Cross-cultural Website Analysis as a Method for Teaching Intercultural Competence in the University English Program

PROBLEM STATEMENT: European universities are challenged to effectively teach English and assist students in developing the intercultural skills necessary for the multicultural environment. The publication “First European Survey on Language Competences” (2012) clearly states that the English language is a basic skill and tool for employment and professional development (2012). Bertelsmann Stiftung (2006) stated that intercultural competence is the ‘key competence’ of the 21st century. Based on these facts, the following method is proposed for teaching English and intercultural competence within the same course. PURPOSE OF STUDY: The method is based on cross-cultural communication research and intercultural competence skill development (Bennett, 1998). METHODS: Two Italian universities were used for the pilot program. Pre-course, mid-course and final evaluations were conducted for diagnosis of intercultural competence level and oral English language ECFR level. Assessment tools based on ECFR evaluation methods and an instrument based on the DMIS by Milton Bennett were used (2003). The course activities were based on multimodal analysis (Baldry, Thibault, 2006) and cross-cultural website analysis (Toffle, 2012). FINDINGS AND RESULTS: Final results showed an improvement ranging from (.5) to one complete ECFR level in 40 hours. The intercultural competence level was initially found to be in the area of ethnocentrism but ended in the area of ethnorelativism, mostly in the ‘acceptance’ zone. (Bennett 2003). CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS:More research and development of assessment is recommended but the preliminary results were positive.