Abed Hamadouch / Jurnal Arbitrer - Vol.
10 No.
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JURNAL ARBITRER
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| 2550-1011 (Onlin.
| Article TeachersAo Perceptions Towards Assessing LearnersAo Intercultural Communicative Competence in the EFL Classroom in Algeria Abed Hamadouch1.
Hayat Aoumeur2 University of Mostaganem.
Mostaganem.
Algeria
Submission Track
A B S T R A C T
Received: December 2, 2023 Final Revision: December 28, 2023 Accepted: December 30, 2023 Available Online: January 8, 2024 This research seeks to highlight the perceptions of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in Algeria regarding the assessment of learnersAo ICC.
In the classroom.
Additionally, this research proposes some suggestions on how to teach and assess middle school learners to be interculturally competent.
To achieve this objective, a qualitative research design is employed to gain data.
The data source of this study was eleven English middle school teachers from different middle schools in Algeria.
The study applied an interview utilizing open-ended questions to see their responses about their perceptions and attitudes toward the assessment of their learners.
The data collected was thematically analyzed to identify recurring patterns, challenges, and emerging themes related to the assessment of ICC in the EFL classroom.
The results show teachers need training on developing communicative tasks for teaching culture that can help them assess their studentsAo intercultural communicative So, the lack of continuing professional development in preservice and in-service makes them wander when teaching their learners about the target language and its culture.
In addition to this, data show that teachers assess their learners in terms of grammar, pronunciation, general knowledge about the target culture, and vocabulary, but they do not assess their ICC.
The implications of this study extended to both pedagogical practices and educational policy in Algeria.
By understanding teachersAo perceptions, this research contributes valuable information to the ongoing discourse on fostering intercultural competence in language education.
The findings may guide curriculum development, teacher training programs, and assessment practices, ultimately enhancing the effectiveness of EFL instruction in Algeria.
Keywords teachersAo perception, assessment, learnersAo intercultural communicative competence Correspondence E-mail: hamadouchabed@gmail.
INTRODUCTION
languages, backgrounds, and cultures.
Guilherme .
insists on the development of learnersAo intercultural communicative competence in language classrooms to assist learners in interacting effectively with people from cultures other than oneAos own.
In addition to linguistic competence, the focus should also be on developing social and strategic competences to enhance communication and interaction (Negoescu, 2.
The literature suggests that teaching foreign languages should focus on developing linguistic competence rather than intercultural communicative competence (Lim, 2016.
Jata, 2015.
Budharugsa.
Young & Sachdev, 2011.
Doyy, 1.
This research paper aims to explore the perceptions and attitudes of Algerian middle school teachers of English towards assessing the intercultural communicative competence of middle school In the dynamic of globalized communication, learners in EFL classrooms to foster their ICC the role of language education transcends the while communicating with people from different mere acquisition of linguistic skills and extends to DOI: https://doi.
org/10.
25077/ar.
Under License of Creative Commons Attributioni-Non Commercial 4.
0 International.
Abed Hamadouch / Jurnal Arbitrer - Vol.
10 No.
the development of intercultural communicative competence (ICC).
This is particularly relevant in the context of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms in Algeria, where learners are expected to navigate a diverse and interconnected world through English proficiency.
Intercultural communicative competence (ICC) is a term that is frequently used across various academic disciplines, including communication, psychology, and anthropology (Lussier, 2015.
Minoia, 2019.
Reid, 2015.
Sercu, 2.
The concept is widely recognized and respected by scholars for its ability to promote understanding and cooperation among diverse cultures.
For this reason, it is referred to as Auglobal competence, international competence, multicultural competence, and so forthAy (Fantini, 2010, p.
Researchers have been interested in conceptualizing ICC.
This term is difficult to be exactly defined (Dai & Chen, 2.
Yet, some researchers define ICC as an ability to communicate effectively and appropriately in a multicultural context across cultures that has become a crucial component of language education (Deardorff.
Lyzyr, 2003.
Mcka, 2002.
Wiseman, 2002.
