The Use of Cultural Elements in the Northstar Textbook Series to Enhance Students’ Intercultural Competence in language skill classes
Vol. 129 No. 6B (2020), Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities
Vol. 129 No. 6B (2020)

The Use of Cultural Elements in the Northstar Textbook Series to Enhance Students’ Intercultural Competence in language skill classes

Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities
https://doi.org/10.26459/hueuni-jssh.v129i6B.5610
Published 2020-07-10
Hai Cao
Hue University of Foreign Languages
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Keywords

Intercultural competence
language teaching and learning
second language acquisition
textbooks.

Abstract

Abstract: Intercultural competence is one of the most fundamental components that should be developed among language users and can be attained in many different ways. Several studies have suggested that the teaching and learning of intercultural competence can take place in several settings with the use of different resources including language textbooks. This paper presents the results of a survey on the use of cultural elements in the Northstar textbook series to enhance intercultural competences among students (from freshman year to junior year) majoring in English International Studies at Hue University of Foreign Languages. The findings revealed that most students were aware of the importance of developing their intercultural competence, and efforts have been made by both teachers and themselves to incorporate the development of intercultural competence for students by utilizing available cultural elements in the Northstar textbooks. However, several drawbacks were identified among which the low frequency and the lack of deep cultural elements were the major ones. This paper, as a result, also gives recommendation on effective use of such elements. 

https://doi.org/10.26459/hueuni-jssh.v129i6B.5610
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