Fostering Intercultural Communication Competence in Diverse Classrooms

Intercultural diversity in today's classrooms has become a norm due to globalization. To acquire intercultural skills, students need equal opportunities to practice and showcase their skills. Teachers should develop perspectives necessary to teach effectively in culturally diversified classrooms by promoting diversity as an asset. This can be done by integrating cultural perspectives into courses. Intercultural communication is crucial for equality and equity both in the classroom and society. Educators who recognize the capability of culture to reduce marginalization, develop skills to teach through their own perspective, improving learners' academic achievement and creating accepting classrooms.

Running head: INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
Intercultural Communication
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

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Executive summary
The purpose of this report is to analyze the lessons regarding intercultural competences
within the classrooms and what could possibly be the best strategies taken by the teachers to
enrich the knowledge of cultural diversities among thee learners. In today’s globalized world,
skills like intercultural communication is very important for a person to develop a cordial
relationship with all the members of a society, and lack of this skill may harm the person as
he or she may get exposed to the hazards of misunderstanding or misinterpretation of words
due to cultural diversities.

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Table of Contents
Research outline.........................................................................................................................3
Literature review........................................................................................................................4
Learner’s reactions.....................................................................................................................5
Results and analysis...................................................................................................................5
Comparison method...............................................................................................................5
Cultural assimilation..............................................................................................................6
Cultural capsule......................................................................................................................6
Cultural Island........................................................................................................................7
Reformulation........................................................................................................................7
Prediction...............................................................................................................................8
TPR technique........................................................................................................................8
Role play................................................................................................................................9
Treasure hunt..........................................................................................................................9
Teachers expressing Intercultural skills...................................................................................10
Written expression...................................................................................................................10
References................................................................................................................................12
Appendices...............................................................................................................................14
Interview of few students.....................................................................................................14

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Research outline
In today’s world, English undoubtedly is the most widespread language that has been
accepted globally. It is seen that starting from the time of colonization and continuing with
the recent political and economic power of United States America, there have been various
purposes globally like, education, tourism, science and commerce. It is a matter of fact that
people from various regions of the world intends to learn English as a tool to reach up to their
various aims of life. An important question in this case rises, that is whether teaching culture
along with the language would be more beneficiary or not. In this report a thorough analysis
on the teaching of English language focusing on the intercultural communication is done,
specially highlighting the factors like what could possibly be the student’s reaction towards
cultural communication and the strategies regarding intercultural communication and how the
teachers displayed intercultural communication skills in the classroom. In this report it is
shown how the teachers teach the learners about intercultural communication and how they
promote the presence of cultural diversities inside the classrooms for the benefit of the
students and as well as for the society. As lack of these skills would make the society suffer
the most, and it is proven that increased intercultural skills actually benefits the society and
boosts the economic condition of the society.
In this age of Globalization, intercultural communication is a very important aspect in
today’s globalized world as there might be various kinds of prejudices, discriminations and
misunderstanding between individuals due to lack of intercultural communication
competences. Intercultural communication competences in English language education
allows the learner to communicate with success with all the representatives of the specifically
target language cultures. It is a matter of fact that to acquire intercultural communicative

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competence is a bit complex, as it includes a new approach that is generally not found in
various language teaching lessons. Apart from that, many teachers find it hard to recognize
themselves with this approach and pertain intercultural aspects of the targeted language.
Though all the credentials emphasize the importance of the development of intercultural
communicative competence for thee learners. The recommendations are in most cases general
and they do not provide specified guidance for the teachers. That leads the teachers to be
confused and various questions on the learning materials, techniques also rises. Apart from
this Intercultural communicative competence next to vocabulary or grammar are less concrete
and harder to comprehend. On the other hand, intercultural communicative competences are
much needed in day-to-day life. The conventional classrooms provide methodical
presentation and knowledge acquisition and various skills that the learner get under the
guidance of the teachers, but the real problem in this case is that this method offers very less
chance for the students to develop skills to interact in real life situation. The fundamental goal
of acquiring intercultural communicative competence is to prepare the students to interact
successfully in real life situation in a foreign language.
Literature review
There are a variety of techniques for teaching the cultural aspects those are discussed
in this report and some examples of these actions are also briefly discussed. It is seen that
intercultural communicative competence can be achieved practically, just like the learner gain
phonological accuracy, syntactic or morphology by practicing more. The daily conversational
topics must be regarding daily tasks those sheds light on the identity, differences and
similarities in comparable forms or patterns of various cultures. Vigorous researches show
that in most cases, the teachers teach the socio-cultural aspects and pay lesser attention to
pragmatic ad sociolinguistic competences and non-verbal communication which are very