Chen & Starosta, 1.
Reflecting the need to prepare learners for meaningful engagement in international contexts.
The conceptual framework underpinning this study draws from the theoretical foundations of Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC).
Developed by scholars such as Michael Byram .
ICC emphasizes the integration of linguistic, sociocultural, and strategic competencies to enable individuals to engage successfully in intercultural communication.
ByramAos model highlights the importance of understanding cultural differences, interpreting them critically, and adapting communication strategies accordingly.
This study aligns with DeardorffAos .
framework, aiming to explore how EFL teachers in Algeria perceive and assess the ICC of their students.
Several studies have explored aspects of intercultural communicative competence within the broader context of language education (CandelMora, 2019.
Cetinavci, 2012.
Galante, 2015.
Munezane, 2021.
Tleubay et al.
, 2020.
Young & Sachdev, 2.
However, research specifically addressing teachersAo perceptions of assessing ICC in the EFL classrooms in Algeria remains Existing studies often focus on general language proficiency or broader aspects of cultural competence, neglecting the specific challenges and strategies related to ICC assessment in the Algerian context.
The existing gap in the literature becomes apparent when considering the unique socio-cultural and educational context of Algeria.
The Algerian EFL setting presents distinctive challenges and opportunities that require a nuanced understanding of how ICC is perceived and assessed by teachers.
The gap in previous research lies in the absence of a comprehensive exploration of teachersAo perspectives on ICC assessment in the Algerian EFL context, hindering the development of tailored pedagogical approaches and assessment The primary objective of this research is to investigate EFL teachersAo perceptions towards assessing learnersAo Intercultural Communicative Competence in Algeria.
By conducting in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, the study seeks to uncover the challenges faced by teachers, the strategies they employ, and their overall attitudes toward ICC assessment.
Through this exploration, the research aims to fill the identified gap in the literature by providing context-specific insights into the assessment practices related to ICC in the Algerian EFL classroom.
II.
METHODS
Research settings and participants The study was conducted among teachers of English language.
The researchers anticipated that by using this method, more in-depth and comprehensive data would be gathered from natural settings, information would be collected, and data would be gathered to back up the present Eleven middle school English teachers are aged between 25 and 52.
The number of teachers who agreed to participate in this study However, 11 decided to quit for personal reasons .
hey refused to record their answer.
The rest of the participants were happy to cooperate and collaborate, and they were motivated to answer all the questions.
Teachers who participated in the present research teach English at a middle school.
Their experiences range from 6 to 25 years .
ee table belo.
All of them were full-time teachers at a middle school, thus they were familiar with the curriculum and syllabus of the third-year level.
This helped both the researcher and the teachers gain data about the topic under study during the Abed Hamadouch / Jurnal Arbitrer - Vol.
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Following that, the researcher wrote down the audio-recorded interview guidelines.
Table 1: ParticipantsAo background information TeachersAo Age Gender Qualifications Years of Bachlor i.
RESULTS
Bechlor Master Master Bachlor Master Bachlor Bachlor Master Master Bachlor TeachersAo perceptions of English culture interview day.
Research Instrument Semi-structured interview questions were designed based on the needs analysis framework developed by ByramAos .
The interview questions were open-ended so that the researchers could explore the intervieweesAo perceptions and attitudes toward assessing their learnersAo ICC.
The interview questions aimed to investigate how English teachers assess their teaching and learnersAo development of ICC.
Meanwhile, these questions highlight which type of assessment is followed by the teachers and if it is fruitful or not.
Data Collection Procedure Researchers have a general idea of where this semi-structured interview should go and what should come out of it (Creswell, 2.
The interview was held with 11 teachers at different middle schools where the participants work.
Teachers interviewed face to face.
All interviews are transcribed and The interview questions begin with teachersAo teaching experiences at middle school.
Then, the questions are categorized into three The first rubric was set for information about the participantsAo ages, university degrees, and teachersAo perceptions of English culture.
The second one was designed to investigate teachersAo perceptions of ICC.
