Fostering the Development of Intercultural Communicative Competence Through Online Intercultural Exchanges in an EFL Group in Antioquia

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The rapid increase of ICT incorporation in foreign language education and the pandemic caused by Covid 19 have allowed educators to harness different tools and modes of communication to support language teaching and learning processes. One of these strategies is online intercultural exchanges (OIE) as an emerging approach to foster not only language proficiency but also intercultural communicative competence (ICC) among English as a foreign language learners (EFLL). In this sense, this research aims to determine how participation in OIE can contribute to the development of ICC in an EFL group from a vocational and education institution in the East of Antioquia. This research is a qualitative case study carried out through Elliott’s (2018) code-technique analysis of three data collection instruments focus group’s transcriptions, online class video recordings and participants’ diaries. Findings suggest that students’ participation in OIE could boost the development of some ICC components, such as Attitudes, Knowledge of other cultures and my own, and Skill of interpreting and relating; furthermore enhance some English and digital literacy skills through the teacher’s support. In conclusion, promoting ICC through OIE per se does not ensure the achievement of that competence without participants’ motivation and teacher's orientation and support.