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important in this case (Lin 2012). In most cases, only the decent aspects of target culture are
presented in the classroom that creates somehow an unrealistic scenario inside the classroom
that affects the learner’s perceptions. Thus it is a matter of fact that realistic, contemporary,
accurate and factual information must be produced to the learners.
Learner’s reactions
After a thorough research on the learner’s reactions in the classrooms where they are
taught about intercultural communicative competencies it has been explored that, there are a
strong connection between the intercultural communication and English language instruction.
It is seen that the participants of such courses show desire and willingness to incorporate
intercultural communication into their teaching (Lin 2012). These intercultural teachings
promise to be a foil for pragmatic instructions, aiming to improve the learning and teaching
of English language.
Results and analysis
In this section of this report various strategies for acquiring intercultural competence
is discussed.
Comparison method
Comparison method is one of the most accepted methods used for teaching cultures.
This strategy highlights discussing the basic differences between the native and target
cultures (Penbek, Yurdakul Şahin and Cerit, 2012). In this method not only the features of
various cultures, but also those, within a single culture must be compared, as it is a matter of
fact that cultures never remain static, they are ever changing and indifferent generations
interpret things differently (Lin 2012). This strategy can be used for developing the socio-
cultural knowledge, pragmatic and non-verbal and socio-lingual competences. The topic of

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school is very familiar as an example within primary and secondary level pupils, that
includes, school routine, subjects, cloths to wear, school buildings, homework, way of
behavior and many more. These pupils are shown a video on a typical British school day,
which is also available on YouTube, and suitable subtitle is provided for better earning
(Sharifian and Jamarani 2013). This video projects a traditional school day of an eleven
years old child which offers socio-cultural knowledge and also socio-lingual and pragmatic
phrases and non-verbal communication. In his method, pupils can with ease compare and
discuss typical British and Slovak school days and decide the merits and demerits for each
type of school’s system.
Cultural assimilation
Along with the technique of cultural assimilation the students are presented with vital
incidents, which can possibly be misunderstood (Penbek, Yurdakul Şahin and Cerit, 2012).
The learners are offered numerous possibilities from which they need to choose one that they
think is correct. The non-verbal greetings are in all probability the most common examples of
misunderstandings. For an example, kissing on the cheeks is a form of greeting universally,
but kissing on the cheeks are of four different kinds as per various cultures. The learners are
thus allowed to decide which kind of kiss is most suited according to their cultures. The
teachers must explain that all types of kisses are actually valid and the learners should know
that the types of the kises vary from one culture to another. As in UK people kiss one time
and in countries like Spain, Croatia they kiss two times as casual greeting purpose (Penbek,
Yurdakul Şahin and Cerit, 2012).
Cultural capsule
This technique demonstrates that, a custom can be different in two different cultures.
It can also be accompanied by some visual aids to show the differences and a questionnaire
for the purpose of class discussion (Lin 2012). The following activity practices the

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knowledge regarding socio-cultural, socio-linguistics and pragmatic competences. For an
example, it can be said that the issue of the mail meal of the day can be taken. It is seen that
in Slovakia, the main meal of the day refers to the hot lunch that consists a soup, a main
course and in Uk the evening dinner is a popular important meal and that consists a main
course with a pudding. For further knowledge pictures of different meals can be provided to
the students, so that the learners can discuss the merits and demerits of the both types of
meals. The socio-linguistic and pragmatic phrases related to the eating habits must also be
compared.
Cultural Island
Cultural island can be a very effective technique and it is continuously in the
subconscious level effects the learners. The contemporary pictures and posters of actors,
vocalists, movies, authors and famous places must be put on the walls in the classrooms,
aiming to attract the learner’s attention and evoke comments on them and maintaining a
cultural ambience within the classroom (Penbek, Yurdakul Şahin and Cerit, 2012). This
technique primarily focuses on the socio-cultural knowledge of the students. I most of the
classrooms grammar charts, pictures related to other languages and vocabulary posters should
be present, which if not attract the students must be replaced by eye-catching popular posters
and pictures related to socio-cultural knowledge (Lin 2012).
Reformulation
Reformulation can be said is a retelling of a story to a associate in own words.
Noticing refers to paying attention to the specific feature. These both techniques can be
applied to the previously discussed video regarding the British school days. Pupils can retell
portions of the story through which they can master speaking and that would enhance their
socio-cultural knowledge. Noticing is a very effective technique and by this technique the
learners look for some specific features which are connected to the topic (Ihtiyar and Ahmad

