Developing intercultural competence and intelligence in the ESP classroom: Challenges in higher education

Abstract

Foreign language learning in higher education has gone beyond the mere acquisition of vocabulary and grammar knowledge for communication purposes. It has become apparent that learners need to focus on a deeper knowledge of cultures and how this interacts in intercultural encounters, hence the necessity to develop their intercultural communicative competence. It is also vital to train students to become interculturally intelligent to operate effectively across cultures in their future professions. The authors of this chapter revise key concepts (such as culture, intercultural awareness, or intercultural intelligence), five general models of intercultural intelligence, and four educational approaches to identify the value or intercultural intelligence for future professionals in any English for specific purposes (ESP) area that aims at successful cross-cultural communication (e.g., for translators and interpreters). Finally, they propose a three-stage general model to design ESP courses to enhance learners' intercultural competence and help them reach intercultural intelligence.