Journal of Academic Research for Humanities (JARH) is a double-blind, peer-reviewed, Open Free Access, online Multidisciplinary Research Journal
Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer

Vol. 5 No. 1 (2025)
The International "Journal of Academic Research for Humanities"

Research Articles

Intercultural Communication Competence: A Comprehensive Review of Oxford English for Undergraduates

Published 31-03-2025

  • Asadullah Balouch
    • ,
  • Shah Nawaz Barich
    • ,
  • Imtiaz Hussain Khaskheli

Asadullah Balouch
Lecturer, Department of English, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Shaheed Benazirabad, KPK, Pakistan.

Shah Nawaz Barich
PhD Researcher in Linguistics at the Institute of English Language & Literature, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Sindh. Pakistan

Imtiaz Hussain Khaskheli
Lecturer, English Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Sakrand, Pakistan

Abstract

  This study aims to evaluate the prescribed textbook, Oxford English for Undergraduates (OEfUs), developed for teaching English at the undergraduate level at a public sector university. Developing students’ Intercultural Communication Competence (ICC) is widely significant for ESL/EFL learners when they move abroad for study or immigration purposes.  For content analysis of the OEfUs, the study used various dimensions of the three frameworks, namely Cortazzi & Jin’s (1999) cultural contents; Ting-Toomey & Chung’s (2005) cultural levels; and Byram’s (1997) ICC model. Eventually, referring to the first framework, the results reveal an imbalance between the source culture, the target culture and the international culture. In the second framework, the dominance of surface-level culture over the intermediate-level and deep-level cultures is evident in expressing physical and artistic work. Additionally, referring to the third framework, textbook analysis exhibits that the book requires addressing more substantially the five elements of intercultural competence: intercultural attitudes, knowledge, skills of relating/interpreting, skills of interacting/discovery, and critical knowledge. Finally, the study deduces that OEfUs are required to address ICC so that, the graduate-level students may develop their cross-cultural competence.

Keywords

Intercultural, Communication, Content Rating System, Byram, Agricultural,

PDF

Author Biography

Asadullah Balouch

Asadullah Balouch has been working as a Lecturer in the Department of English at Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Shaheed Benazirabad. He is also pursuing his PhD in Applied Linguistics from the University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan.

