The Role of Technology in Enhancing Intercultural and Pragmatic Competencies in EFL Class
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37134/ajelp.vol11.2.6.2023Keywords:
Cultural competence, Pragmatic competence, Bi-directional approach, Digital tools, EFL ContextAbstract
There is a close relationship between language and culture, and a review of the literature indicates less attention is given to the enrichment of cross-cultural and pragmatic awareness in the classrooms. The role of culture in language learning is often overlooked in language classes. The notion of cultural competencies is often derived from English-speaking countries, and though students can learn from such a perspective, it does not provide a good model for developing their cultural and pragmatic competencies. Using students’ own cultural experiences would be a good way to enhance their cultural and pragmatic competencies. This investigation involves a qualitative approach, and the participants involved 10 EFL lecturers and 20 EFL students from China. Data was collected by using in-depth interviews, classroom observations, and field notes. The role of technology in enhancing these skills is highlighted in this study. The results indicated that the bidirectional approach of integrated language and cultural elements enhanced their pragmatic competence. The use of technology further promoted learner autonomy and independent learning. The study highlights the limitations of the unidirectional approach in language teaching and advocates a bidirectional approach to enhance pragmatic and cultural competencies, which can be ideal for EFL settings.
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