Jin Pilot Study

Running head: LANGUAGE TEACHERS INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE
Language Teachers Intercultural Competence
Hyejin Yoon
George Mason University
Spring, 2017
EDUC 878 Intercultural Competence:
Theory and research application to international education

LANGUAGE TEACHERS INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE 2
Introduction
The worlds regions and countries have close ties with each other in most areas of human
activity such as politics, economics, society, culture, and education (Popkewitz et al., 2009;
Satyanath, 2006; Suarez-Orozco et al., 2004). To successfully cooperate and communicate with
one another, language is considered essential, because it plays a crucial role for people to
exchange their perspectives, convictions and cultures (Seelye, 1993). As a global language,
English is no longer only for people who are native speakers, rather it is an international
language used for communication between people from various languages and cultures (Crystal,
1997; McArthur, 2003; Pennycook, 1994; Tam, 2004). However, one of the serious obstacles to
more successful use of English for non-native speakers is a lack of adequately perceiving
communication partners cultures, which can cause misunderstandings and conflicts. Therefore,
teachers should encourage students to become active members of the international community,
and to do that, especially in a language class, it is necessary to integrate language and culture.
Globalization creates many challenges for teacher education, including the need for
training pre- and in-service language teachers to have intercultural competence (IC). To fulfill
new tasks in English education, the qualities of foreign language teaching professionals need to
be refreshed and refocused. Zhao (2010) argued that a new generation of teachers is required
which means that teachers should be able to act as global citizens, understand the global
system, and deliver a globally oriented education (p.429). Also, Levy and Fox (2015) contend
that on top of content knowledge, teachers should show their expertise in culturally pertinent
pedagogical skills and have a language proficiency, understanding linguistic diversity and
theories of second language acquisition. That is, English teachers should comprehend the nature
of international language so that they can impart IC to students. Moreover, Kramsch (2004)
defined a language teacher as a trans-cultural go-between who can lead more globally oriented
language education. In a similar meaning, language teachers are intercultural mediators who
acquired knowledge of how to interact with people from other cultures (Byram, 1997).
As a result, foreign language professionals need to have pertinent knowledge, skills, and
attitudes (Bennet, 2009) on cultures so as to carry out the role of trans-cultural go-betweens and
intercultural mediators. Teacher education organizations should train pre- and in-service
language teachers to be equipped with high sensitivity on cultural differences and to be
competent in communication with heterogeneous people (Byram & Fleming, 1998; Sercu, 2006).
As intercultural mediators, language teachers have a responsibility to teach culture in class. By
virtue of culture education, students can experience penetration that occurs between individuals
at the interpersonal level as people from different backgrounds come together to collaborate in
the pursuit of a common goal (Cushner, 2015, p. 204). Commented [AM1]: You do really well to draw not only
from this course in terms of ideas and literature, but also
from Dr. Foxs class on world languages to set the stage for
what you want to examine and why this is such an
important area for exploration.
Literature Review
The one thing Id like you to do at the end of this section is
to really clarify for the reader what it is exactly that you
In the literature review section, I introduced the most commonly used definition of IC in want to do for your project. You have given really rich
background information, but also tell the reader what it is
order to prevent the confusion that spring from the various tries to define IC. Next, I presented specifically within this scope that you are aiming to examine
in your own study.
theories, dimension of culture learning, process and developmental models of IC, and IC in Commented [AM2]: I start with defining -
Commented [AM3]: you can keep this in present tense
language classrooms which I will employ in the process of exploring the participants since the reader is reading along so to speak in the
present. When you get to the methods section, then you
can move to past tense
comprehensions of IC. I also examined other studies carried out in other countries, European
countries, the USA, the UK, France, and China regarding language teachers knowledge,
attitudes and skills of IC.
Conceptualization of IC
The word intercultural is combination of inter and cultural. Due to the prefix inter
indicating between, the term intercultural emphasizes relationships and interactions between
individuals of different cultures (Hill 2006; Pusch 2004). Believing that intercultural
competence was essential for people to acquire and promote to solve conflict sprang from
cultural disparities, over the last 30 years, many scholars used and defined the term intercultural
competence, but they could not reach a consensus on a single definition (Deardorff, 2006).
Lustig and Koester (2006) explain that intercultural competence requires knowledge, motivation,
skills in communication and germane behaviors. According to Byram (1997), intercultural
competence is comprised of five components, attitudes, knowledge, skills of interpreting and
relating, skills of discovery and interaction and critical awareness. However, in terms of the
commonalities between various definitions, a majority of theorists recognize that intercultural
competence is related to four dimensions, knowledge, attitudes, skills and behaviors (Perry et al., Commented [AM4]: maybe flesh this last sentence out
here so that the reader understands what these four
dimensions entail
2011).
Dimensions of Culture Learning
Paige (2005) introduced five dimensions of culture learning: knowing the self as a
cultural being, knowing culture per se, knowing culture specifically, and knowing culture
generally, and knowing how to use communication strategies in intercultural settings. The
learning content is the self as a cultural being; learners will be aware of how the cultures they
were born and raised contributes to their individual identities. Cultural self-awareness enables
learners to understand cultural influences and to compare and contrast between cultures as the
foundation of intercultural competence. To be effective cultural learners, they should know what
culture is. Paiges (2005) definition is Culture refers to values, beliefs, attitudes, preferences,
customs, learning styles, communication styles, history/historical interpretations,