The third rubric was devoted to teachersAo assessment of culture.
Data Analysis To analyze the data, researchers have created created codes for each response separately.
The codes were later compared and reorganized to determine the common categories from the data The purpose of questions 2 and 3 is to discover how third-year middle school English teachers teach the English language and its culture.
This section contains questions about instructorsAo perspectives on teaching English culture.
Despite having an Algerian cultural background and set of beliefs, the teachers who participated in this study were blatantly attracted to the English culture.
They believe culture and language cannot be Middle school teachers pushed for the incorporation of English culture.
For instance, one of the participants (A.
M) believed that integrating culture or cultural aspects in English or third-year level is to invite learners to exchange cultural aspects or to exchange culture in general.
Another participant (M.
A) that there are cultural aspects integrated into My Book of English to help the learners know about the British culture and way of life.
Generally speaking, language and culture should be taught together since language is part of the culture.
Language and culture, according to Kramsch .
and Byram .
, cannot be separated, and the presence of one determines the presence of the other, and vice versa.
TeachersAo perception of ICC Regarding their perception of the ICC, instructors, particularly those with more experience, were unfamiliar with the idea.
however, via talks with the researcher during the interview, they were able to comprehend its significance and attempt to explain it.
According to an interviewee (Ch.
), it is the ability to communicate effectively and appropriately across cultural differences.
This definition seemed vague to the researcher, so the participant was asked to clarify the term Auacross cultural differences,Ay which meant to communicate with people who are different from us in terms of language, culture, attitudes, and behaviors.
In the same line of thought, another participant (G.
defined ICC as AuIntercultural competence is to enable our learners to communicate with others who hold different traditions or values.
Ay In this respect.
Byram .
highlights the importance of intercultural competence, which involves not only knowledge of oneself and others but also skills necessary to interpret, relate, discover, and interact Abed Hamadouch / Jurnal Arbitrer - Vol.
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with people from diverse cultures.
It also requires valuing othersAo values, beliefs, and behaviors, as well as relativizing oneself.
Developing intercultural competence can help individuals build meaningful relationships and navigate diverse cultural contexts with confidence.
In the same vein.
Deardorff .
defines intercultural competence as the ability to communicate effectively and appropriately in intercultural situations based on oneAos intercultural knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
This definition highlights the importance of possessing the necessary skills and attributes to engage in effective communication with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Assessment of Culture the teacher gives his learners a text about Algerian lifestyles in the past, and her learners will apply what they have seen about the British lifestyle, like the example of Jenny and her grandmotherAos lifestyle.
Another interviewee (M.
) said.
AuOf course, when I make my tests to evaluate my studentAos knowledge.
I take that into account.
Of course, because they are learning a language.
I assess their They can use the language in writing, reading, and speaking, of course, in different skills, such as producing a piece of writing, a piece of dialogue, or anything else they can produce.
Most of the participants agreed that formative assessment is more suitable and efficient to assess the learnersAo ICC.
According to them, this time helps both teachers to assess their teaching and learnersAo acquisition of ICC.
For example, an interviewee (Ch.
) reported that Auformative assessment is more appropriate because it is a long-term process and every day we are learning more to achieve development and cultural competence.
Ay However, another interviewee (G.
) said that both formative and summative assessments are very important.
In this respect, the interviewee said.
AuI think both formative and summative assessments are very important or appropriate to assess the learnersAo ICC because formative assessment is for learning, whereas summative assessment is of learning.
Ay Concerning assessing culture, participants agreed that it is somehow difficult to assess their learnersAo knowledge about the target culture because they were not trained to do so.
However, most of them declared that learners with texts and questions about the target culture to see if they are knowledgeable or not.
Then, they ask them to compare the target culture to theirs.
The participant (A.
) said.
AuWell.
I assess my learnersAo knowledge of English culture based on information or culture, or, letAos say, information related to the country so that they compare their culture to the other, explore the new one, asking them about vocabulary, about landmarks, about people, about everything related IV.
DISCUSSION