Integrating intercultural competence into language learning through technology

Abstract

Culture has long been seen as a fundamental component of language learning.While its importance is universally recognized, there is no consensus on what the term encompasses, how culture should be integrated into language instruction, or on what role technology can and should play in that process.In this column, we will be looking at the latter issue, at the ways in which technology can support teachers and learners as they seek to understand language through culture and culture through language.In particular, we will look at the growing interest in moving beyond traditional representations of culture in the classroom (i.e., the cultural products and traditions of the target language) to the concept of intercultural communication competence (ICC), defined by Alvino Fantini as "the complex of abilities needed to perform effectively and appropriately when interacting with others who are linguistically and culturally different from oneself" (2005, p. 1).In addition to looking at the most common approach to providing intercultural experience and learning to students-through telecollaboration-we will also look at new opportunities afforded by technological change.This will include some discussion of assessment options. WHAT'S MEANT BY INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION COMPETENCE?For some time now, there has been a recognition that in language instruction culture-specific learningfocused on one particular culture-needs to be supplemented by culture-general learning: the ability to interact effectively with individuals from different cultures in a variety of contexts.What is usually referred to as intercultural communication competence was defined by Byram (1997) as a series of five savoirs (knowledge-abilities), as summarized by Schenker (2012): "knowledge of self and other, attitudes of openness and curiosity, skills of interpreting and relating, skills of discovery and interaction, and critical cultural awareness" (p.450).The need for this kind of competence in language learning has been highlighted by its inclusion in national standards for the United States (the ACTFL Guidelines) and Europe (the Common European Framework for Languages).Despite these official endorsements, it's not the case that ICC has become a fixed and universally accepted component of instructed language learning.This is certainly the case in the United States, the context which is most familiar to me.I believe the situation at my home institution, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), is typical of much of American higher education.Intercultural communication competence is taught as the exclusive focus or as a major topic in courses in teacher education, mass communications, management, anthropology, international studies, social psychology, and the health sciences.Absent from this list is language instruction, although a separate course I teach on cross-cultural communication is a requirement for language majors at VCU.Nevertheless, the vast majority of students learning a language at VCU do not enroll in my course, so any specific ICC content will come from other courses or through first or second year language classes.Elements of intercultural dynamics do arise typically in these language classes, but in an incidental rather than systematic way, and these are mostly restricted to the culture of the target language.If one were to ask a language teacher about the absence of ICC in basic language instruction, the likely response would be that it's a important topic, but it's just not possible to find the time to include it.Part of

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