achievements/accomplishments, technology, the arts, literature, etc.the sum total of what a
particular group of people has created together, share, and transmit (Paige, 2006, p. 43).
Another learning content is the specific elements of the host culture. Culture-specific learning
enables learners to be more proficient in specific cultural settings. In terms of cultural-general
learning, learners experience cultural commonalities and disparities. In the learning process,
individuals experience phenomena such as intercultural adjustment, adaptation, culture shock,
acculturation, and assimilation. Lastly, students learn about learning; they acquire strategies that
they can use in intercultural communicative situations. These five dimensions of culture learning
is a theoretical framework which serves as guidance for teaching and learning intercultural
competence in classrooms. Commented [AM5]: may not be a bad idea to draw on

others besides Paige here
Process and Developmental Models of IC
While Paige (2005) presented the content of cultural learning, M. Bennett (1993)
conceptualized a developmental model of intercultural competence. The Developmental Model
of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS) is used as a framework so as to understand cognitive
development, not attitudes and behavior, that learners come to experience in intercultural
situations. The assumption underlying the model of DMIS is that as the experiences of cultural
differences become more sophisticated, ones intercultural competence increases. In the DMIS
model, there are total six stages along the continuum of intercultural sensitivity. The first three
stages, denial, defense, and minimization, are ethnocentric. People who are dominated by
ethnocentrism consider their own cultures as a center, so they tend to interpret phenomena based
on their own cultures. The rest three stages, acceptance, adaptation, and integration, are
ethnorelative. People who are oriented to ethnorelativism are inclined to understand their own
culture as it relates to other cultures and their behaviors are context-bound.

Figure1. The Development Model of Intercultural Sensitivity. Adapted from Towards ethnorelativism: A
developmental model of intercultural sensitivity, by M. J. Bennett, (1993).
IC in Language Classrooms
Due to the applicability of DMISs core principles to not only cultural learning but also
language learning, the model can be beneficial for language teachers. When we see language
learning as a communication endeavor and as a humanistic enterprise, the development of an
intercultural mind from cultural learning of DMIS resonates with communicative proficiency-
related theories of language learning (Bennett et al., 2003). The model posits that in cultural
learning, people explore cultural self-awareness, and relate their first languages to a
second/foreign language. Moreover, the model focuses on how learners approach cultural
similarity and difference, centering cultural difference in the development of intercultural
awareness. The importance of similarity and difference exists in the language learning domain
as well.
The DMIS provides a guide for language teachers to match language proficiency levels to
developmental levels of intercultural sensitivity by collapsing the six stages of DMIS into three
stages; denial and defense into stage I, novice; minimization and acceptance into stage II,
intermediate; adaptation and integration into stage III, advanced. By dint of assessing the
learners stages of language and cultural learning, the teachers can adjust the level of cultural
complexity in curriculum and prepare relevant teaching and learning materials.
Competence Stage I Stage II Stage III