References

  1. Adrian, H. (2018). Understanding Intercultural Communication. In Understanding Intercultural Communication. Oxford University Press, New York. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351139526
  2. Alnajjar, M. J. (2020). Developing Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) in English for Palestine (EFP) Textbooks for Grade Seven. Journal of Translation and Language Studies, 1(1), 78–93. https://doi.org/10.48185/jtls.v1i1.8
  3. Apple, M. W., & Christian-Smith, L. K. (2017). The politics of the textbook. In The politics of the textbook (pp. 1–21). Routledge.
  4. Banks, J. A. (2021). Transforming multicultural education policy and practice: Expanding educational opportunity. Teachers College Press.
  5. Bjertes, H. M. (2023). Analysis of the Potential for Development of Intercultural Competence in a Year 11 Textbook.
  6. Byram, M. (2020a). Teaching and Assessing Intercultural Communicative Competence. In Teaching and Assessing Intercultural Communicative Competence. Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/byram0244
  7. Byram, M. (2020b). Teaching and Assessing Intercultural Communicative Competence. In Teaching and Assessing Intercultural Communicative Competence. Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/byram0244
  8. CHAIBI, K., & BARECHE, R. (2015). Intercultural Communicative Competence in the Algerian Middle School: An Investigation of its Teaching in Spotlight on English Book Two. Mouloud Mammeri University of Tizi-Ouzou.
  9. Chau, T. H. H., & Truong, V. (2019). The integration of intercultural education into teaching English: What Vietnamese teachers do and say. International Journal of Instruction, 12(1), 441–456.
  10. Cortazzi, M., & Jin, L. (1999). Materials and methods in the EFL classroom.In E. Hinkel (Ed.). Culture in second language teaching and learning (pp. 196–219). Cambridge University Press.
  11. Creswell, J. W. (2003). (2003). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks.
  12. Czura, A. (2016). Major field of study and student teachers’ views on intercultural communicative competence. Language and Intercultural Communication, 16(1), 83–98.
  13. Dalib, S., Mohamad, B., Nadeem, M. U., Halim, H., & Ramlan, S. N. (2023). Intercultural communication competence among migrant workers in Malaysia: a critical review and an agenda for future research. In Frontiers in Communication (Vol. 8). Frontiers in Communication. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2023.1147707
  14. Deardorff, D. K. (2006). Assessing intercultural competence in study abroad students. Languages for Intercultural Communication and Education, 12, 232.
  15. Division, C. of E. C. for C. C. E. C. M. L. (2001). Common European framework of reference for languages: Learning, teaching, assessment. Cambridge University Press.
  16. Esalati, S., & Rahmanpana, H. (2020). Promoting intercultural competence and speaking ability through developing language learning materials. Journal of English Language Research, 1(1), 49–67. https://www.aui.ac.ir/Dorsapax/userfiles/Sub0/ravabet 99/ECE798581-1-1.pdf#page=57
  17. Forfang, R. P. (2023). Using texts to teach about and promote intercultural competence in the English subject: Teachers’ perspectives and experiences from Norwegian lower secondary schools. Inland Norway University.
  18. Garrido, M. C. D., Ruiz-Cabezas, A., Domínguez, M. C. M., Dueñas, M. C. L., Navío, E. P., & Rivilla, A. M. (2020). Teachers’ training in the intercultural dialogue and understanding: Focusing on the education for sustainable development. In Sustainability (Switzerland) (Vol. 12, Issue 23). Focusing on Education for Sustainable Development. Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12239934
  19. Gedik, B. N., & Perihan, S. (2020). Intercultural competence in the eyes of state school English language teachers in Turkey. Journal of Language and Education, 6(2 22), 56–75.
  20. Habináková, E. (2015). Raising Learners´ Intercultural Competence in Foreign Language Teaching. Proceedings of the 2015 International Conference on Education Reform and Modern Management, 15, 253–256. https://doi.org/10.2991/ermm-15.2015.66
  21. Haerazi, H., & Nunez, J. L. (2021). Promoting Intercultural Competences and Communication Skills through English Textbooks within Multilingual Education: Intercultural Language Learning; English Textbooks. Journal of Language and Literature Studies, 1(2), 75–82.
  22. Hanesova, D. (2015). Move Toward Learner-Centred Foreign Language Pedagogy: Focusing on Factors Fostering Language Intake. XLinguae, 8(4), 46–59.
  23. Hang, Y., & Zhang, X. (2023). Intercultural competence of university students in navigating their academic, social, and ethnic cultural transitions. In Journal of Further and Higher Education (Vol. 47, Issue 8). Journal of Further and Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2023.2214790
  24. Huang, L.-J. D. (2021). Developing intercultural communicative competence in foreign language classrooms–A study of EFL learners in Taiwan. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 83, 55–66.
  25. Hussain, S., & Saeed, A. (1837). Representation of Culture and National Identity in Pakistani ESL Textbooks. 15(1), 1–17.
  26. Ivenz, P., & Klimova, B. (2022). A Review Study of Activities Used in the Development of‎ Intercultural Communication Competence‎ in Foreign Language Classes. International Journal of Society, Culture & Language, 10(2 (Themed Issue on the Socio-Psychology of Language)), 137–150.
  27. Khan, I. U., Ahmed, A., & Saeed, K. (2023). Analyzing the Models of Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) and Constructivist EFL Pedagogy: A Review Study. Journal of Communication and Cultural Trends, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.32350/jcct.51.07
  28. Köşker, G., & Gülmez, G. (2018). The role of the teacher in building intercultural communication skills in foreign language teaching: Teachers’ views with examples from France and Turkey. Eğitimde Nitel Araştırmalar Dergisi, 6(1), 157–171.
  29. Kramsch, C. (2011). The symbolic dimensions of the intercultural. Language Teaching, 44(3), 354–367. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444810000431
