From native to intercultural speaker and beyond: intercultural (communicative) competence in foreign language education

Wilkinson, Jane

Abstract

This updated chapter offers a critical re-evaluation of the concepts ‘intercultural speaker’ and ‘intercultural (communicative) competence’ in the light of developments in the field of language and intercultural communication over the last decade. As a starting point, it revisits the extant literature on the ‘intercultural speaker’, drawing in particular on the seminal work of Michael Byram, in order to outline the development of the concept as an alternative to ‘native speakerism’ in foreign language education in the 1990s. Consideration is then given to the ways in which intercultural (communicative) competence can be fostered by carefully integrating the teaching of ‘language’ and ‘culture’ in formal educational settings and by preparing students well for periods of education abroad.

In a new section of the chapter, the author reflects on the relevance of the ‘intercultural speaker’ concept in other contexts, particularly those where there is an imbalance of power, such as situations of conflict or forced migration. Acknowledging the limitations of the concept, she presents a number of alternatives, ranging from ‘intercultural citizen’ to ‘cosmopolitan speaker’ before concluding that, at least within the field of foreign language education, there is still a place for the intercultural speaker.

• Acceptance Date: Oct 17, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Apr 29, 2020
• Publication Date: Apr 29, 2020
• Deposit Date: Jan 9, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 30, 2021
• Publisher: Routledge
• Edition: 2nd
• Book Title: The Routledge Handbook of Language and Intercultural Communication
• Chapter Number: 17
• ISBN: 9781138389458
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003036210
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/2461298