Stage Novice Intermediate Advanced
Novice
Language Level
College Intermediate
Language
Proficiency Language Level
Level
Advanced
Language Level
Developmental
Level of
Intercultural Denial/Defense Minimization/Acceptance Adaptation/Integration
Sensitivity
Ethnocentric Stages Ethnorelative Stages
Experience of Differences
Figure 2. Development of Intercultural sensitivity. Reprinted from Culture as the core, by Bennett, M. J.,
Bennett, M. J., & Allen, W. (2003). Commented [AM6]: These past two sections draw from
theory really well what I would like to see is your
connectivity between the two a bit more explicitly
highlighted in other words, explain to the reader how they
Investigation into IC of Language Teachers are interrelated and why that interrelatedness is important.
In European countries
Sercu (2006) investigated foreign language (FL) teachers beliefs on the cultural aspect of
their FL teaching practices and the teaching of intercultural competence. The research began
with the perception that there was a precondition to transform teachers convictions on IC and
alter their teaching practice, and the research began by diagnosing what teachers knew about IC,
how they taught IC and how they reacted to IC in their present circumstances. The researcher
collected data from 424 teachers from 7 countries. The questionnaire contained questions
regarding participants convictions on IC and language and cultural teaching practices. Thanks to
Sercus (2006) efforts, people could perceive FL teachers self-concepts and IC teaching
practices and the relationships between them. Sercu (2006) examined whether FL teachers
professional profiles were meeting the formal standards generated in the theoretical literature
regarding the foreign language and intercultural competency teacher. According to the
findings, FL teachers knowledge, skills, and attitude were still insufficient to satisfy the standard.
In the USA, UK and France
Generally, integrating cultural elements into language learning and teaching is strongly
advocated in the theoretical and applied linguistic literature and in frameworks such as the
Council of Europes Common European framework of reference for languages. However,
Young and Sachdev (2010) noticed that there was little empirical research conducted with regard
to the extent to whether or how such an approach was operationalized. Hence the authors
investigated the beliefs and practice of in-service teachers in the USA, UK and France based on
the model of IC, Byrams language-pedagogical model of IC. They implemented mix method
techniques such as diaries, focus groups and questionnaire so as to collect data. Given the
findings, an apparent disparity between experienced teachers beliefs and attitudes on IC, and
their classroom performance appeared to exist. That is, most participants reported their general
consensus about teaching cultures in schools and supported the idea that good teacher and
learners are likely to reveal high intercultural competence. However, the participants proposed
that the problem was aggravated by a lack of support in testing, in textbooks, and in institutional
syllabi for cultural learning and interculturality.
In China
In response to the current broad emphasis of globalization and internationalization, IC
development was emphasized for Chinese English teachers. Tian (2013) paid attention to
Chinese teachers of English in China and their intercultural competence, posing questions about
Chinese English teachers perception of IC in their teaching, the way they apply dimensions of
IC in their classrooms, and the connection between their beliefs on IC and their choices in
teaching culture. Tian collected data by using a mixed method. A total of 96 Chinese teachers of
English, and among them, a sample of 7-11 teachers was selected for class observations and one-
on-one interviews. The researcher found that the participants were inclined to focus on
developing students language skills based on textbook content; they presented a reluctant
attitude concerning the ambiguity of intercultural teaching. They also had a lack of interest in
guiding students to explore their cultural identity and cultural self-knowledge. In terms of
intercultural topics and activities that participants dealt with in classrooms, these were not a main
focus in most participating teachers classes, and the participants prepared extended factual
knowledge drawn from textbooks regarding culture, especially concerning English speaking
countries. The teachers acted as the knowledge provider in classrooms, so the classroom
interactions occurred to deliver the knowledge. Finally, Tian (2013) observed that Chinese
philosophy, institutional context, and personal background contributed to teachers beliefs and
practices with respect to IC. The lack of cultural knowledge and emphasis on teaching-to-the-
test, and curriculum requirements intervened in implementing the teachers beliefs. Commented [AM7]: Give the reader a paragraph at the
end of the literature review that synthesizes the
overarching themes that you see emerging from the
literature and relate those back to the specific project that
you are undertaking in your work.
Methodology
This pilot study collected data by implementing a qualitative research methodology,
interviews. The qualitative data were collected to be able to conduct a detailed contextual
analysis to:
1) explore the language teachers conceptions of culture;
2) investigate the language teachers locations of the continuum of IC; and Commented [AM8]: Maybe apparent location (since you
did not administer the IDI itself)
3) explore the language teachers knowledge, skills, and attitudes of IC. This study was designed
to seek generic ideas regarding language teachers IC through listening to their past and present
stories, and to discover new issues for future research.
Research Context
INTO Mason, the organization that the participants were working for, was is an
institution where international students could beare provided language instruction and pathway
programs. Undergraduate and Graduate Pathways are offered for international students who
need English proficiency and academic preparation, providing language classes focused on
linguistic aspects and various majors classes at the same time; working with 5 majors programs
for undergraduate students and 48 majors program for graduate students. Academic English
program is designed for students who do not meet the requirement for a Pathway program to
enable them to become confident English speakers. After successfully completing this program,
students could continue their studies in Pathway programs or gain full admission into one of
Masons degree programs directly.
I assumed that classes of INTO Mason would consist of people who have different
cultural backgrounds. There are cultural differences between language teachers and international
students in class. In a cross-cultural setting, to communicate and understand each other,

