Enhancing Intercultural Communicative Competence
In partnership with NorQuest College and Bow Valley College, ATESL developed a set of instructional resources designed to provide instructors with support to teach intercultural communicative competence (ICC) in the ESL classroom. The project was generously funded by the Government of Alberta.
During late 2016 and early 2017, six workshops were held in Alberta, including three in Edmonton and three in Calgary. The hybrid workshops included an online component comprised of a set of background readings and guiding questions as well as a 3 hour face-to-face component. The workshop content together with the e-book are presented below as a set of self-guided professional development materials.
Self-Guided Professional Development Materials
The following are designed to be self-guided professional development materials and include background readings with accompanying guiding questions, two narrated slidecasts (Part 1 and 2), and the e-book, Enhancing Intercultural Communicative Competence: A Resource Based on the ATESL Adult ESL Curriculum Framework.
Background readings and guiding questions
Background readings and guiding questions provide an orientation to approaches to intercultural communicative competence. The readings and activities are available here.
Slidecasts
Two narrated slidecasts were developed to reflect the content offered during the face-to-face workshops. These materials provide an overview of the e-book and introduce important issues around intercultural communicative competence.
Slidecast Part 1
The objectives of the first slidecast are the following:
To introduce the resource
To introduce the importance of considering: (i) cultural conditioning, (ii) differences
Slidecast Part 2
The objectives of the second slide cast are the following:
To introduce the Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS)
To discuss the importance of developing an ethnorelative mindset in ESL instructors and in learners
- To discuss the importance of teaching the topic of stereotypes
E-book: Enhancing Intercultural Communicative Competence: A Resource Based on the ATESL Adult ESL Curriculum Framework
The e-book, Enhancing Intercultural Communicative Competence: A Resource Based on the ATESL Adult ESL Curriculum Framework, provides an in-depth look at four of the seven ICC strands introduced in the ATESL Adult Curriculum Framework (Chambers, Gnida, Messaros, Ilott, & Dawson, 2012). The four strands are the focus as these were identified in the Intercultural Communicative Competence for TESL Instructors Phase 1 research project as the strands that have limited teaching resources. The e-book provides instructors with 6 chapters comprised of lesson plan ideas aimed at CLB Stage II learners. The lessons include ideas on how to incorporate intercultural communication and intercultural communicative competence into the adult English language classroom.
Feedback Survey
Once you have reviewed the self-guided professional development materials, please take time to complete the feedback survey. It will take approximately 5- 10 minutes to complete. No personal information will be collected. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.
The survey was designed using Google Forms, and it is compatible with the most recent versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, and Microsoft Edge. Be sure cookies and JavaScript are turned on for your browser.