The Ministry of Higher and secondary education of the Republic of Uzbekistan

CHAPTER ONE


§1.1. WHAT IS INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION? THEORETICAL ASPECTS OF IT
What is international communication? First of all, let’s see some descriptions this expression:

• 
  Intercultural communication refers to the communication between people from two different cultures.
  
• 
  Intercultural communication is a symbolic, interpretive, transactional, contextual process, in which people from different cultures create shared meanings.
  
• 
  Intercultural communication refers to the effects on communication behavior, when different cultures interact together. Hence, one way of viewing intercultural communication is as communication that unfolds in symbolic intercultural spaces.
  

You might want to consider which of these definitions best describes this idea and process for you. Perhaps you’ve seen another definition or statement that would be helpful for you.
English has been designated as a source of intercultural communication among the people from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. A range of linguistic and cultural theories contribute meaningful insights on the development of competence in intercultural communication. The speculations suggest the use of communicative strategies focusing on the development of learners’ efficiency in communicating language through cultural context. However, the teaching of culture in communication has not been paid due importance in a number of academic and language settings of Uzbekistan. It aims to identify advantages and shortcomings in prescribed textbooks for different levelled students at universities and schools. Therefore, the course paper study recommends integration of cultural awareness into a language teaching programme for an overall achievement of competence in intercultural communication.
In recent years there has been a growing interest in the cultural dimension of foreign language education, and teachers today are expected to promote the acquisition of intercultural competence in their learners. This course paper presents an analysis of viewpoints in the development of intercultural competence in the English as foreign language classroom in Uzbekistan. Intercultural competence, as acknowledged as the key component of foreign language studies, increases the need to adapt teaching methods and materials to raise learners’ intercultural awareness. The following research problem is formulated: do English as foreign language learners’ attitudes become more positive due to the impact of intercultural learning and how they benefit from the impact of intercultural learning in their attitude and overall language proficiency. Based on the study carried out in two intact classes at Pedagogical Institute of Karshi State University, the results indicated that practices in intercultural competence develop their positive attitudes about their culture and target language culture and it motivates them to develop their overall language competence.
One of the most significant changes in language learning and teaching over the past few decades has been the recognition of the cultural dimension as a key component. This change has transformed the nature of the experience of teaching and learning languages to a great extent. The objective of language learning is no longer defined in terms of the acquisition of communicative competence in a foreign language, which refers to a person’s ability to act in a foreign language in linguistically, sociolinguistically and pragmatically appropriate ways. Rather, it is defined in terms of the intercultural competence, which is “the ability of a person to behave adequately in a flexible manner when confronted with actions, attitudes and expectations of representatives of foreign cultures”. This definition, in fact, adds to the notion of communicative competence and enlarges it to incorporate intercultural competence.
As you concluded through the aspect of intercultural communication, it truly depends on culture belonging to nationality. Culture may be defined as a ‘social heredity’ transmitted from one generation to another generation with the accumulation of individual experiences, or a mode of activities differentiating people of one society from another society. Culture cannot be a biological phenomenon but a learned pattern of social behavior to be followed. It is a wonderful and unique phenomenon of human society with colorful diversity always changing its patterns which is the greatest beauty of human society. Culture forms beliefs, conveys ideas, and shares knowledge on customs and values. All of these characteristics are communicated through language which is an integral part of culture.
There have been another popular speculations regarding the relationship of language with culture and thought. An American anthropologist, Sapir, argues that culture and thought are language dependent on account of conveying the implicit meaning and inherited patterns of life. The acquired knowledge on such patterns reveals ones identity through the ways of thinking, feeling, acting, and behaving in a cultural context. Moreover, the cultural context determines the way people interact and make perceptions regarding any situation or the object of life. Thus, the existence of language into culture serves the means of communication among the individuals of a society. The existence of culture for human society is possible due to the development and use of a common language among the people, for example the cultural representation of an individual can be observed through the use of language in particular context. It is the influence of culture on human minds that not only constructs human personality but also leads one to behave as per the existing norms of society. The acquisition of culture requires the learning of a language for the transmission of attitudes, ideas, and values to the next generation. As a result, individuals continue to follow prevailing customs, norms, and values inherited through a social system. Therefore, no human society has ever existed without developing language and culture. Culture as a social process deals with the use of language and communication experienced by people in given circumstances. They tend to learn more than one language for the satisfaction of communicative needs in their academic and professional career. The process of learning a foreign language not only requires an individual to practice linguistic forms but also necessitates to become familiar with the culture of target language in order to interpret intercultural communication. Therefore, in the learning of English as a Foreign language (EFL), it is necessary to provide learners’ cultural context and awareness so as to obtain proficiency in intercultural communication of target language.