stakeholders should be aware of cultural diversity. Especially, language teachers need to be Commented [AM9]: This is a little choppy here I would
suggest fleshing this out a bit to make sure the reader is
clearly following your thinking and intent here.
equipped with intercultural competence.
Participants
The research participants were three language teachers who were teaching English to
international students. They had English as their first language and worked for INTO Mason. I
recruited all participants from the teacher group of INTO Mason. I asked my friend who was one
of my former classmates and a language teacher at INTO Mason for introductions to her friends
who are teachers. Through my friend, I could recruit the participant A and B and through
participant B, I could meet themet participant C.
Participant A was a 65-year-old female teacher. She was U.S. citizen. She was teaching
12 students of level 8 which was the highest one of the academic English grogram. She used to
be a fitness exercise trainer for 5 years, but owing to her health issue she changed her career
route. She started to teach English to people from different countries as a volunteer. After
achieving Masters degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Language), she
found a job at INTO Mason. Since 2006, she had been teaching English language to
international students. Also, she worked for Northern Virginia International Uuniversity and
Northern Virginia Community College as an English language teacher. She self-reported that
she was familiar with diverse cultures, because she had taught English language to people such
as Koreans, Chinese, Japanese, Mongolians, Thais, Vietnamese, and Hispanics. She had lots of
overseas experiences by both living and traveling various countries such as Russia, Taiwan,
England, and Ukraine.
Participants B did her B.A. in anthropology, focusing on cultures, and linguistics as her
minor. She also achieved M.A. in applied linguistics and a TESOL certificate. Before deciding Commented [AM10]: What a great background for this
particular study!
to go the graduate school, she went to Japan to teach English to Japanese business people for 5
years. Since the summer of 1999 when she finished her Masters degree, she had been teaching
English continuously at Mason. She self-reported that she had almost 23 years teaching
experience. Like the participant A, she had lots of overseas experiences; she traveled France,
England, Canada, Hawaii, and South Korea and lived Japan, and Mexico.
Participant C studied English Literature for her Bachelors degree and applied linguistics
for her Masters degree. She had almost 6 years teaching English language experiences; two
years at the university of Alabama, one year at a university of Bangladeshi, and about three years
at the George Mason Uuniversity. She had one years living abroad experience. She went to
Bangladeshi through the English Language Fellow Program of the U.S. Department of State to
teach English to Bangladeshi university students.
All participants indicated their higher levels of educational background, Masters degrees,
and had immersive experiences in different cultures and countries. In addition, they are
confronting cultural differences every day in their work place, language classrooms. The
average number of teaching experience in language programs including volunteering was 18
years.
Data Sources
Interviews and field memos. The intent of the interviews was to probe personal and
educational experiences regarding cultural awareness, the level of cultural sensitivity and
intercultural competence in class. It was one timed interview and conducted in person for each
participant. Each interview lasted 45 minutes on average. While interviewing, I collected data
by means of audio recorder and in the form of memos. The ten interview questions in the
interview protocol (see Appendix A) were designed to collect data and are made up of three
categories: participants schema on culture, their locations on the continuum of intercultural
sensitivity, and intercultural competence in class. Following the interview, there was also the
possibility to ask additional questions via phone or e-mail to clarify what was meant during the
initial interview and I used the clarification as member-checking strategy in the process of data
analysis.
Summary sheet. Immediately after each interview, a summary sheet was completed,
including an overview of the main points of the interview, initial thoughts, and follow-up
questions that arose during the interview.
Procedure of Data Collection
The data collection timeline is represented below. All participants were voluntary. They
were informed that this study was unofficial and nothing would be used for any publication
purpose or shared with anyone other than the instructor.
Time Activity
March 20 - March 24 Recruiting Participants
March 27 Interviewing with the participant A
March 30 April 9 Transcribing the interview record
Segmenting, coding and developing
category systems
Administering follow-up questions
April 10 Interviewing with the participant B
April 11 April 23 Transcribing the interview record
category systems
April 24 Interviewing with the participant C
April 25 April 30 Transcribing the interview record
category systems
May 1 May 5 Identifying themes
Data Analysis
Approach. Carspecken (1996) introduced the most fundamental analytic techniques and
suggested that the analytic procedure that researchers made speculations with regard to the
meanings of interaction recorded be repeated during an entire qualitative study. Adopting
Carspeckens (1996) procedure of data analysis, I had read through transcriptions several times
to be familiar with them, trying to understand the holistic meanings and getting an impression of
the field. Then, taking context into consideration, in some cases there seemed to be mixed
messages, I conducted meaning fields by virtue of articulating the range of meanings from the
view of the first person. In order to reconstruct initial meaning, I built up relatively low, mid,
and high levels of inference. Sometimes I constructed hermeneutic inferences by putting words
describing on meaning of participants tones, hesitations and the length of pauses.
After coding, I divided the data into meaningful analytic units. Identifying meaningful
segments from transcriptions, I conducted the process of marking segmented data with theme
names. All participants responses were compared to find similarities and differences.
Trustworthiness and Validity
In order to avoid a researchers bias which is a potential threat to the validity of data and
uncertainty, there are important and effective strategies that can help researchers establish high
qualitative research trustworthiness. Koro-Ljungberg (2010) addressed how validity can be
established with researchers responsibility and in the process of decision-making, saying
responsible researchers could strive for ongoing and disruptive dialogues with study
participants and collaborative communities thus opening spaces for themselves and others to
challenge the authorities of oppressors, to allow margins to speak and to dislocate decolonizing
privilege (p. 608). Therefore, among many approaches to construct trustworthiness, I allowed
the interpretationss of two groups of people, my peers and the participants. To examine if my
theoretical interpretations fit the data, I employed the peer-debriefing technique by discussing the
interpretations with my two peers. Also, to investigate if the degree that I accurately portrayed
the meanings given by the participants, I obtained participants feedback. Commented [AM11]: I appreciate the thoroughness with
which you approached this this is very well done for your
first paper of this nature! You covered the bases
thoughtfully and really provided a platform by which the
reader can understand the work that took place
Findings
The purpose of this research was to explore the intercultural competence of teachers who
were working for a language institution, INTO Mason as English language teachers. Three
interviews were designed to examine aspects of intercultural competence in the participants. The
preliminary findings of this data analysis are presented according to the two overarching research
questions as follows:
How do the participants perceive integrating cultural elements in their language classes?
How well developed are the participants knowledge, attitudes, and skills of IC?
Research question one: How does the participant perceive integrating cultural elements in their
language classes?
The participants had Masters degrees majoring in applied linguistics or TESOL. They
said that during their Masters programs, they had learned about the roles of culture in the
process of language learning and they emphasized the importance of teaching culture in language
classes. Commented [AM12]: Keep going here this explains their

