Read the following passage and take notes on the main points of the reading passage.

‘Intercultural Communicative Competence’

The concept of “intercultural communicative competence” (Byram, 1997) has refocused the goal of language education with culture integrated into language study. The use of the term “inter-cultural” reflects the view that EFL learners have to gain insight into both their own and the foreign culture (Kramsch, 1993). Intercultural communicative competence refers to the “ability to ensure a shared understanding by people of different social identities, and [the] ability to interact with people as complex human beings with multiple identities and their own individuality” (Byram, Gribkova & Starkey, 2002, p. 10). This competency emphasizes the mediation between different cultures, the ability to look at https://www.multiculturaleducation

oneself from an external perspective, analyze and adapt one’s own behaviours, values and beliefs (Byram & Zarate, 1997). An interculturally competent learner therefore displays a range of affective, behavioural and cognitive capacities (Byram, 2006, pp.22-26):

(1) attitudes/affective capacities (acknowledgement of the identities of others; respect for otherness; tolerance for ambiguity; empathy); (2) behaviour (flexibility; communicative awareness); (3) cognitive capacities (knowledge; knowledge discovery; interpreting and relating; critical cultural awareness).

https://www.multiculturaleducation

http://e-flt.nus.edu.sg

4 Summarize the information and say how important it is to develop the ICC.

‘CONCEPT CARDS’

Summarize the information provided, create the concept cards and be ready to explain the meaning of the concepts described in the texts above.

Decide how important these concepts are for the individual, the society, and the education.

LISTENING

1 Listen to Jo Bertrand, the mother of two potentially bilingual children (the youngest is only three months old) and the teacher of French and English bilingual children, talking about bilingualism and say what aspects the text covers.

2 Listen to the text again and say whether the statements are True or False.

1. Being bilingual means being able to communicate almost perfectly in two languages and also knowing something about both cultures.

2. Learning two or more languages helps children to accept cultures other than their own.

3. There may be a dominant language of communication and this will depend only on the country you live.

4. It cannot be very difficult for people around you to support your attempts at bringing up a bilingual child.

5. Another problem they have encountered was when their daughter refused to talk in French to either of them.

6. Differences need to be promoted and valued.

7. The importance of International Mother Language Day originated in Beijing.

8. Last year the International Mother Language Day was dedicated to two non-verbal languages that are an invaluable source of communication for many people around the world.

9. By speaking other languages you can contribute to the creation of a global community.

10. The author speaks Mandarin fluently.

3 Express your opinion on the following questions.

1. What are the advantages of learning several languages from an early age?
2. What are the dangers?
3. What’s the best way to teach your child two or more languages simultaneously?

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