Broadening Foreign Language Learners' Intercultural Competence: Applying The Developmental Model Of Intercultural Sensitivity

With the development of new technology and information systems, communication between cultures becomes more and more prominent and frequent. This makes it necessary and imperative to cultivate intercultural communication competence (ICC) among foreign language learners. And it has also been recognized by many foreign language educators that intercultural communication competence should be regarded as the ultimate goal of foreign language teaching. However, literature reveals that studies on the concept of intercultural communication competence are not satisfying. For one thing, most of them are mere extensions of linguistic theories with little light from other disciplines; for another, the inner structure of ICC has not been adequately explored.ICC is a multi-dimensional concept. It can be viewed on different levels: primarily cognitive, affective, and behavioral. According to Chen & Starosta (1998), ICC consists of intercultural awareness, intercultural sensitivity, and intercultural adroitness, each of which stands for the respective three levels. Intercultural sensitivity (ICS), the affective dimension of ICC, is a key to ICC. ICC improvement can be achieved by developing ICS. ICS has significant implications for ICC. However, it is largely ignored both in theoretical studies and in practical classroom teaching.Against this background, this thesis explores effective ways of developing language learners'intercultural sensitivity so as to ultimately improve their intercultural communication competence. This thesis proposes applying Bennett's Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS) to develop foreign language learners'intercultural sensitivity. This model reveals the sequential development of intercultural sensitivity, focusing on people's subjective experience and construing of cultural differences. Since its creation in 1986, it has been widely used in intercultural education and training as an assessment tool or theoretical foundation. This thesis examines the necessity and explores the ways of how to apply this model in the context of foreign language teaching.The thesis is organized into five parts. The introductory chapter gives a general account of the background and significance of the study. To give a theoretical support to the thesis, Chapter Two, on the basis of an analysis of the concepts of ICC, ICS and their relationships, examines the significance of developing intercultural sensitivity in foreign language learners. Chapter Three introduces the DMIS and its applications in intercultural training, language education, and academic studies. As the central part of this thesis, Chapter Four is devoted to exploring ways of applying the DMIS in FLT to develop learners'intercultural sensitivity. Three perspectives are identified: first, rationalizing the development of ICC and ICS in FLT by modifying the current language curriculum; second, working out principles for applying this model in FLT; third, designing some ICS training capsules for foreign language classroom teachers. The last chapter concludes the whole thesis and addresses its limitations and suggestions for further study.