background in thinking about this question, but push further
to really start thinking about the perceive part of the
Research question two: How are the participants knowledge, attitude, and skills of IC? question
Knowledge. According to Byrams (1997) description of IC in terms of knowledge,
interculturally competent language teachers are equipped with knowledge regarding culture per
se; what culture is and how influential culture is in our lives. Also, they should contact other
cultures not only frequently but also variously. In addition, a good understanding of ones own
culture and general traits of other cultures is required for them to help students to recognize and
understand similarities and differences between cultures. Also, teachers need to know
stereotypes that students possess and know how to address these in class. Teachers who have
intercultural competency know various ways to select pertinent learning content, activities and
teaching materials.
According to the findings (see Appendix E), the participants demonstrated their
knowledge of IC in detail. All participants had culturally immersive experiences and they
perceived not only Big C culture but also Little c culture. They acknowledged the concept
of IC as an ability to interact successfully with others from different cultures and as knowledge
concerning other cultures. However, in classrooms, they seemed to be easily focusing on Big C
culture to teach such as holidays, arts, and American educational environments. The most
interesting finding to me was when participants were asked about culture, they tended to focus
on not similarities but differences between cultures. Furthermore, they tried to prepare teaching
and learning activities to contrast American culture and students own cultures. However, I
could find that only participants B was aware of cultural similarities, when she said:
So, for example, people just see differences, as the differences with their culture.
However when you get to know people one-on-one, um.. you realized that you still have
the same concept things like brothers and sisters are getting jealous of bad each other,
husband and wife things are somewhat similar. Uh and um people still um.. raise
their family. They go to work, have some goals and desires for kids futures and their
futures for good relationship among the family members and friends. (see Appendix C)
Attitude. When it comes to teachers attitude of IC, teachers should be sensitive to the fact
that they need to value cultural dimensions in language learning. Also, language teachers should
willingly take account of students convictions about and attitudes toward different cultures and
deal with pupils stereotypes in class.
The findings suggest that although all respondents were favorably disposed toward
teaching intercultural competence in their language classes and they seemed to be opened toward
different cultures, they allocated only small portions of their classes to teach cultures,
considering teaching culture as an optional activity.
Skills. EL Teachers should be able to address learners stereotypes, and aid them to make
connections between cultures. They also should be able to select pertinent teaching materials
and modify these material contents that interrupt achieving the goals of IC learning. Teachers
should employ experiential approach to cultural education.
Based on finding, the participants self-reported that they mainly used their text books to
teach culture, and as occasion searched on-line to prepare supplementary teaching materials. Commented [AM13]: I assume that you are putting
findings and analysis together in this section (since there
isnt an analysis section following this).
I appreciate the material that you have presented here and

