the approaches to its formation. Further understanding of the relationships between the components of intercultural competence and the leading factors, that have a significant impact on them, will be the basis for producing hypotheses on their nature and detailing of character of relationships between them, which will allow us to understand the system of intercultural competence of socionomic professions in higher educational institutions.

Formation of intercultural competence among schoolchildren in Great Britain

The study identifies the term intercultural competence and distinguishes its main components. The authors examine the experience of Great Britain in the formation of this competence among schoolchildren in the historical perspective from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present. The study of the main methods used in multicultural classes in Great Britain and in many countries of Europe made it possible to group them according to the components of intercultural competence. In order to identify the level of development of this competence among future teachers themselves, there were interviewed the students of Ulyanovsk State Pedagogical University named after I.N. Ulyanov. The diagnostic assessment was also conducted for British students who showed a significantly higher level of tolerance compared to Russian students. Therefore, it was thought appropriate to refer to the experience of teacher training in Great Britain that has developed a certain system of training future teachers who are ready to work in a multicultural environment. The comparative analysis of the curricula of 15 leading universities in Great Britain revealed a number of features in teacher training, including the development of their readiness to work in a multicultural educational environment. The experience of Great Britain in the formation of intercultural competence among schoolchildren and future teachers made it possible to determine the directions and trends of their development in modern Russian education at two levels: at the level of school education and at the level of higher education related to the preparation of teachers for work in multicultural classes.

Межкультурная компетентность как предиктор адаптации иностранных студентов

The aim of the study is to determine the role of intercultural competence in the adaptation process of foreign students studying at Russian universities. The research is based on the author's model of intercultural competence, the main components of which are intercultural stability, intercultural interest, the lack of ethnocentrism and the management of intercultural interaction. The sample of the study consisted of 291 foreign students from Turkmenistan studying at universities in Kazan, Saratov, Penza, Rostov-on-Don, Khabarovsk, 291 students (48.5% — Women, average age is 22 years). We showed that intercultural com petence is a significant predictor in the adaptation of foreign students. We revealed different contribution of intercultural competence components to the effectiveness in the adaptation of foreign students. Among the components of intercultural competence only intercultural stability directly affects sociocultural adaptation. The absence of ethnocentrism reduces the effect of culture shock when a student enters a new cultural environment, but increases the success of his/her adaptation in this environment only together with intercultural stability. Two other components of intercultural competence: intercultural interest and the management of intercultural interaction have an impact on the successful adaptation of foreign students not directly, but through the activation of the desire to interact with Russian students and to increase the self-esteem in the effectiveness of intercultural communication with them. In turn these mediators are directly related to both psychological adaptation and intercultural stability. Thus we revealed the mechanism of intercultural competence influence on the adaptation of foreign students. The obtained results can be used to predict the adaptation of foreign students and to reduce the possible risks of their maladjustment in a new culture.

Students' and instructors' evaluation of a foreign language textbook from an intercultural perspective

As teachers primarily rely on textbooks in the teaching of foreign languages, one way of helping and encouraging them to focus on intercultural competence (IC) is to provide them with the textbooks that facilitate intercultural language learning process. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the New Language Leader Pre-intermediate textbook from an intercultural perspective. This evaluation was primarily based on 132 students’ and 15 instructors’ perceptions of the textbook after they used it for two months in language classrooms at a preparatory school of a state university. The data collection instrument was a questionnaire adopted from a previous study. Data analysis was conducted with the help of SPSS 20.0. Descriptive Statistics was run to identify the frequencies and mean scores. Mann-Whitney U test was used to discover any possible significant difference in students’ and instructors’ perspectives. The results indicated that although most of the IC components such as knowledge, attitudes, awareness, and linguistic means existed in the textbook according to the participants, the extent of the representation of these in the textbook varied. Whereas the aims and goals of the textbook were thought to be in accordance with the conceptual framework of the students to a large extent, both students and instructors indicated that it did not provide much insight into learners’ own culture. Considering the findings, the stakeholders might have necessary revisions on the textbook and instructors might adapt some resources to fulfil the needs of their learners in the development of IC in similar contexts.

An evaluation of culture teaching and learning in a Uniwide Language Program: Teachers and students’ perspectives

Abstract It is generally accepted that culture is inseparable from language. However, the provision of culture in FL courses takes different forms. At Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), minor route/30 credit language students in the Uniwide Language Programme are allocated 1 h for cultural studies (known as the project hour) in addition to a weekly 2 h language class. This study surveys teachers’ and students’ perceptions of the teaching of culture in MMU Uniwide language courses with the aim of discovering to what extent this promotes students’ intercultural competence (IC) based on Byram, Michael, Bella Gribkova & Hugh Starkey. 2002. Developing the intercultural dimension in language teaching: A practical introduction for teachers. Strasbourg: Council of Europe, model. Byram et al.’s model of IC involves three components: knowledge, skills and attitudes. Teachers and students’ questionnaires were used to collect their views about the project hour and were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The qualitative data, using thematic analysis showed that teachers and students’ perceptions of culture learning and teaching, in general, were in line with the recent literature on IC. However, the quantitative data did not prove that the project hour fully attends to the components of IC, even though the methods and activities used matched its requirements.

