Enhancing communicative competence of future athletes through the integration of international languages in team sports among multicultural students

Abstract

Introduction: The integration of English as an international language in team sports provides a unique opportunity to enhance communicative competence and teamwork in multicultural environments. Team sports serve as an effective platform for fostering linguistic and intercultural skills. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of using English as the primary language of communication in team sports on the communicative competence, collaboration, and performance outcomes of culturally diverse Physical Education students. Methodology: A mixed-methods approach was employed, including pre- and post-assessments, surveys, focus group discussions, and observations. The study involved 240 undergraduate students from three universities, divided into Experimental and Control Groups, focusing on football, basketball, and volleyball during one semester. Results: The Experimental Group showed significant improvements in communicative competence, collaboration, and teamwork compared to the Control Group. Performance outcomes varied by sport, with significant improvements in basketball and volleyball but no statistically significant differences in football. Discussion: These findings align with existing research on experiential learning, supporting the idea that team sports enhance linguistic and interpersonal skills. The differing results across sports highlight the varying communication demands inherent to each game. Conclusions: Integrating English into team sports enhances linguistic, teamwork, and intercultural skills among Physical Education students, preparing them for globalized sports environments and fostering intercultural collaboration effectively.

Keywords

• Experiential learning
• multicultural environments
• team sports
• physical education
• intercultural collaboration