Reflection/Limitations the narrative you have crafted to examine it. I would like to
see the analysis portion fleshed out a bit more really
drawing conclusions and meaning a bit more robustly.
Although I tried to prepare carefully, there will be some unavoidable limitations. At the
Commented [AM14]: Especially the first time doing
something like this!
phase of setting up the interview questions, I already had generic research questions and several
themes that I expected to find out; participants knowledge, attitudes, and skills of IC. However,
due to the time limit, I did not have enough opportunities to build trust relationships with the
participants. Therefore, I felt that the participants demonstrated their attitudes toward different
cultures in a subtle way: they seemed to try to hide their emotions at cultural differences by using
moderate languages and expressions.
Also, I struggled with the limitation of my background knowledge concerning IC,
because I was a student researcher. At the data collection and analysis phases of this study, I
continuously needed to go back to the theories to check my understanding. Although it was a
time-consuming work, it was interesting at the same time due to the pleasure of discovery. Also,
the process of checking my knowledge concerning IC was a great opportunity for me to
internalize the theories.
To sum up, this qualitative research required a lot of energy and was completed after a
long time. It was definitely a rigorous work. However, through the meticulous process, I could
develop my knowledge concerning IC, analytic attitudes and skills with which researchers
should be equipped. Moreover, when I confronted the participants As relatively strong negative
attitudes toward Saudi male students, I had a chance to have the ethical consideration which was
not harming participants psychologically during the conduct of research.
Recommendations
This study was an exploratory qualitative work, so the main goal was investigating
language teachers knowledge, attitudes, and skills of IC. This study was conducted with a small
size of population, three language teachers, so it was hard to generalize the findings. However,
through the common themes emerged from the data analysis, I would like to make a couple of
recommendations.
For language teacher educators. According to the participants self-reports, they
seemed to have knowledge of IC and they fully recognized the importance of including and
integrating IC in language classrooms. However, I observed that they did not apply their
theories and convictions on IC to their classrooms. When they said that they taught culture in
their classes, I could see that their teaching contents and methods were likely to be restricted to
simple and visible cultural elements. Hence, it seems to be necessary for language teacher
educators to focus on training pre- and in-service teachers to develop their abilities and skills so
that they can impart their IC to students.
For developers of curriculum and teaching materials. The finding revealed that current
textbooks are still insufficient in providing resources for the cultural education. Language
learning textbooks should involve teaching and learning materials to guide student to think and
understand deeply about culture so that they can develop their IC.
Commented [AM15]: Circle back to the main ideas of the

paper and provide the reader with a conclusion that ties all
the pieces together here.
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Appendix A
Interview Protocol
Interviewer:
Interviewee:
Date:
Location:
Time of Interview:
Leadoff question: Tell me about your first day of teaching in a culturally diverse class. How did
you approach to students?
Articulation of covert categories of interest:

1) Teachers conception of culture
2) Teachers conception of ones own culture
3) Teachers conception of different cultures
4) Teachers position on the continuum of intercultural sensitivity
5) Teachers knowledge of intercultural competence in class
6) Teachers attitudes concerning intercultural competence in class
7) Teachers skills in intercultural competence in class
Possible questions:
1) What do you believe intercultural competence is?
1-1) How do you strive for it in your classes?
2) Have you ever traveled or lived in different countries? Tell me about your first experience
when you visited another country and met the local people
2-1) Describe cultural differences of which you were aware.
2-2) If you did both, could you explain the differences between them?
3) Tell me about a memorable moment when you taught students who came from different
cultures.
4) Tell me about a time when you felt like a student struggled with cultural differences in your
class?
4-1) Describe the situation and the way that you dealt with it.
4-2) How did the students react to your management?
5) Have you ever encountered an uncomfortable situation caused by cultural differences between
your and others
5-1) How did you handle the situation/emotion?
6) Tell me about the most interesting or challenging incident or event that occurred when you
were teaching about cultures in a language class.
7) Tell me about the most recent experience with other cultures?

8) What do you want your students to know regarding culture?

8-1) Tell me about the most recent cultural topic that you dealt with in class?
8-2) How did students react to different cultures?
8-3) When you found students relying on or referencing stereotypes, how did you deal with
them?
9) Tell me about a time when you felt that you have changed your style to teach students from
different backgrounds.
10) Tell me about your teaching materials on culture.

10-1) Describe the process of preparing recent teaching materials related to cultures.
10-2) What resources do you use in order to teach cultures? Why did you choose and how did
you use them? Where did you find them?
Appendix B
Participant A Interview Transcripts
Interviewee: Participants A
Interviewer: Hyejin Yoon, George Mason University, hyoon12@gmu.edu
Date of interview: March 27, 2017
Location of interview: The lobby of INTO Mason building, Global Center
LTA = Language Teacher A (Participant A, interviewee), ME = Hyejin Yoon (interviewer)
(Start of Interview)
ME: Tell me about your class. Why do you think Saudi male students left your class?
LTA: Actually they dont have problems at their speaking. All got As on their speaking exams,
maybe one B. And then out of 12 students only 4 people passed. Two As and two Bs, everyone
else failed on the listening exam.
ME: Listening? Could you tell me more about your duties?
LTA: Oh, I only teach oral communications so no reading and writing were involved. However,
there are big exams for each chapter, of course mid-term exam do involve essay writing. This is
the skill that they are really deficient in. In this case they need to listen to lecture and then write
essay questions concerning lectures, I understand, which involves the comprehension of the
lecture, and the ability to take note and then the ability to analyze in a some kind of uh.. abstract
way. The content of the lecture, be able to formulate serious essay answers. And the purpose of
that of courses, because say let they ready to academic classes and then ready to go to the
academic world. So the mid-term exams are very important text with them, because they want to
go onto the academic classes next semester and maintain that they are probably not ready. And
speaking they are. Not listening.
ME: That is quite interesting to me, because I understood that listening would be followed by
speaking.
LTA: Only for Asians.

