PREPARING STUDENTS FOR INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING

Abstract

It has been widely recognised in the language teaching profession that learners need not just knowledge and skill in the grammar of a language but also the ability to use the language in socially and culturally appropriate ways. This was the major innovation of 'communicative language teaching'. At the same time, the 'communicative approach' introduced changes in methods of teaching, the materials used, and the description of what is to be learnt and assessment of learning. The Council of Europe's' Common European Framework of Reference' embodies these innovations and emphasises the importance of 'intercultural awareness', 'intercultural skills', and 'existential competence'. The 'Common European Framework', like other recent publications, thus introduces the 'Intercultural Dimension' into the aims of language teaching.