Intercultural Competence

Language DiversityHow do you understand the term “intercultural competence”?  Compare your definition to the definitions below.  Alvino Fantini defines Intercultural Competence as

“a complex of abilities needed to perform effectively and appropriately when interacting with others who are linguistically and culturally different from oneself.”

According to Hammer, Bennet, and Wiseman, it is

“the ability to think and act in interculturally appropriate ways”

(Definitions quoted from Understanding and Assessing Intercultural Competence: A Summary of Theory, Research, and practice (Techinical Report for the Foreign Language Program Evaluation Project)

Ohio Department of Education offers this definition of interculturality

Components of Intercultural Competence

according to Martyn Barrett:

The diagram enlarges when you place your mouse on it and use the zoom feature.   Click  “full screen” to reveal the entire diagram.

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Intercultural skills and know-how include:
“• the ability to bring the culture of origin and the foreign culture into relation with each other;
• cultural sensitivity and the ability to identify and use a variety of strategies for contact with those from other cultures;
• the capacity to fulfill the role of cultural intermediary between one’s own culture and the foreign culture;
• to deal effectively with intercultural misunderstanding and conflict situations;
• the ability to overcome stereotyped relationships.”
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Watch this video about interculturalism in Irland

 

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