ME: Oh, that is only for Asians?
LTA: Not for Middle Eastern. You are studying languages and different aspects of pronunciation,
n how to teach the teachershow to teach listening I mean the speaking .That so important
in Korea. Thats why you gonna go back to Korea, because your language so different. Speaking
wise from English with the consonant clusters, the differentiation between r and l and uh so
especially expecially so the ending of the words having consonant clusters thats so different
from Korean.
ME: Um.
LTA: Whereas middle Eastern language, they have all the same sounds. The only sound different
is r. They have the typical rolled r as supposed to the weird and unusual American r. And so
most of them dont even work hard to try to fix that. They are all of the consonant clusters that
they are familiar with.
ME: Oh.. got it.
LTA: So their speaking is very clear. My students have been giving Powerpont presentations for
the last two weeks. I dont think I had to mark down anybodys pronunciation. Maybe their
grammar, maybe their fluency, but not the pronunciation. They got As, all of that, because they
say all the words. There is not a difficult for them.
ME: You are saying about their pronunciation, focusing on phonology. Tell me about more their
grammar skills. I understand Arabic has a different grammar system.
LTA: I dont think its I dont think its different to Korean is. You know, Korean had the
the verb at the end of a sentence. I think Arabic different, a different kind of way. For example, a
lot of words they dont have any vowels. So, the word for book is ktub. Its they have vowel
insertion. So its K T something B, something like that. The inserted vowel in the middle of the
word will change the subject to the sentence, object to the sentence, or indirect object, or some
kind... So their system is different. Its a case language. Thats why they insert those things, but
I think that the sentence structure is so different.
ME: You are right. Thats what I understood.
LTA: They also have a lot of same verbs. Tenses For example, they do have articles. Some
languages dont have articles. Right?
[OC: She already knew that Korean does not have articles.]
ME: Right. (laugh together) You know that.
LTA: SoSome languages dont have he and she or her and him. So... but Arabic does. I
think there are more similarities to English than Korean does. Korean is like from Mars in
comparison to the Venus, something like that.
ME: Hmm So, have you ever thought about that kind of Arabic and Koreans differences? Now
I understood that Koreans are relatively strong at reading and grammar. And Saudis are strong
at speaking. Have you ever thought about the reasons why that kind of differences happened,
focusing on cultural differences?
LTA: (Smiling) This is my first time to teach level 8. So, this is my first experience with this level
of students. For 3 years, I taught level 6. And. I am more familiar I can speak clearly about
that level than level 8. Umm Let me tell you a little story. OK ... (chuckling) I have three
students in my class right now in level 8 who havent done anything to pass the class. They
havent completed any of their homework. All the homework is online. Theyve never submitted
any of homework on-line. Umm.. two of them havent done anything about their power point
presentations. The deadline is this Friday, the deadline to submit their proposal was yesterday.
Neither of them did anything about proposal for their academic presentations. .. (deep
breathing) . (pausing almost over a second) one of them got 17% his mid-term, another got 30.
ME: 17?
LTA: So these students are not even trying. Right?
ME: Umm
LTA: And when they did write anything down essay, their sentence structure was horrible. So I
assumed that their co-classes are much lower than their speaking class. So long answer to your
short question is if you dont try, if you dont do your homework, if you dont come to class
prepared, if you dont respond to your teachers emails like you do, you respond to my emails,
hello~ (chuckling and then little pause) and all you do is show up for class, it looks to me all they
care about is keeping their student visa. So they have to attend class to keep their visa. They
dont have to pass class. The two people who got As on the mid-term exam were both women
from Saudi Arabia. They are top of the class. Ive got 100 and 99 something like that.
[NC: The participant is teaching speaking class, so I can assume that co-classes means reading,
writing, and listening class]
ME: So that is not a problem of cultural thing.
(laughing)
LTA: I wouldnt want to use the word lazy, but (laughing) so oh, I didnt get to tell you
the story. I was thinking about this in the hallway last week, and two people were in the booth
next to me talking about financial situation. They both are accountants here INTO. And how
some students dont pay their tuition on time. So I asked them, can you please tell me if there are
demographics in your situations people who dont pay their tuition on time routinely and they
described the same group as I am talking about for not passing my class. So It seems to me there
is a connection between the level of dedication and commitment to the program, they also not
paying the money. (laughing)
ME: Then, how could you guide students who dedicated almost the same amount of efforts to
their study, but their mid-term exam result was not enough to pass the course?
LTA: Well, this is a very important question. Actually in the hallway I was thinking about this
last week. Thats what I was thinking about. Because the purpose of the mid term grades is
what you know? Its to worm the students. If the student does not pass, if the students are
having any kind of trouble in class the mid-term is the red flag. You know.. youd better start
working harder. So in our program, if the students are not passing at mid-term, we have to have
conference with them. So I have just finished conference with each one by one by one. It took me
