Abstract
Foreign language learning in higher education has gone beyond the mere acquisition of vocabulary and grammar knowledge for communication purposes. It has become apparent that learners need to focus on a deeper knowledge of cultures and how this interacts in intercultural encounters, hence the necessity to develop their intercultural communicative competence. It is also vital to train students to become interculturally intelligent to operate effectively across cultures in their future professions. The authors of this chapter revise key concepts (such as culture, intercultural awareness, or intercultural intelligence), five general models of intercultural intelligence, and four educational approaches to identify the value or intercultural intelligence for future professionals in any English for specific purposes (ESP) area that aims at successful cross-cultural communication (e.g., for translators and interpreters). Finally, they propose a three-stage general model to design ESP courses to enhance learners' intercultural competence and help them reach intercultural intelligence.
TopIntroduction
Learning English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in higher education does not only mean mastering the grammar or the lexicon of the language, but also knowing about cultures and how to behave properly in the presence of people from different cultures; in other words, “to behave adequately in a flexible manner when confronted with actions, attitudes and expectations of representatives of foreign cultures” (Meyer, 1991, p. 138). This interaction, according to Byram, involves not only an effective exchange of information, but above all “the ability to decentre and take up the other’s perspective on their own culture, anticipating and where possible, resolving dysfunctions in communication and behaviour” (Byram, 1997, p. 42).
This approach has been developed in the work of Meyer (2000, as cited in Clouet, 2015, p. 46), who argues that intercultural competence is a combination of social and communication skills, including empathy, conflict management skills, the ability to work collaboratively, ESP flexibility, ESP awareness, awareness of other cultures, reflection on one’s own cultural background and tolerance of ambiguity. In summary, intercultural communication involves dealing with one’s own cultural context in interaction with others (Clouet, 2015, p. 46).
Many terms are in use under the umbrella of “intercultural competence”: intercultural sensitivity, intercultural awareness, intercultural understanding, intercultural learning, etc. However, following Moore-Jones’s recent research (2018) and applying it to the ESP classroom in higher education, three stages can be identified in the acquisition of this competence. There is indeed a progressive development from (1) intercultural sensitivity, when our students start studying, bringing diverse backgrounds and experiences into the ESP classroom; (2) to intercultural competence, with a growing awareness of the role that ESP education plays in developing tolerance and understanding between people from different cultural backgrounds; (3) and eventually intercultural intelligence described by Peterson as “the ability to engage in a set of cultural behaviors that uses skills (i.e., language or interpersonal skills) and qualities (e.g., tolerance for ambiguity, flexibility) that are tuned appropriately to the culture-based values and attitudes of the people with whom one interacts” (Peterson, 2004, p. 87), supposedly in the students’ future work environment which higher education institutions prepare them for.
This final stage, intercultural intelligence, is the meeting point between one’s own culture and the target culture where the obstacles caused by exoticism, categorization, stereotypes, and prejudices have been overcome. This space of encounter, which many theorists of interculturality call the “third space”, is created between cultures and leaves room for movement and change.
To reach this final stage, this chapter will insist on the importance of the ESP teacher’s role as a mediator during the process of intercultural awareness acquisition. The authors propose a model for this teacher-mediator to design ESP courses and appropriate tasks that focus on building and strengthening higher education learners’ intercultural competence so that they gradually become interculturally intelligent.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Translation and Interpreting Studies: An academic discipline dealing with the study of the theory, description and application of translation, interpreting, and localization, as well as the dissemination of knowledge and research relevant to all areas of language mediation.
English For Specific Purposes: An approach to the education of English based on the design of specific courses to respond to the needs of students who require differentiated skills regarding certain professional areas.
Intercultural Communicative Competence: The ability to understand cultures, including your own, and use this understanding to communicate effectively and appropriately with people from other language and cultural backgrounds.
Intercultural Intelligence: The ability to function effectively and prosper in culturally diverse situations. It comprises different dimensions (cognitive, metacognitive, motivational and behavioral) which are correlated to others that are essential to behave effectively in a global environment (cultural adaptation, task performance, decision making).
Intelligence: The ability to learn, reason, understand and apply knowledge to deal with new situations.