Improvisation of Real-life Scenarios through Intercultural Competence

Abstract

This paper describes tasks based on real-life scenarios, which triggered reflective thinking, verbalization, and writing, leading to the creation of natural dialogues rather than artificial, dull monologues. One of the main aims of this approach is to engage students in a dynamic process of both learning about multicultural participants and presenting themselves. Data were collected from 30 students at a state university’s Turkish and Foreign Languages Centre. Writing tasks were compiled through a classroom activity called “From Culture to Culture” (Kulturden Kulture), which invited students to conduct speaking and writing tasks while connecting their cultures with Turkish culture, utilizing intercultural competence’s three components: knowledge, attitude and skill. Byram’s (1997) multidimensional model of intercultural competence provided the theoretical framework for evaluation of intercultural competence expressed in students’ reflective writing samples and oral presentations. Action research was conducted to promote more effective communicative styles in a multicultural classroom. Performance data were analyzed inductively, as each activity was adapted into a real-life scenario to study intercultural competence. Consequently, the real-life scenarios were categorized as knowledge, attitude and skill components in order to develop the flexibility and adaptability of the language learning process.