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Assessing Intercultural Communicative Competence through EFL Students’ Writing: A Case Study in a College Language Class

Citation

Wu, C. (n.d.). Assessing Intercultural Communicative Competence through EFL Students’ Writing: A Case Study in a College Language Class. Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages. Retrieved March 2, 2018, from https://www.lttc.ntu.edu.tw/conference2015_ch/proceedings_papers/pdf/cp_14.pdf

Abstract

While much attention of intercultural communicative competence (ICC) has been paid by scholars (Byram, 2009), equally important is the consideration for assessing intercultural competence (Scarino, 2009). Intercultural communicative competence and related global learning outcomes of a college student are increasingly becoming a priority for a college and to assess. Yet, the way in which ICC can be assessed in a language curriculum remains a challenge for EFL teachers (Deardoff, 2011; Scarino, 2009). This study was based on students’ reflection from an Intercultural Communication I taught years ago. I argue that writing is an expression of students' lives and a way of expressing how students have perceived the social reality. Using Byram’s (2009) intercultural competence model and ACCU’s Intercultural Knowledgeand Competence Value Rubric, the study evaluates four EFL college learners’ intercultural communication competence through self-reflection on a critical intercultural incident. The study presents excerpts to indicate students’ various levels of critical awareness. The findings indicate that a critical intercultural speaker focused more on the values and beliefs hidden of a target culture than the visible cultural artifacts. Participants who did not study or travel abroad may develop their critical intercultural awareness through the interaction with foreigners in Taiwan. Suggestions are given for EFL teachers to develop rubrics to assess students’ ICC through writing