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2015). For an example, the differences between the Slovak and British schools, or the
number of times the word please are used and many more. Thus, Reformulation and noticing
can be used for practicing the socio-cultural knowledge, pragmatic non-verbal competence
and socio-lingual competence.
Prediction
Method of prediction employ the learners actively by predicting a half told story by
guessing the content of the story or article based on the headlines or a few lines of
information (Ihtiyar and Ahmad 2015). This may evoke a sense of curiosity among the
learners and interest to talk emerges, and whether their predictions were right or wrong does
not matter. In this case, for an example, it can be said that, there is a headline stating Brad
Pitt, Angelina Jolie adopts again, and the learners would have to predict what the article is
about by just guessing by the headlines. The topic adoption might be discussed in a deeper
way and various cultural views can be compared. This type of activity is further suitable for
the advanced and matured earners and it can practice socio-cultural knowledge along with the
system of values (Holmes and O’Neill 2012).
TPR technique
TPR technique was designed to respond to the oral commands to take action out
cultural experiences. TPR is very popular among the mall children who love to act out
stories, grammar structures and songs. TPR in cultural teaching is mostly suited for the non-
verbal communications and it might also be used with various age groups (Hua 2013). The
learners need to acknowledge by various gestures, practice and their meanings in various
cultures. Apt examples, in this sector can be said that kissing on the cheek, a handshake or
nodding head. These actions bear different meanings in various cultures. A student acts out
different gestures and the other students categorize it to the cultures where that gesture would
be appropriate or inappropriate.

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Role play
Role play is a very important technique practicing socio-linguistic and pragmatic
phrases, non-verbal communication and socio-cultural knowledge (Foncha and
Sivasubramaniam 2014). For an example, it can be said that, students may practice situations
in public places like restaurants, shops, or even in a bus stop and many more places. The role
play technique offers the most possible opportunities to the learners to practice real life
situations which are very essential for intercultural communication. Role play technique is
suitable for all the levels of language proficiency and age groups.
Treasure hunt
Treasure hunt includes searching for some specified items in advance, for an example
it can be said that, people, events, dates in a news or magazine article (Chen 2012). Research
can be attributed as most dominant learning tool that combines learning and interests.
Learners are told to research any aspects of the target culture that interests them, submit the
projects and also create and show some posters. Drama is a technique where the students act
out short scenes of various misinterpretation and also clarification of the something that may
happen between two different cultures, and which is primarily caused by misunderstanding
the target culture. An effective technique for the development of the intercultural perspective
is the usage of personal diaries, portfolio and journals (Byram, Holmes and Savvides 2013).
The students should make notes with their personal understanding of intercultural elements
and describe encounters with someone in unfamiliar language, experiences from foreign
nations and many more. The learners can look back at the development of their intercultural
communicative competence, and the majority of the EFL activities like games, field trips and
songs might be adapted for teaching of cultures.

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Teachers expressing Intercultural skills
As administrators are responsible for encouraging and supporting the efforts made by
the learners to make sure that all the students are getting equal opportunity to showcase their
intercultural skills and practicing more they would acquire the necessary skills (Bou‐Franch
2012). Due to globalization diversity increases and becomes a norm within the classrooms
and the administrator must act as a support system for the students to acquire this necessary
skill. A positive attitude to diversification sets the stage for the teachers to develop the
perspective necessary to teach effectively in culturally diversified classrooms. The
administrators can promote diversity as an asset and that would encourage the teacher to take
advantage of the opportunities that diversity offers (Barrett, Huber and Reynolds 2014). The
teachers get offered opportunities to integrate cultural perspective into the set of courses. The
teachers who acknowledge the intercultural communication is crucial in the society,
recognize the significant role teachers play in making sure the equality and equity both in the
classroom an in the society. It is a matter of fact that culturally perceptive educators
recognize the capability of culture to reduce marginalization. The teachers who look at the
world through an intercultural point of view, they develop the skills to teach through the
focus of his own perspective and that would improve the learner’s academic achievement and
also create accepting and safe classrooms where cultural diversity is present and it is seen as
an asset (Asante 2013).
Written expression
Thus to conclude, it can be said that maintaining an intercultural diversity is an
essential thing in today’s world and the teachers should contribute extra efforts to teach thee
learners about intercultural communicative competence for the benefit of the learners and as
well as the society. It is a matter of fact that due to lack of intercultural communicating skills

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various problems rises such as misunderstanding or many grave issues, but those can be dealt
with proper teaching about intercultural communicative competence. Thus, it can be said that
intercultural communication is very important in today’s world.

