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Fostering Intercultural Learning Experiences in the ESL/EFL Classroom

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International Perspectives on Diversity in ELT

Part of the book series: International Perspectives on English Language Teaching ((INPELT))

Abstract

Research demonstrates that students who are most effective at acquiring English as a second or foreign language (ESL/EFL) are those who can demonstrate mastery of not just the technical aspects of the language, but also the ability to engage in intercultural interactions with communicative competence (Xue, 2014). However, engaging in intercultural interactions can prove to be a difficult and tedious experience for most students (Peters, 2018; Peters & Anderson, 2021). In this chapter, we respond to this issue in the field of English language teaching and advocate for an intercultural curricular focus that complements English language instruction and incorporates practical applications from intercultural theories such as intercultural competence (Deardorff, 2006) and intercultural sensitivity (Bennett, 1986) in ways that are relatable and actionable in students’ daily lives.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Darren K. LaScotte

  2. School of Education, Greenville University, Greenville, IL, USA

    Bethany D. Peters

Authors
  1. Darren K. LaScotte
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  2. Bethany D. Peters
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Correspondence to Darren K. LaScotte .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Education, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK

    Darío Luis Banegas

  2. IES en Lenguas Vivas Juan Ramón Fernández, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Griselda Beacon

  3. Instituto Superior del Profesorado Joaquín V. González, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Mercedes Pérez Berbain

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LaScotte, D.K., Peters, B.D. (2021). Fostering Intercultural Learning Experiences in the ESL/EFL Classroom. In: Banegas, D.L., Beacon, G., Pérez Berbain, M. (eds) International Perspectives on Diversity in ELT. International Perspectives on English Language Teaching. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74981-1_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74981-1_4

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-74980-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-74981-1

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

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