Intercultural Communication

Summary of The World of English There are many varieties of English. There are now many fluent non-native speakers of English. Learners are most likely to interact with non-native speakers Comprehensibility is more important than fluency or accuracy

Intercultural Communication Nowadays intercultural communication cannot be avoided. An essential skill of the 21st century is to be able to interact with people from various cultures other than your own. English currently provides one of the major medians of interaction. (English as a lingua franca)

Misunderstandings/ Miscommunication

Discussion Think about a time you had difficulty communicating with someone from another culture (misunderstanding, couldn’t understand what they were saying, other). What are some of the factors that cause intercultural communication problems? With your group write down as many reasons as you can think of. (i.e. pronunciation)

Watch the videos and consider... What are the cultural differences? Why did the misunderstandings happen? How can we avoid misunderstandings like this?

Discussion What is intercultural English competence? What is intercultural English incompetence?

Intercultural English Competence Having the knowledge, attitudes, awareness and skills to communicate effectively in English with cultures other than your own. Being able to make yourself comprehensible in international settings.

Intercultural Incompetence A complete lack of the knowledge, attitude, awareness and skills to communicate effectively with cultures other than your own. Not being able to make yourself comprehensible in international settings.

Key Concepts in ICC Developing intercultural competence Removing intercultural incompetence

Target Selection Probability of interaction

Verbal & Non-Verbal Factors

Non-verbal Communication In a normal conversation between two persons, less than 35% of the social meanings is actually transmitted by words. (Edward T. Hall) So, at least 65% of it is conveyed through the body (non-verbal channel).

Non-verbal Differences

Non-verbal Differences Behavior Gestures Personal space Physical contact Eye contact Customs Taboos

Non-verbal quiz

a. Men holding hands is considered a sign of friendship. In Thailand… a. Men holding hands is considered a sign of friendship. a. it is common to see men walking along holding hands. b. it is common to see a man and a woman holding hands in public. c. it is rude for men and women to walk together. d. men and women traditionally kiss each other on meeting in the street. Public displays of affection between men and women, however, are unacceptable.

What does the color yellow mean in China? Ex. yellow book C. The word yellow often refers to adult content in China . a. Good luck b. Bad Luck c. Adult Content (18+) d. Happiness

When a taxi driver shakes his head from side to side, it probably means.. c. This is the Indian way of saying “yes.” a. he thinks your price is too high. b. he isn’t going in your direction. c. he will take you where you want to go. d. he doesn’t understand what you’re asking. It can also express general agreement with what you’re saying or suggest that an individual is interested in what you have to say.

Which is NOT banned in Singapore? a. Spitting b. Littering c. Gum d. Lighters D. Lighters are not banned in Singapore unless they look like a weapon.

Verbal Differences

Considering Verbal Differences Understanding and accepting varieties of English Linguistic Speed Pronunciation Intonation Word choice Expressions Word meanings Grammatical constructions Directness

Filters of Understanding L1 Influence Experience Influence Cultural Influence What is understood

Words and Meaning What people say and what they mean may differ depending on who you are talking to.

Difference in intended meaning I can’t believe it! Shut up! Shut up! Wow! Be quiet Shut up! 닥쳐 Shut up!

What people understand may differ depending on who you are talking to. Words and Meaning What people understand may differ depending on who you are talking to.

닥쳐? Shut up! Wow! I am getting married!

Words and Meaning Cultures and languages that are more similar will tend to have similar meanings.

Wow! 닥쳐 How was your date? Crazy!

Many things happened… 닥쳐 How was your date? Crazy!

Advice for Intercultural Communication Try to understand the speaker’s background/ point of view Keep it short and simple Don’t use idioms, slang or abstract language Show and demonstrate by using examples ,illustrations, gestures etc. Monitor face and body language Pause a lot and check if they understand Repeat as necessary Ask for clarity (Don’t jump to your own conclusions) M. Kovyazina Comparative Culturology Lectures, Tyumen State University, 2004-2009

Comprehensibility

Real life examples The test was a piece of cake. I like.. Totally didn’t like the movie.. It was like.. Totally boring. I met my professor today and I feel that he is overly pedantic and will exasperate the students.

Comprehensibility practice

Describe & Draw

Listen & Write + Jigsaw Reporting

Promoting ICC in the Classroom Address your students prejudices about good English speakers. Remove the prejudice that “Native-like” is best. Foster understanding and acceptance of different world values and beliefs (Not only ‘Inner Circle’ countries!) Use international characters to promote intercultural interactions. (e.g. dialogue, pictures) Expose students to different linguistic varieties.

Reflection What are some of the most important points that you have learned in the past 2 weeks about the context of teaching English speaking and listening today? 1 2 3 Has this impacted you as a teacher/ learner? why or why not? Are there any questions or things you are unclear still?