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References
Asante, M.K., 2013. The global intercultural communication reader. Routledge.
Barrett, M.D., Huber, J. and Reynolds, C., 2014. Developing intercultural competence
through education. Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publishing.
Bennett, M., 2013. Basic concepts of intercultural communication: Paradigms, principles,
and practices. Hachette UK.
Bou‐Franch, P., 2012. Pragmatic transfer. The Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics.
Byram, M., Holmes, P. and Savvides, N., 2013. Intercultural communicative competence in
foreign language education: Questions of theory, practice and research. The Language
Learning Journal, 41(3), pp.251-253.
Chen, G.M., 2012. The impact of new media on intercultural communication in global
context.
Chen, L. ed., 2017. Intercultural communication (Vol. 9). Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co
KG.
Foncha, J.W. and Sivasubramaniam, S., 2014. The links between intercultural
communication competence and identity construction in the University of Western Cape
(UWC) community. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 5(10), p.376.
Foncha, J.W., 2012. A selective investigation of the University of the Western Cape‘s
students and teachers attempts at intercultural communication: exploring the connections
between intercultural communication competence and identity construction.
Han, Y., 2013. Research on fostering intercultural communication competence of foreign
language learners. Cross-Cultural Communication, 9(1), p.5.
Holmes, P. and O’Neill, G., 2012. Developing and evaluating intercultural competence:
Ethnographies of intercultural encounters. International Journal of Intercultural
Relations, 36(5), pp.707-718.
Hua, Z., 2013. Exploring intercultural communication: Language in action. Routledge.
Ihtiyar, A. and Ahmad, F.S., 2015. The role of intercultural communication competence on
service reliability and customer satisfaction. Journal of Economic and Social Studies, 5(1),
p.145.
Kramsch, C., 2013. Teaching culture and intercultural competence. Blackwell Publishing
Ltd.

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Lin, Y., 2012. Chinese International Students' Intercultural Communication Competence and
Intercultural Communication Apprehension in the USA(Doctoral dissertation, East Tennessee
State University).
Penbek, Ş., Yurdakul Şahin, D. and Cerit, A.G., 2012. Intercultural communication
competence: A study about the intercultural sensitivity of university students based on their
education and international experiences. International Journal of Logistics Systems and
Management, 11(2), pp.232-252.
Phipps, A., 2013. Intercultural ethics: Questions of methods in language and intercultural
communication. Language and Intercultural Communication, 13(1), pp.10-26.
Popa, B.M., 2012. The relationship between leadership effectiveness and organizational
performance. Journal of defense resources management, 3(1), p.123.
Sharifian, F. and Jamarani, M. eds., 2013. Language and intercultural communication in the
new era. Routledge.
Soria, K.M. and Troisi, J., 2014. Internationalization at home alternatives to study abroad:
Implications for students’ development of global, international, and intercultural
competencies. Journal of Studies in International Education, 18(3), pp.261-280.

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Appendices
Interview of few students
One of the students are South-east Asian, one is from African origin and another student is
from European ethnicity.
Q1. What are the good things having people in the classroom from different cultural
background?
Answer: We can learn various interesting things from one another and that is funny.
Q2. How various learning styles due to cultural differences do affects the educational
experiences?
Answer: Various methods of learning actually boosts our confidence level and that in general
enhances the quality of education.
Q3. How can individuals in educational context enhance their intercultural communication
skills?
Answer: In educational context various methods of teaching due to cultural differences
actually enhance the intercultural communication skills.
Q4. What do you do when you are hanging out or working with individuals from different
background? And do you like hanging out with him or her or do not?
Answers: while hanging out with learners from different ethnicities we did no feel like they
are different at all and they are nice people to hang out with.
Q5. What are the possible benefit and issues that may occur in a society or within a
classroom with increased cultural diversity?

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Answer: In a society with presence of cultural diversity it is good for the learning as various
things can be learned in the classroom with the presence of various cultures.
Q6. Do you people experience any conversation that kind of stereotypes people?
Answers: Stereotyping people is not very common in our institution and it can be said that we
are lucky that we do not have to face such unwanted conversations.
Q7. Do you people faced any kind of culture shock within the classroom?
Answers: It is a matter of fact that the way teachers help us learning various things regarding
cultures, we do not hav e to face culture shocks.