Abstract:

This presentation is based on findings of an ongoing research exploring the possible improvement of intercultural communication skills achieved through stories read in L2. The participants will get the chance to find out about an online extensive reading course used in a GEAP setting at a tertiary level foundation program in the UAE as well as other online reading sources used by College of Education students in the Children’s Literature course. Some initial examples of student produced reconstructed digital narratives will be presented. These stories are great examples of how learners who are now growing up in a digital world can use new ways to tell old stories. The researchers collected data based on an intercultural (pre and post) competence test adapted from the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Infographics and L2 contemporary story books digitally reconstructed by learners as well as student reflections will be given to learners. The data shed light on how students perceive other cultures as well as self and how they position themselves in their own cultural context. The purpose of this project is to identify whether teaching culture explicitly in an ELL course through L2 readers would impact the intercultural competence of learners. It also aims to identify best practices in teaching culture in language classrooms.

Keywords:

Culture and education, ELL classrooms, Storytelling, intercultural communication skills.