A comparative study of two university English language classrooms, an ESL classroom in the U.S. vs. an EFL classroom in Korea: A focus on the development of intercultural communicative competence

초록

In a globalized world where increasing opportunities for intercultural communication and interaction are frequent, English now acts as a significant medium for communicating with other peoples and cultures. Nowadays, English language learners need to be equipped with intercultural competence to successfully communicate with people from other cultures (Lochtman & Kappel, 2008), and therefore, assisting the development of students’ intercultural competence is a major goal in language education (Pegrum, 2008). This study conducted a comparison of two university English language classrooms, an ESL class in the U.S. and an EFL class in Korea, to examine current classroom practices for developing intercultural competence and to invesigate teachers’ recognition of the need and their preparation for class. Qualitative research was employed to obtain data through document analysis, participant observation, and semi-structured interviews in order to gain an in-depth understanding of classroom practice. The study identified some problems and challenges facing the current university EFL classroom in Korea and offered directions and suggestions for improvement of English language programs.

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