Воронцова Т. Ю.

 Воронцова Т. Ю.

(г. Луганск, ЛНР) 

Cultural awareness for intercultural communication in teaching english as an international language

Nowadays, professionals have more possibilities of interchanging knowledge, research projects. They work together due to the increase of international collaboration and it has become necessary to develop a communicative competence among professionals since there are mobility options to foster international collaboration. Professionals need to know the language of business and research but also need to be aware of the cultural background of foreign partners. Globalization brings new challenges.

The intercultural element is a cornerstone for these types of interaction with foreign cultures and that is why it is quite important to take into account the differences and similarities of the target culture to be more efficient when it comes to interacting with them.

Since English as an international language has become the lingua franca of the world today and most of the users are non-native speakers from neither the United Kingdom nor the United States nor any other English-speaking country, communicative language teaching has been doing a successful work to improve four essential skills such as writing, speaking, listening and reading at all educational levels. Although culture is a significant part for teaching English, it is always important to remember that an “intercultural dimension” in language teaching is a key component to develop learners as intercultural speakers who are able to engage with complex and multiple identities. Sometimes, to avoid stereotyping which accompanies perceiving someone through a single identity and is not completely taken into consideration as part of the process because sometimes teachers do not teach international English along with intercultural awareness. Thus, the overall aim of this article is to value the importance of cultural awareness for intercultural communication in teaching English as the international language [2, p. 38].

The history of the English language started with the arrival of three Germanic tribes who invaded Britain during the 5th century AD. The Angles, the Saxons and the Jutes crossed the North Sea from what today is Denmark and northern Germany to bring their languages to Britain. These languages in Britain developed into Old English, then into Middle English, into Modern English and so on. From around 1600, the English colonization of North America resulted in the creation of a distinct American variety of English. Some expressions that the British call “Americanisms” are in fact original British expressions that were preserved in the colonies while lost in Britain. Spanish also had an influence on American English (and subsequently British English). French words (through Louisiana) and West African words (through the slave trade) also influenced American English (and so, to an extent, British English). English has experienced a rich development over the years up to the point that it is not only used as a native language but also as an official or foreign language [3, p. 89].

English is widely used for intercultural communication at the global level today. English as an international language does not necessarily “belong” to any country but what teachers do need to recognize is the need to broaden their students’ horizon beyond the purely linguistic aspects by focusing on the cultural background of the target language countries, and trying to raise intercultural awareness which bring about intercultural communicative competence. It is necessary to develop intercultural dimension in the classroom.

When two people talk to each other, they do not just speak to the other to exchange information, they also see the other as an individual and as someone who belongs to a specific social group. This aspect has an influence on what they say, how they say it, what response they expect and how they interpret the response. In other words, when people talk to each other their social identities are unavoidably part of the social interaction between them. In language teaching, the concept of communicative competence takes this into account by emphasizing that language learners need to acquire not only grammatical competence but also the knowledge of what is “appropriate” language. Now, “intercultural dimension” in language teaching aims to develop learners as intercultural speakers who are able to engage with complexity and multiple identities and to avoid the stereotyping which accompanies perceiving someone through a single identity. It is based on perceiving the interlocutor as an individual whose qualities are to be discovered. Intercultural communication is communication on the basis of respect for individuals and equality of human rights as the democratic basis for social interaction.

Importance of cultural awareness for intercultural communication in teaching the English language as international intercultural awareness in language learning is often called as a ”fifth skill” ‒ the ability to be aware of cultural relativity following reading, writing, listening and speaking. Language itself is defined by a culture. We cannot be competent in the language if we do not also understand the culture that has shaped and informed it. We cannot learn the second language if we do not have an awareness of that culture, and how that culture relates to our own first language/first culture. It is not only essential to have cultural awareness, but also intercultural awareness. It is necessary to review these key elements and their relevance to accomplish the purposes of the article:

-   intercultural communication: common, necessary part of people’s personal and professional lives;

-   intercultural competence: ability to become effective and appropriate in interacting, the sensitivity to cultural diversity;

-   cultural awareness: an important role to overcome difficulties to ensure smooth communication with people from different backgrounds;

-   intercultural communication competence: ability to execute effectively and appropriately communication behaviors to elicit a desired response in a specific environment.

Foreign language speakers must develop competence that would allow them to correlate a foreign language and norms of foreign culture. It would result in mutual cultural understanding, would do possible cross-cultural communication without fear of distinctions between cultural habits, traditions, norms, etc.

The student begins to study a foreign language through the culture of a foreign country. A cross-cultural communication is an educational and upbringing process. Regional studies contribute considerably in the process of studying foreign languages as the intercultural communication means not only language competence but also knowledge of cultural and social rules, traditions, norms, forms and communication under definite social conditions [5, p. 57].

Nowadays the specialist of higher educational institution is a well-educated person with fundamental preparation. Thus, the foreign language is a means of production, and the part of culture, and means of humanitarian education. It is fundamental and versatile language preparation. Knowledge of foreign language is determined not only by a direct contact with a teacher. It is necessary to create the atmosphere of real communication, to connect teaching foreign languages with life, to use actively foreign languages in natural situations. It may be scientific discussions, meeting with foreign specialists, abstracting and discussing foreign scientific literature, providing separate courses on foreign languages, participating in international conferences, working as a translator that presupposes communication, contact, and ability to understand the information. It is necessary to develop the extracurricular forms of communication: clubs, open lectures, scientific societies on interests, where students of different specialties can take part.

Thus, intercultural communication is a complicated process of establishing and developing contacts between partners, caused by necessity of mutual understanding. Readiness to effective intercultural communication is an important professional quality of specialists providing the establishment of cooperation and constructive problem solving.

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