KIEU VAN LE (VAN HIEN UNIVERSITY)

EXPLORING TEACHERS’ & STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS AND PRACTICES OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE IN ELT AT TERTIARY LEVEL : INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION AND GLOBAL COMPETENCIES

In recent years, there has been a burgeoning interest in the cultural facet of English as a foreign language education. Presently, educators are tasked with fostering the acquisition of Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) in their pupils. This inquiry offers a concise overview of ICC theories in the context of foreign language pedagogy and learning. The objective of this study is to delve into the perceptions and practices of teachers and students, assessing their efficacy in augmenting cultural consciousness, and appraising the impact of intercultural education on their dispositions and overall linguistic proficiency within the EFL teaching environments at Van Hien University. To achieve this, the study will employ a mixed-method design. The participants will encompass four Vietnamese educators, two native instructors, and two classes comprising 60 pre-intermediate language learners in the Faculty of Foreign Languages, VHU. Data will be garnered through qualitative teacher interviews and a student survey using Google Forms. Quantitative data will be analyzed using SPSS, while qualitative data will be subjected to content analysis. The findings revealed that practices in intercultural competence foster positive attitudes towards diverse cultures among learners, heighten their enthusiasm for English acquisition, and bolster their confidence. However, both instructors and students acknowledge the significance of ICC in language learning, recognizing its role in surmounting cultural barriers when engaging with individuals from disparate societies. This study also advocates for the imperative need for language educators to receive comprehensive training and support in the cultivation of ICC, while ensuring that students are afforded ample opportunities to employ their intercultural communicative abilities in their language acquisition endeavors.

LE, Thi Kieu Van, PhD is a currently senior lecturer and a Dean of the Faculty of Foreign Languages at Van Hien University, Vietnam. . Her research interests focus on issues in the areas of developing language skills, syllabus design especially ESP courses, and cognitive linguistics. She has already published textbooks and articles in applied linguistics and also presented at various international conferences.