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Cultivating Intercultural Communicative Competence Through Interculturally-Laden Tasks: A Qualitative Inquiry.

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 PhD candidate in TEFL, Maragheh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Maragheh, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, English Department, Maragheh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Maragheh, Iran, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1465-908X

3 English Department, Maragheh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Maragheh, Iran

Abstract

Adopting a qualitative design, the current study explored the usefulness of interculturally-laden tasks and intercultural training in improving the Iranian English learners’ intercultural competency in Anzali, Guilan province, Iran. To this objective, a group of 25 intermediate levels whose ages ranged from 21 to 30 participated in the study. The participants were required, initially, to complete seven intercultural tasks to assess their current level of intercultural competence. Then, they attended in eighteen sessions of intercultural training using Mirror and Window: an intercultural textbook and then completed the same seven intercultural tasks one again at the end of the course. Anchored in Byram's (1997) ICC theory, five components of the learners’ ICC enhancement, namely Savoir Comprendre, Savoire Etre, Savoire S’engager, Savoirs, and Savoire Apprendre / Faire were investigated throughout an intercultural training course. Two major sources of data were intercultural tasks, which were written by the participants per week as part of their assignments, focused-group interviews and self-report evaluation survey conducted at the end of the course to elicit the views they harbor toward the course. Drawing on the qualitative content analysis, findings indicated that interculturally-laden tasks could help the participants enhance their intercultural competence. Meanwhile, the analysis of the focused-group interviews and self-report evaluation survey revealed that learners evaluated most aspects of the tasks and textbook positively. Finally, the implications of the current study and suggestions for further research were discussed.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Article Title [Persian]

پرورش توانش بینا فرهنگی از طریق فعالیتهای بینا فرهنگی: یک تحقیق کیفی.

Authors [Persian]

  • سیده زهرا اسماعیلی 1
  • دکتر داود کوهی 2
  • دکتر ثریا بهروزی زاد 3

1 دانشجوی دکتری آموزش زبان انگلیسی، واحد مراغه ، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی ، مراغه ، ایران

2 استادیار آموزش زبان انگلیسی، گروه زبان انگلیسی، دانشگاه آزاد واحد مراغه، مراغه، ایران

3 استادیار آموزش زبان انگلیسی، گروه زبان انگلیسی، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد مراغه، مراغه، ایران

Abstract [Persian]

مطالعه حاضر با اتخاذ روش تحقیق کیفی، سودمندی فعالیتهای بین فرهنگی و آموزش بین فرهنگی را در بهبود مهارتهای بین فرهنگی زبان­آموزان ایرانی انگلیسی در انزلی، استان گیلان، بررسی کرد. بدین منظور یک گروه 25 نفری با سطح مهارت متوسط ​​که محدوده سنی آنها بین 21 تا 30 سال بود، دراین مطالعه شرکت کردند. شرکت­کنندگان در ابتدا ملزم به انجام هفت فعالیت بین­فرهنگی برای ارزیابی سطح فعلی مهارت بین­فرهنگی خود بودند. سپس آنها در هجده جلسه آموزش بین­فرهنگی با استفاده از کتاب «آیینه و پنجره» (یک کتاب درسی بین­فرهنگی) شرکت کردند و بعد از آن همان هفت فعالیت بین­فرهنگی را یک بار دیگر در پایان دوره تکمیل کردند. پنج مولفه اصلی تئوری توانش ارتباطی بینافرهنگی بایرام (1997)، در طول دوره آموزشی میان­فرهنگی مورد بررسی قرار گرفت. دو منبع اصلی جمع آوری داده­ها، فعالیتهای نوشتاری که هر هفته توسط شاگردان نوشته می­شد و مصاحبه گروهی در پایان دوره جهت اخذ نظرات شرکت­کنندگان پیرامون دوره آموزشی بود. تحلیل محتوای متنی فعالیتهای نوشتاری این تحقیق بیانگر سودمندی فعالیتها و تمرینها بود که ممکن است به ارتقاء توانش میان­فرهنگی کمک کند. شایان ذکر است نتایج مصاحبه گروهی متمرکز و گزارش فردی نظرسنجی ارزیابی دوره آموزشی نشان داد که فراگیران بیشتر جنبه­های فعالیتها و کتاب آموزشی میان­فرهنگی را مثبت ارزیابی کردند. کاربردها و پیشنهادات برای تحقیقات بیشتر مورد بحث قرار گرفت.

Keywords [Persian]

  • توانش ارتباطی بین‌فرهنگی
  • آموزش بین‌فرهنگی
  • فعالیتهای بین‌فرهنگی
  • زبان‌آموزان ایرانی انگلیسی به عنوان زبان خارجی
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Journal of Applied Linguistics and Applied Literature: Dynamics and Advances
Volume 10, Issue 2
October 2022
Pages 183-209
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  • Receive Date: 19 January 2022
  • Revise Date: 05 June 2022
  • Accept Date: 25 September 2022
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