The following report gives an insight into my experiences and my process of developing intercultural communicative competences. It is without a doubt safe to assume that a stay abroad is a life-changing experience. Choosing to stay abroad is a great opportunity to practice one's language skills and develop intercultural competences. Whenever I thought of my stay abroad, I was intrigued by the idea of discovering new cultures and exploring new places. For someone who is attached to the familiar, the sheer thought of leaving one’s comfort zone might be the biggest obstacle in this journey.
And still, each year, thousands of people flock to other parts of the world, perhaps to gain awareness of different people, cultures, and places. As professor O’Dowd states, “the (d)irect contact with members of the target culture can offer opportunities for developing the skills and attitudes of ICC, even though it’s not proven that such a contact will easily lead to intercultural learning.” Nevertheless, these people come with a particular set of attitudes and stereotypes regarding the different people and cultures of the countries.
Therefore it is crucial to know how the perception can change through interaction with others. According to this, it can be said that offering broader access to cultures might enable people to mingle in these cultures. This requires a certain finesse and knowledge. Otherwise, a welcoming encounter of different people and cultures cannot be assured, but rather a clash of different cultures. Therefore, “language learning cannot be separated from culture learning as language manifests many of the social actions of a society and expresses the values and beliefs which underlie these actions”. Michael Byram’s model of Intercultural Communicative Competence, in short, ICC, can serve as an explanatory model to trace my development during my stay abroad. Mind you, although I spent more than three months in Liverpool, I cannot draw fixed conclusions about certain things. Therefore, my knowledge and attitudes might differ compared to a person who spent a year abroad.
Table of Contents
1.Introduction
2. Byram’s Model of Intercultural Communicative Competence
3. Liverpool – Expectations and Experiences
3.1 Liverpool- Expectations
3.2 Liverpool- Experiences
4. Critical reflection of my experiences in Liverpool
5. Conclusion
6. References
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the extent to which a study abroad experience in Liverpool contributed to the author's development of intercultural communicative competences, utilizing Michael Byram's model as a theoretical framework to reflect on personal growth, cultural encounters, and pedagogical implications.
- Application of Byram’s Model of Intercultural Communicative Competence
- Contrast between study abroad expectations and lived realities
- Critical reflection on personal identity and overcoming stereotypes
- Development of intercultural skills through social integration and university life
- Impact of the study abroad experience on future teaching practices
Excerpt from the Book
3.2 Liverpool- Experiences
As my plane touched down in Manchester, I was filled with many emotions but mostly with positive feelings. After seeing the busy people, notable architecture, and the music scene my emotions ran the gamut. When I arrived at my accommodation in Liverpool, I immediately got confronted with the Scouse accent and the friendliness of the people. My first encounter with my flatmates and landlord was the first occasion to interact with native speakers. Being confronted with this exceedingly rare accent was utterly mystifying. It sounded like a mixture of Welsh and Irish, which I had to get used to. Moreover, I noticed that I tended to be very nervous and stressed while speaking and sometimes got stuck trying to find a word. As an introvert and overthinker, I had to put my thoughts and emotions aside since I could not flee into the language I am more accustomed to. Regarding my first encounter with Byram's model of ICC in mind, it can be said that I was inquisitive and excited to get the know my flatmates. Although I am a very withdrawn and reserved person, I challenged myself to talk to other people. Even though I thought that I would make a fool of myself by approaching other people, it challenged my attitudes towards the people I was engaging with.
Summary of Chapters
1.Introduction: This chapter introduces the motivation for the study abroad experience and establishes Michael Byram’s model of ICC as the framework for analyzing the author's personal development during their stay in Liverpool.
2. Byram’s Model of Intercultural Communicative Competence: This section details the five components of Byram's model—attitudes, knowledge, skills of interpreting and relating, skills of discovery and interaction, and critical cultural awareness—which are essential for becoming an intercultural speaker.
3. Liverpool – Expectations and Experiences: This chapter contrasts the author's initial expectations of the study abroad program with their actual experiences, focusing on the realities of living in a new culture and university environment.
3.1 Liverpool- Expectations: This subsection outlines the author's preconceptions regarding the UK, personal growth objectives, and the emotional preparation for leaving their familiar environment.
3.2 Liverpool- Experiences: This subsection describes the actual arrival and social integration process in Liverpool, including the challenges of language, accents, and overcoming initial stereotypes about local social conventions.
4. Critical reflection of my experiences in Liverpool: This chapter critically analyzes the developmental process, acknowledging both the limitations and the significant personal growth and insights gained regarding identity and teaching methodology.
5. Conclusion: The final chapter summarizes the success of the study abroad experience, reiterating the importance of active engagement and decentring for teachers to effectively counter bias and stereotypes in educational settings.
6. References: This chapter lists the academic literature and theoretical sources utilized to support the arguments and the analysis of the study abroad experience.
Keywords
Intercultural Communicative Competence, ICC, Michael Byram, Study Abroad, Liverpool, Cultural Exchange, Identity, Stereotypes, Personal Reflection, Intercultural Learning, Education, Social Integration, Ethnorelative, Critical Cultural Awareness, Teaching Career
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper is a personal reflection that explores how a stay abroad in Liverpool facilitated the author's development of intercultural communicative competences based on their real-world experiences.
Which theoretical model is used to analyze the experience?
The author uses Michael Byram’s model of Intercultural Communicative Competence as an explanatory framework to categorize and assess their development during the study abroad.
What is the central research question?
The research question addresses how the stay abroad in Liverpool contributed to the development of the author's intercultural communicative competences.
What are the key thematic areas covered?
The main themes include expectations versus reality, the role of cultural interaction, overcoming stereotypes, the process of "othering," and the transition from ethnocentric to ethnorelative views.
What does the author discuss regarding their future profession?
The author reflects on how the experience expanded their cultural knowledge and skills, enabling them to better support their future students in decentring from their own perspectives and overcoming biases.
Which methodology is applied in this work?
The work utilizes a reflective, qualitative approach, contrasting personal anecdotes and experiences in the UK with the theoretical components of Byram’s model.
How did the author's perception of "politeness" change in the UK?
Initially, the author perceived British social greetings like "Hiya, are you alright?" as fake or unauthentic, but eventually understood them as conventional social markers rather than genuine inquiries into their well-being.
What role did university societies play in the author's experience?
Joining the Basketball team and the Multicultural Society allowed the author to build ties with international students, fostering a sense of belonging and providing opportunities to practice social and intercultural skills.
How does the author describe the difference between their identity in Germany and the UK?
In Germany, the author frequently dealt with microaggressions related to their appearance, while in the UK, they felt their background became irrelevant, allowing them to be seen primarily as an individual.
What conclusion does the author reach regarding the "sojourn"?
The author concludes that successful intercultural development depends heavily on the individual's motivation to actively seek opportunities, take risks, and engage with new people, rather than remaining in an ethnocentric comfort zone.
- Quote paper
- Mamie Mopoyi (Author), 2020, Byram’s Model of Intercultural Communicative Competence. A Personal Reflection of my experiences in Liverpool, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/1130347
