An Analysis Of Intercultural Communication Competence Development In The Secondary Vocational School English Education

Language is one of the most effective tools for communication. The essential purpose of English teaching lies in facilitating cross-cultural communication. As Chinese social reform develops in greater depth, more and more students attach importance to English learning. It becomes an important task of the secondary vocational school, as well as the necessary for students'self-development. TEFL in Chinese secondary vocational school has been long based on the traditional methods, which attach much emphasis to speech,grammar and uses of phrases. Students cultivated in this way may acquire some language skills in listening, speaking , reading and writing, but they may find difficulty in practical cross-culture communication for lack of cultural background knowledge. Different nations have different cultures, history, customs and religions, which are expressed in different languages. Because of these differences, the students will encounter obstacles which may produce communication failures. The teachers have fully recognized the situation. The new English Teaching Program demands that language material must be true, and relevant to life and future career. Moreover it should include the appropriate culture of English speaking countries.This thesis applies theories of language, culture and cross-cultural communicative competence to investigate the appropriate principles of culture instruction and contents, and integrating culture teaching into English language teaching. Based on the collected data, the author concludes: Culture teaching can, to some degree, be integrated into English language teaching in the secondary vocational schools. The reasons are as following: 1) Culture teaching can cultivate students'nonintellectual potential, enhance their motivation and their interest in English Study; 2) Culture teaching helps to further develop students'language knowledge and competence; 3) Culture teaching helps students understand their native culture and thus form proper values; 4) Culture teaching helps students develop cultural awareness and enhance the cross-cultural communicative competence. Besides, this thesis also analyzes obstacle and problems of culture teaching, and explore ways to cultivate the students'cross-cultural communicative competence.