  30. Kramsch, C. (2020). Language as symbolic power. Cambridge University Press.
  31. Kramsch, C., & Widdowson, H. (1998). Language and culture: Oxford University Press. David Johnson–English Dep Kennesaw State Univ Georg Cult Adult ESL.
  32. Lastny Anal, R. (2017). Role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Teacher Education. In IRA International Journal of Education and Multidisciplinary Studies (ISSN 2455-2526) (Vol. 7, Issue 3). IRA International Journal of Education and Multidisciplinary Studies. https://doi.org/10.21013/jems.v7.n3.p2
  33. Lau, K. H., Lam, T., Kam, B. H., Nkhoma, M., Richardson, J., & Thomas, S. (2018). The role of textbook learning resources in e-learning: A taxonomic study. Computers & Education, 118, 10–24.
  34. Li, Y. (2016). Intercultural awareness in foreign language teaching: A Chinese perspective. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 7(4), 768–772. https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.0704.18
  35. Linares, S. M. (2023). Intercultural Sensitivity and Cultural Othering in English Language Pre-Service Teachers. In Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language--TESL-EJ (Vol. 26, Issue 4). TESL-EJ. https://doi.org/10.55593/ej.26104a5
  36. Logioio, A. J. (2010). Raising intercultural awareness at the primary level through storytelling within a CLIL approach. In Doctoral dissertation, Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas, Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas, Universidade Nova de Lisboa).
  37. Miao, J. P., & Lepeyko, T. (2023). Developing college teachers’ intercultural sensitivity in a multicultural environment (Desarrollo de la sensibilidad intercultural de los docentes universitarios en entornos multiculturales). In Cultura y Educacion (Vol. 35, Issue 2). Cultura Y Educacion. https://doi.org/10.1080/11356405.2023.2177008
  38. Morales-Acosta, G., Nichi, T. M., de Aquino Albres, N., Vilugrón, K. M., & Montano, I. R. (2022). Intercultural Communicative Competence in Teaching Voices in a Context of Deaf Diversity of the Chilean School of the Metropolitan Region. In Dialogo Andino (Issue 67). Competencia comunicativa intercultural en las voces docentes en un contexto escolar con diversidad sorda de la región metropolitana. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0719-26812022000100227
  39. Mostafa, M., & Jahan, R. (2024). Proposed Framework for enhancing Intercultural Communicative Competence in Bangladeshi ELT textbooks: ICC framework for ELT textbook of Bangladesh. EIKI Journal of Effective Teaching Methods, 2(2).
  40. Pérez Cañado, M. L., Rascón Moreno, D., & Cueva López, V. (2023). Identifying difficulties and best practices in catering to diversity in CLIL: Instrument design and validation. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 26(9), 1022–1030.
  41. Pham, P. A., & Unaldi, A. (2022). Cross-curricular collaboration in a CLIL bilingual context: the perceptions and practices of language teachers and content subject teachers. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 25(8), 2918–2932.
  42. Qi, S. (2024). Study on the Importance of Promoting Intercultural Teaching of Foreign Languages through Textbook Development. Journal of Education and Educational Research, 7(1), 252–255.
  43. Reid, E. (2014). Intercultural aspects in teaching English at primary schools. Peter Lang Edition.
  44. Rosyidi, A., & Purwati, O. (2018). Revealing Intercultural Communicative Competence in an EFL High School Textbook. 108(SoSHEC 2017), 65–69. https://doi.org/10.2991/soshec-17.2018.13
  45. Rubio Guevara, Y. A., & Hincapié Posada, J. (2016). Raising intercultural awareness through speaking tasks in the fifth-grade classroom project.
  46. Sabdono, E., Efruan, E. M. C., Takaliuang, M. P., Manuain, L. M. M., & Dami, Z. A. (2021). Teaching intercultural competence: dialogue, cognition and position in Luke 10:25-37. In HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies (Vol. 77, Issue 4). Hts Teologiese Studies- Theological Studies. https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v77i4.6744
  47. Safa, M. A., & Tofighi, S. (2022). Intercultural communicative competence beliefs and practices of Iranian pre-service and in-service EFL teachers. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 16(2), 164–175.
  48. Shen, J., & Huang, H. (2014). Fostering Intercultural Communication Competence of University Foreign Affairs Administrators. Proceedings of the International Conference on Education, Language, Art and Intercultural Communication, 3. https://doi.org/10.2991/icelaic-14.2014.180
  49. Smith, P. (2023). Black immigrant literacies: Intersections of race, language, and culture in the classroom. Teachers College Press.
  50. Tarasov, E. F. (2022). Introduction to Psycholinguistic Theory of Intercultural Communication. In RUDN Journal of Language Studies, Semiotics and Semantics (Vol. 13, Issue 4). RUDN Journal of Language Studies. https://doi.org/10.22363/2313-2299-2022-13-4-861-875
  51. Van der Westhuizen, M., Greuel, T., & Thesnaar, C. (2015). In Search of a Theoretical Framework Towards Intercultural Awareness and Tolerance. Scriptura, 114(0), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.7833/114-0-1135
  52. Wang, C., Wu, J., Ruan, J., & Liu, X. (2022). Language differences, cultural identity, and innovation. Growth and Change, 53(4), 1716–1736.
  53. Whitaker, T. (2013). 21. Reflecting on Teaching Interculturalism and Diversity to Teachers in First and Second Level Education in Ireland. Research Conference Journal, 3, 127–131. www.otb.ie
  54. Yang, W. H. (2019). Developing Tertiary Level CLIL Learners’ Intercultural Awareness With a Self-Produced Coursebook Integrating Content and Language. Journal of Teaching English for Specific and Academic Purposes, 7(3), 329–347. https://doi.org/10.22190/JTESAP1903329Y
  55. Zhang, H., Li, R., Chen, X., & Yan, F. (2024). Cultural representation in foreign language textbooks: A scoping review from 2012 to 2022. Linguistics and Education, 83, 101331.
  56. Zhang, X. (2010). Developing Students’ Intercultural Communication Competences in Western Etiquette Teaching. English Language Teaching, 3(4), 224–227. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v3n4p224