Speech culture learning contentin the process of forming intercultural competence

"The article actualizes the problems of speech culture as a necessary component of intercultural competence. In the terms of interlanguage and intercultural contact, the speech culture is characterized by universal and ethnospecific characteristics. This is due to the fact that culture, which is a social phenomenon, is equally understood throughout the world and may have features in different linguistic cultures. The paper highlights the main functions of culture – epistemological, communicative, value, normative, etc., which indicates its complexity and diversity. Each nation and ethnic group reveal these functions in different ways. Culture, as a voluminous and meaningful concept, is a system of values, norms and rules of behavior. In this system, a special place is occupied by the culture of speech, which, in turn, has such characteristics as correctness, communicative expediency, clarity, accuracy, accessibility, logic, purity, expressiveness, aesthetics, relevance. All these qualities of speech culture also have a national imprint and include such elements as the values of morality, ethics, relationships, belonging to a faith, religion, social group, etc. This understanding allows you to develop a learning path in consideration of the cultural meaning or meaning that is embedded in the language, rules, norms, and beliefs. Based on a number of terms identified during the analysis of the content of General language disciplines of the University system, this article suggests ways to develop speech culture in the context of the formation of intercultural competence. "

Factor Structure Specificity of Intercultural Competence Among International Relations Students: A Gender Perspective

Introduction. This study focuses on intercultural competence of students of international relations and aims to determine the characteristics of intercultural competence in the group of Russian male and female students of international relations. Methods. The ideas of the Council of Europe document on key competencies underlying the culture of democracy were the source material for the study of intercultural competence. We interviewed 54 students of international relations aged 17–23 years using the technique of M. Barrett who operationalized this conceptual model of the Council of Europe. This paper represents a first effort in comparing the factor structure of theoretical and empirical models of Russian respondents’ intercultural competence (taking into account their gender) in relation to their values, behavioral attitudes, practical skills, and knowledge necessary for intercultural interaction. Results. The study involving Russian respondents confirmed the hypothesis that there are no differences in the number of factors in the theoretical and empirical models of intercultural competence. In the group of Russian female students the rating of factors of intercultural competence was as follows: 1 – practical skills, 2 – tolerance, 3 – empathy, and 4 – civic consciousness. In the group of Russian male students the rating of factors of intercultural competence was as follows: 1 – respect and responsibility, 2 – adaptability, 3 – empathy, and 4 – tolerance. Discussion. The findings obtained from the Russian sample suggest that while maintaining the four-factor structure in the theoretical and empirical models of intercultural competence, the content of factors differs significantly from the theoretical model. In our research, the respondents showed semantic and instrumental diversity in the components of intercultural competence. Women associate the success of intercultural interaction with skills, self-education, skills for listening and understanding, willingness to cooperate, and tolerance. For men, the success of intercultural interaction depends on respect and responsibility, adaptability, knowledge and its critical understanding. The conceptual model for the development of intercultural competence should be improved taking into account gender and professional characteristics of students and should be implemented in educational programs.

Transformation Features of the Content and Forms of Foreign Language Training of Future Teachers of Non-Philological Specialties in the Post-Soviet Period (1991–2018)

In the post-Soviet period, and especially during the last decade, there has been a steady increase in the status and role of English in the society, and its knowledge, especially as a means of international and intercultural communication, is becoming an important indicator of modern higher education, including pedagogical. Globalization of social processes, interstate integration into the educational and scientific space, access to international experience and knowledge system, the need for quality higher education have become the most important circumstances in favor of the popularity of English in modern Ukraine. Despite the large number of studies of teacher’s professional training, the historical and pedagogical discourse of the problem of foreign language training of future teachers of non-philological specialities remains relevant in today’s conditions. The article analyzes the process of transformation of ideological principles, organizational conditions and methods of foreign language training of future teachers of non-philological specialities in the post-Soviet period. It studies the main tendencies of teaching foreign languages in this period and proves that the problem of finding principles and methods of teaching foreign languages has been acute during this period. It has been found out that during this period, the priorities for the study of foreign languages in higher education pedagogical institutions have changed, although excessive theorizing of the educational process remains tangible. It has been revealed that foreign language training became professionally oriented, but continued to be mostly reduced to reading and translating foreign literature on the speciality. The article confirms that the goals of foreign language training also provided the partial development of the intercultural competence components of future teachers of non-philological specialities.

유아교사 상호문화역량의 구성요소에 관한 델파이 조사연구

유아교사 상호문화역량의 구성요소에 관한 델파이 조사연구

Особенности структурно-компонентного состава межкультурной компетенции студента-филолога

Особенности структурно-компонентного состава межкультурной компетенции студента-филолога