ICC acquired on a school exchange - Does it lead to a better understanding of the target culture?

This raises the question why culture should be of such an importance for language learners anyway? First of all you have to consider that “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”(O’Dowd 2006:62). Cultural Studies has not only found its way into MFL teaching but has become an important part of Intercultural Understanding. The central aim of Cultural Studies is therefore” [...] to understand [...] a particular culture and society and [...] to learn to understand cultures in general. At the same time, it is intended that the process of understanding a culture which differs from one’s own should also lead to a better understanding of one’s own culture as learners compare the home and target culture and reflect on their own” (Kramer 2000:42).

Table of Contents

• 1. Acquiring Intercultural Communicative Competence on a school exchange programme
• 1.1 ICC
• 1.1.1 What is ICC?
• 1.1.2 Why do we need ICC in MFL Teaching?
• 1.1.3 Methods
• 1.1.3.1 Knowledge, skills, awareness and attitude
• 1.1.3.2 Awareness-raising activities
• 1.1.3.3 Ethnographic approach
• 1.1.3.4 Critical incidents
• 1.2 School exchange programs
• 1.2.1 Objectives
• 1.2.2 Criteria for a successful school exchange program
• 2. The school exchange – Evaluation
• 2.1 Setting and Profile
• 2.1.1 Schools and students
• 2.2 The exchange
• 2.2.1 Preparation
• 2.2.2 The stay
• 2.2.3 Post processing
• 2.4 Students' expectations, fears and conclusion
• 3. Did ICC acquired on school exchange lead to better understanding of target culture?

Objectives and Key Themes

This paper investigates the acquisition of intercultural communicative competence (ICC) through school exchange programs. The main objective is to evaluate whether participation in such programs enhances students' understanding of the target culture.

• Definition and importance of Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC)
• Methods for developing ICC in the classroom and through direct cultural immersion
• The role of school exchange programs in fostering ICC
• Evaluation of a specific school exchange program
• Analysis of student experiences and perceptions regarding cultural understanding

Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1 introduces the concept of Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC), exploring its various components and the reasons for its significance in modern foreign language teaching. It discusses different approaches to developing ICC, including classroom activities and direct cultural contact. The chapter also examines the objectives and criteria for successful school exchange programs.

Chapter 2 details the specific school exchange program under evaluation, outlining the participating schools and students. It then describes the exchange process, from preparation to the students' experiences during the exchange and post-exchange reflections.

Keywords

Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC), school exchange programs, foreign language teaching, cultural understanding, target culture, cultural immersion, student experiences, methodologies.

Details

• Hochschule: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
• Note: 1,7
• Autor: Heidi Furchback (Autor:in)
• Erscheinungsjahr: 2008
• Seiten: 19
• Katalognummer: V123070
• ISBN (eBook): 9783640279951
• ISBN (Buch): 9783640285969
• Sprache: Englisch
• Schlagworte: Does