1. Teacher cognition about intercultural communicative competence (ICC): a comparative study of English-major and German-major pre-service teachers in China.
- Author
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Zhang, Xiao, Su, Xiaoli, and Lütge, Christiane
- Subjects
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COMMUNICATIVE competence , *COGNITION , *STUDENT teachers , *FOREIGN language education , *ENGLISH teachers , *GERMAN language teachers , *CULTURAL awareness , *LANGUAGE ability - Abstract
This study explored teacher cognition concerning intercultural communicative competence (ICC) among pre-service English and German teachers in China, a context influenced by a rising demand for English as a lingua franca and the increasing significance of the German language due to the 'Belt and Road' initiative. Data were gathered from undergraduate pre-service teachers of English (EnS) (n = 54) and German (GeS) (n = 89) using a questionnaire at a Chinese university. The findings revealed that: (1) EnS emphasised ICC-oriented knowledge, attitudes, and critical cultural awareness in their provided definitions of ICC, whereas GeS focused on German proficiency and target -culture-oriented knowledge; (2) EnS' length of studying English, abroad experience, and prior teaching experience exhibited varying correlations with their ICC beliefs, whereas only grade level and abroad experience were significantly related to GeS' cognition about ICC. This study contributes to the broader discourse on teachers teaching different languages and their perceptions of ICC amidst the global landscape shaped by the coexistence of multiple languages and cultures. It concludes by calling for further research examining teacher cognition and influential factors across diverse languages and educational contexts in the realm of ICC. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: This study investigates how pre-service teachers of English and German in China understand intercultural communicative competence (ICC). Guided by Byram's (1997, 2020) ICC model, which includes five dimensions – knowledge, skills of interpreting and relating, skills of discovery and interaction, attitudes, and critical cultural awareness – we explored the ICC relevant perceptions of pre-service language teachers. Specifically, we surveyed university students training to be teachers of English and German to see how they define ICC, how their views differ, and how their experiences (such as the length of time studying the language, spending time abroad, and prior teaching experience) influence their understanding of ICC. Our findings revealed that English-major students (EnS) emphasised the importance of ICC-oriented knowledge, attitudes, and critical cultural awareness. In contrast, German-major students (GeS) focused more on German language proficiency and specific cultural knowledge. For EnS, factors like the duration of studying English, experiences abroad, and prior teaching experience influenced their views on ICC. For GeS, only their grade level and experiences abroad had a significant impact on their ICC perceptions. This study highlights the importance of incorporating ICC elements into different foreign language teacher training programmes. Understanding these differences can help improve foreign language education and promote better intercultural understanding against the backdrop of multilingualism. The study also identifies areas for further research, such as exploring these issues with other foreign languages and in different educational settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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