Applying an Intercultural Approach to Chinese College Language Teaching

Abstract

This thesis seeks to investigate how the integration of intercultural dimensions in an English as Foreign Language (EFL) syllabus can provide Chinese university students with opportunities to develop their intercultural communicative competence (ICC). It presents both theoretical and practical implications for constructing an ICC framework and intercultural methodology suitable for the EFL context in China.

An action research study was planned and carried out over a six-week Intercultural English Course (IEC) among multi-majored undergraduate students in China through an action research study. The qualitative data gathered provides evidence of the development of learners’ intercultural communicative competence (ICC) and highlights learning and teaching practices that were effective in enhancing students’ learning. The findings indicate that the teaching content and instructional methods contributed significantly to improvement in a number of key areas: cultural knowledge, strengthened positive attitudes toward other cultures, and enhanced intercultural communicative skills.

The theoretical conception of ICC represents a comprehensive set of criteria that provide both guidance and challenge. Application of such frameworks, past and future, ensures rigour in the design of intercultural language learning curricula and their associated learning objectives. This study argues that adoption of an ICC methodology together with use of relevant, contextualised content, will more effectively meet the needs of Chinese EFL learners. The intercultural approach arouses great curiosity amongst teachers and offers new perspectives for language learners. This study recommends the further development and implementation of contextualised ICC models that integrate culturally appropriate teaching materials and embrace creative student-centred learning strategies.