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Integration of Teaching and Assessing Intercultural Communicative Competence

  • Xiaole Gu

    The first author, Xiaole GU, is a PhD and an associate professor of applied linguistics at School of Foreign Languages, Harbin Institute of Technology, China. Her research interests include intercultural communication, pragmatics, and discourse analysis.

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    and Yuqin Zhao

    The corresponding author, Yuqin ZHAO, is a PhD and a professor of applied linguistics at School of Foreign Languages, Harbin Institute of Technology, China. Her research interests include intercultural communication, second language acquisition and academic discourse.

Published/Copyright: July 16, 2021
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Abstract

The launch of the Belt and Road Initiative in China calls for a paradigm shift in theory and practice of foreign language (FL) teaching from a communicative language teaching approach (CLT) to intercultural language teaching (ICLT), which treats intercultural communicative competence (ICC) as the core of FL education. Unfortunately, the College English Curriculum Requirements of China (CECR) does not specify the aspects for cultural teaching or assessment; nor does it provide any theoretical or practical guidance for teachers on how to teach or assess ICC. This leads to teachers’ confusion about what should be taught and assessed and how, hence to a deficiency in real actions. In this paper, we first outline the learning outcomes of ICLT-oriented courses, the ICC components which respectively fall into the categories of intercultural attitude, knowledge and skills. By presenting the pedagogical practice of a cultural literacy course, we also demonstrate how FL teachers can help learners achieve these learning outcomes through a five-stage instruction process. Finally, we discuss how these learning outcomes can be assessed using formative and summative assessment tools, especially how ICC components can be incorporated into a comprehensive test of FL.

About the authors

Xiaole Gu

The first author, Xiaole GU, is a PhD and an associate professor of applied linguistics at School of Foreign Languages, Harbin Institute of Technology, China. Her research interests include intercultural communication, pragmatics, and discourse analysis.

Yuqin Zhao

The corresponding author, Yuqin ZHAO, is a PhD and a professor of applied linguistics at School of Foreign Languages, Harbin Institute of Technology, China. Her research interests include intercultural communication, second language acquisition and academic discourse.

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Acknowledgments

This study is financially supported by Heilongjiang Key Project of Economic and Social Development (WY2017003-A), the “14th Five-Year Planning” Key project of Heilongjiang Educational Science (GJB1421043), Philosophy and Social Science Prosperity Project of Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT. HSS. 202128), Postgraduate Education Reform Project of Harbin Institute of Technology (21MS044), Postgraduate Education Reform Project of Harbin Institute of Technology (21MS047), and Teacher Development Project of Harbin Institute of Technology (XSZ2019078).

Published Online: 2021-07-16
Published in Print: 2021-06-25

© 2021 FLTRP, Walter de Gruyter, Cultural and Education Section British Embassy

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