Enhancing intercultural competence through U.S. multicultural literature in the EFL classroom

Abstract

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17227/01234870.38folios95.109 This article reports part of an action research experience that was conducted in an advanced EFL classroom of the language program at a public university in Bogotá, Colombia in 2011. The study proposes the incorporation of authentic multicultural literary texts in the EFL classroom as a means to develop intercultural communicative competence (ICC). Data were collected to show how learners acquired cultural knowledge, developed critical intercultural skills, and created positive attitudes -aspects of Byram’s model of ICC– when they read literary shortstories. Findings show that integrating language and literature in EFL constitutes a pedagogical contribution to construct critical intercultural awareness.