Cover not available

Article published In: ITL - International Journal of Applied Linguistics
Vol. 151 (2006) ► pp.15–31

Get fulltext from our e-platform
JBE logo with link
PDF logo with download linkDownload PDF
authorization required

Foreign Language Teachers and Intercultural Competence Teaching. Are they in Favour or Against It? Results from an International Investigation

 | Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Published online: 1 January 2006
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.2143/ITL.151.0.2015220
Foreign language curricula now frequently require foreign language teachers to integrate intercultural competence teaching in foreign language education. This study's objective was to investigate whether and to what extent foreign language teachers support this new objective. To that aim, an international research design was developed, involving teachers in Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Mexico, Poland, Spain and Sweden.
Our findings suggest that the larger part of the teachers who participated in our study are clearly willing to teach intercultural communicative competence (icc) in their classrooms, but that this overall positive disposition is conditioned by a number of convictions regarding the best way to teach ICC. In addition, we found that, despite differences in national teaching circumstances, teachers in different countries share a number of these convictions.
References (33)
Barro, A., Jordan, S., & Roberts, C. (1998) . Cultural practice in everyday life: the language learner as ethnographer. In M. Byram & M. Fleming (Eds.) Language learning in intercultural perspective (pp. 76–97). Cambridge: CUP.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bennett, M. (1995) . Critical incidents in an intercultural conflict-resolution exercise. In S. Fowler & M. Mumford (Eds.) Intercultural sourcebook: Cross-cultural training methods. Volume 11 (pp. 147-156). Yarmouth: Intercultural Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Brislin, R.W., & Yoshida, T. (Eds.) (1994) . Improving intercultural interactions: Modules for cross-cultural training programs. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Byram, M. (1989) . Cultural studies in foreign language education. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Byram, M., & Fleming, M. (Eds.) (1998) . Language learning in intercultural perspective. Cambridge: CUP.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Byram, M., Nichols, A., & Stevens, D. (Eds.) (2001) . Intercultural competence in practice. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Byram, M., & Zarate, G. (1997) . Defining and assessing intercultural competence: Some principles and proposals for the European context. Language Teaching, 291, 239-243.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Canale, M., & Swain, M. (1980) . Theoretical bases of communicative approaches to second language teaching and testing. Applied Linguistics, 11, 1-47.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Castro, P., & Sercu, L. (2005) . Objectives of foreign language education and culture teaching time. In L. Sercu et al., Foreign language teachers and intercultural competence: An international investigation (pp. 19-39). Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Dant, W. (1995) . Using critical incidents as a tool for reflection. In S. Fowler & M. Mumford (Eds.) Intercultural sourcebook: Cross-cultural training methods. Volume1 11 (pp. 141-146). Yarmouth: Intercultural PressGoogle Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Davcheva, L., & Docheva, Y. (1998) . Branching out. A cultural studies syllabus. Sofia: British Council.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Giroux, H.A. (1992) . Border crossings - Cultural workers and politics of education. New York: Routledge.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gottlieb Berney, M. (1999) . Field studies: Individual and group trips, expeditions and hunts. In S. Fowler & M. Mumford (Eds.) Intercultural sourcebook: cross-cultural training methods. Volume 21 (pp. 175-184). Yarmouth: Intercultural Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gudykunst, W.B. et al. (1996) . Designing intercultural trainings. In D. Landis & R.S. Shaga! (Eds.) Handbook of intercultural training (pp. 61-80). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hall, S. (1990) . Cultural identity and diaspora. In J. Rutherford (Ed.) Identity: community, culture. difference (pp. 222-237). London: Lawrence and Wishart.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hammersley, M., & Atkinson, P. (1995) . Ethnography: principles in practice (2nd ed.). London Routledge.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hannerz, U. (1992) . Cultural complexity. Studies in the social organization of meaning. New York: Columbia University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Henderson, C. (2002) . Faculty conceptions about the teaching and learning of problem solving in introductory calculus-based physics. PhD Thesis, University of Minnesota.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Knapp-Potthoff, A., & Liedke, M. (Eds.) (1997) . Aspekte interkultureller Kommunikationsfahigkeit Munich: ludicium.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Knowles, J.G., & Holl-Reynolds, D. (1991) . Shaping pedagogies through personal histories in preservice teacher education. Teachers College Record, 931 (11), 87-113.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kramsch, C. (1993) . Context and culture in language teaching. New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Morgan, C., & Cain, A. (2000) . Foreign language and culture learning from a dialogic perspective. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Nespor, J. (1987) . The role of beliefs in the practice of teaching. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 191 (41), 317-332.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Paige, R.M., & Martin, J.N. (1996) . Ethics in intercultural training. In D. Landis & R. S. Bhagat (Eds.) Handbook of intercultural training (Second ed., pp. 35-60). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Pajares, F. (1992) . Teachers' beliefs and educational research: Cleaning up a messy construct. Review of Educational Research, 621 (31), 307-332.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Risager, K. (1998) Language teaching and the process of European integration. In M. Byram & M. Fleming (Eds.) Language learning in intercultural perspective. Approaches through drama and ethnography (pp. 242-254) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Roberts, C. (1995) . Language and cultural learning. An ethnographic approach. In A. AarupJensen, K. Jaeger & A. Lorentsen (Eds.) Intercultural competence. A new challenge for language teachers and trainers in Europe. Volume II1: The adult learner (pp. 89-99). Aalborg: Aalborg University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Savignon, S.J. (1972) . Communicative competence. An experiment in foreign language teaching. Philadelphia: Center for Curriculum Development.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Sercu, L. (2000) . Acquiring intercultural communicative competence from textbooks. The case of Flemish adolescents learning German. Leuven: Leuven University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(2002) . Autonomous learning and the acquisition of intercultural communicative competence: Some implications for course development. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 15(1),61-74.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(2004) Researching the acquisition of intercultural communicative competence in a foreign language. Setting the agenda for a research area. In K. van Esch & O. St. John (Eds.) New insights into foreign language learning and teaching (pp. 131-156). Frankfurt am Main: Peter lang.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
et al.. (2005) . Foreign language leachers and intercultural competence: An international investigation. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Wight, A. (1995) . The critical incident as a training tool. In S. Fowler & M. Mumford (Eds.) Intercultural sourcebook: Cross-cultural training methods. Volume 11 (pp. 127-140).Yarmouth: Intercultural Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cited by (3)

Cited by three other publications

Buckingham, Lyndsay R.
2023. Planning for Effective Co-teaching with a Foreign Language Assistant in the Pre-primary CLIL Classroom. In Handbook of CLIL in Pre-primary Education [Springer International Handbooks of Education, ], ► pp. 403 ff. DOI logo
Nguyen, Hong-Thu Thi
2023. LMS-based integrated online assessment implementation at the university to foster learning motivation and academic performance. Interactive Learning Environments ► pp. 1 ff. DOI logo
KANİ, Zeynep Gülşah & Seda YILMAZTÜRK
2021. A critical inquiry into in-service EFL teachers’ intercultural self-efficacy beliefs and experiences. RumeliDE Dil ve Edebiyat Araştırmaları Dergisi :23 ► pp. 875 ff. DOI logo

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 12 november 2025. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.

Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue