Enhancing Intercultural Competence by Using Video-Based Instruction

Abstract

          Intercultural competence is the ability to understand cultures, including your own, and use the understanding to communicate appropriately with people from other cultures. Even though intercultural competence is indicated as an expected learner’s learning competence in the official curriculum, in English language class teachers rarely put emphasis on intercultural competence.  The purpose of this study was to investigate learner’s intercultural competence; awareness, skills, attitudes and knowledge after implementing video-based instruction. The participants were thirty-seven learners in grade 10 which were purposively selected. A set of self-assessment questionnaires was used as a tool to investigate the learners’ intercultural competence before and after ten-periods of video-based instruction. The data revealed that the video-based instruction raised the learners’ awareness of intercultural competence, followed by skill, attitude, and knowledge. The lessons they had learned develop their intercultural competence. This instruction helped learners to see the real context of western cultures which did not show much in the textbooks. Videos were one potential factor enhancing learners’ intercultural competence and getting the target information easily and having a better understanding than the traditional instruction.