INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION IN ELT

Abstract

English language teaching has inevitably developed towards intercultural communication especially in countries where English language is not a native language. The globalization of the world, the immigration of people in Europe and overseas and the diverse nature of many societies have caused the ICC to become a trend not only in the field of ELT but also in other disciplines such as: business and economy, communication, art, marketing etc. The idea of intercultural communication is to break down the barriers among people of different cultures by learning and appreciating each culture, avoid stereotypes and accept every culture as it is. Intercultural communication cognition of English language teachers is necessary in the English classroom because it is about the ability of teachers to incorporate intercultural communication knowledge, attitudes and awareness towards other cultures. Intercultural communication is becoming essential part of the education system nowadays because of globalization, immigration and the multicultural work environments. The need for training, knowledge and research in this field is increasing because of the recent trends in education.