With Byram's savoirs being represented in the most important documents that deal with foreign language education, do editors choose tasks that promote intercultural communicative competence based on Byram's savoirs? And if yes, to what extent? This paper aims at answering these questions for the Camden Town 4 coursebook for the German Gymnasium. To be able to answer them at the end of this paper, I define intercultural communicative competence. A special focus is placed on Michael Byram's Model of Intercultural Communicative Competence, which will be explained in detail, then examples of how this competence can be implemented in the foreign language classroom will be presented. To round off the theoretical part, critiques that arose on Byram's model will be presented. Before starting to analyze the chosen coursebook, the methodology for this analysis will be explained. The term paper finished off with a conclusion that will answer the above-stated research question.
In our rapidly growing and globalized world, more and more businesses require workers that are not only skilled in their areas but also interculturally competent. The lack of intercultural competence manifests itself in the training these businesses provide for their employees to develop it. With this necessity, intercultural competence logically moves into the focus not only of businesses but are also addressed in educational environments and are of special interest to foreign language teachers. Michael Byram already identified the necessity to include this competence in the goals in foreign language teaching in the late 90s. Up to then, the existing goals for language learners disregarded the importance of "the social identities and cultural competence of the learner in any intercultural interaction." (Byram, 1997: 8). He established a new model that had the goal to turn language learners into intercultural speakers. His model consists of five so-called savoirs and is, although developed 25 years ago, still one of the most important and present models concerning intercultural competence.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Intercultural Communicative Competence
2.1 Byram’s Model of Intercultural Competence
2.2 Implementation into the FL classroom
2.3 Critique on Byram’s model
3. Methodology
4. Analysis
4.1 Unit 1 – American high schools
4.2 Unit 2 – Wyoming
4.3 Unit 3 – New York
4.4 Unit 4 – Colorado
4.5 Unit 5 – California
4.6 Unit 6 – Philadelphia
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the extent to which the English coursebook Camden Town 4 promotes Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) based on Michael Byram’s model of savoirs. The research aims to evaluate whether the tasks provided in the textbook adequately prepare students to become interculturally competent speakers in diverse cultural contexts.
- The theoretical foundation of Byram’s model (savoirs)
- Implementation of ICC in foreign language teaching
- Critical analysis of coursebook content regarding ICC
- The role of diversity (ethnic groups, social identities) in task design
- Practical evaluation of student exercises in different units
Excerpt from the Book
2.1 Byram’s Model of Intercultural Communicative Competence
Byram developed his model in the late ‘90s based on an already existing model for communicative competence by Hymes after starting to work with others on a project that finally resulted in the creation of the Common European Framework of Languages (CEFR) for the Council of Europe (Matsuo, 2012).
Byram divides his Model of Intercultural Communicative Competence into five areas of competences the so-called savoirs. He categorizes these five areas into Knowledge, Attitudes, and Skills with the two first ones representing the pillars for intercultural communicative competence, savoirs, and savoir être. They are supplemented by two types of Skills, which refer to being able to, on the one hand, interpret and relate different cultures and, on the other hand, discover and interact, savoir comprendre and savoir apprendre/faire, respectively. According to Byram, these competences can be acquired through experience and reflection. If the ICC is seen in an educational environment, Byram advocates for a political education that raises critical cultural awareness, not only towards other cultures but also towards one’s own, savoir s’engager (Becker, 2012).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the necessity of intercultural competence in a globalized world and introduces the research question regarding the Camden Town 4 coursebook.
2. Intercultural Communicative Competence: Details Michael Byram’s model of savoirs, its implementation in language classrooms, and existing academic critiques.
3. Methodology: Describes the selection process and structural analysis of the coursebook Camden Town 4 for the target grade level.
4. Analysis: Provides an in-depth examination of the six units, analyzing how different tasks distribute the promotion of specific savoirs.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes findings, noting that while the book addresses some ICC aspects, it lacks critical implementation of savoir s’engager and often focuses purely on white US-American culture.
Keywords
Intercultural Communicative Competence, Byram, Savoirs, Coursebook Analysis, Camden Town 4, Foreign Language Teaching, Critical Cultural Awareness, Knowledge, Attitudes, Skills, Education, Intercultural Interaction, US-American Culture, Diversity, Multiculturalism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
This paper investigates how effectively the English coursebook Camden Town 4 fosters Intercultural Communicative Competence among students, using Michael Byram’s theoretical framework.
What are the central themes discussed in the analysis?
The work explores how different units in the textbook handle cultural representations, particularly focusing on how tasks promote the five savoirs in relation to varied demographic groups in the United States.
What is the primary aim of the study?
The study aims to determine if the editorial team consistently incorporates tasks that challenge students to reflect on their own cultural perspectives and navigate interactions between various cultures.
Which scientific method is applied here?
The author uses a qualitative content analysis approach, evaluating specific tasks and exercises within the Camden Town 4 textbook to measure their alignment with Byram's model of ICC.
What content is covered in the main section of the paper?
The main part contains a detailed analysis of all six units of the coursebook, supported by quantitative observational data showing the distribution of the five savoirs throughout the lessons.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Key terms include Intercultural Communicative Competence, Byram’s model, Savoirs, and the critical evaluation of foreign language textbook pedagogical material.
How does the textbook handle the topic of Native American culture?
The paper finds that the book often fails to address indigenous issues critically, sometimes depicting Native American culture in a way that risks the reinforcement of negative stereotypes rather than deconstructing them.
Why is the concept of "savoir s’engager" significant in this analysis?
Savoir s’engager, or critical cultural awareness, is crucial because it encourages students to evaluate their own and other cultures, yet the analysis concludes that this area is surprisingly neglected in the studied coursebook.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Anonym (Autor:in), 2022, Intercultural Communicative Competence in Camden Town 4. Coursebook Analysis, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1333575