3 hours to have these conferences with all my students. It was a lot of time. And one student in
the class is a Japanese. And she also was not passing. VERY unusual. (with lauder voice,
prolonging the word very)
ME: (laughing)
LTA: Among the Japanese students. Usually they are way top of the class. But she wasnt
passing. Since we had a mid-term conference, she completely turned around. Every homework
assignment on time. I just told her you are not gonna pass the class. Is there anything I can help
you? I am here for you. But you have to do your work or you are not gonna pass. Every
homework assignment 100%, completely turn around. She will be fine, she will pass the class.
No result with the other group. No change.
ME: Even though you did same thing for them?
LTA: Same, same show them their homework, show them their test score, show them, you
know, all of the area where they havent completed assignments. And only for one case,
completely different result. So, I was just thinking about that. So, we have someone staff here
whos from Saudi Arabia. Shes actually paid to try to intervene, so I actually considered writing
her email last night, asking you can do any help for these students. Good question. In the past,
my OCS class, if I had a mid-term conference, and then they had mid-term grades submitted on
patriot web which is very serious. So, its official. Almost every time they turn them around, sort
of doing much better in their classes. Almost every time. This time? Good question. (cynical
laughing) I dont think they care. I actually tutored one of them. So.. teen.. teenager, teenage
boys
ME: There is no right answer, right?
LTA: Right. If he lived in my house, I take away his phone, you know, take away his laptop, take
away his i-pad, right? You can do that, if someone lives in your home, but he is 18 year old who
are away from home for the first time and the land of freedom. Absolutely wonderful time. Who
knows what they do at night? (laughing together)
ME: Thank you for your honest attitude and sharing your experience. Its so meaningful. Many
things came out already. So Id like to skip some questions. So. (I examined questions) Tell me
about your first experience to teach.
LTA: I have been volunteer teaching English classes at my church for almost 20 years.
ME: Almost 20 years! Wow..
LTA: At that time. Long story about that.
ME: So, it was the first time to teach.
LTA: No, that was my first time to teach English. Before that, I used to be a fitness exercise
teacher for 5 years. So the last couple of years of my degree, I got a job teaching in Fairfax
countys adult education program, their English program in one of high schools. They gave me
the job based on my volunteer experience. I had no other experience, I have never been paid to
teach English but one of the HR people came to my volunteer class, watched me teach, and said
you hired. So it was my first paid job.
ME: That was great!
LTA: And then I also got a job here George Mason tutoring. At Mason, you can tutor while you
are still a graduate student. If you are a maters student, getting in a masters degree, you
halfway through you can start tutor. So I got a tutoring job. A person who hired for the tutoring
was the same person who hired for the classes here. So, when I finish my degree, I said I am
done, he said you hired. That was in 2006. Ive been teaching here. And I also taught at NOVA
for two years.
ME: George Mason is your first official school to teach English. Am I right?
LTA: I taught English at Virginia International university, I also taught at Northern Virginia
International university, and I also taught at NOVA. So this is actually my fourth university to
teach.
ME: So you have a master degree.
LTA: Yes, in TESOL.
ME: Of course, your native language is English, born in the US. Right?
LTA: Yes. (smiling)
ME: Then, tell me about your first experience you taught English a culturally diverse class.
LTA: When I taught as a volunteer teacher at my church, the class was the most divers than any
other classes Ive ever taught in. Those volunteer classes, they still are. I am still involved in the
program, we have students from a hundred countries.
ME: Really?
LTA: Yeah, at any given semester, we have about 200 students. And they are from all over the
world. Much more diverse than George Mason.
ME: Most of them are immigrants? So, you taught adults?
LTA: Yes, always.
ME: Did do you see that your students feel a part of the community?
LTA: Hmmm. I was very slowly into my teaching. I was already a teacher in [the] exercise
and fitness world, so I could teach. But I wasnt comfortable as a teacher. So the first experience
I had with English class was as a conversation partner. I was homeschooling my children. At
that time. You know what that is?
ME: Yes.
LTA: I had teenagers, I was homeschooling. And I was having trouble getting them interested in
social studies, geography, history. When I found out the conversation partner at my church,
partner program of my church, they can come with me. Lets try this. So every week, people in
charge the program give us list of questions, and we will break into small groups, very diverse
groups, and have conversation about the topic of the day. And my children participated. And
their assignment was to ask question about the culture, the history, the geography anything
pertinent of the country of origin from these students and then my students.. my kids go home, do
research on that country, and prepare some more questions to ask the following week. So, in the
long run, what happen was that my group became the most popular. (big smiling) Because my
children were very involved in the conversation and the adults really liked that. And they bring
their kids to have them have a friendship. So it totally broke the problem, solved the problem of
the social studies and interests.
ME: Wow, how smart!
LTA: Eventually out whole family went to Russia. Lived in Russia, I taught English there. So it
was very gradual. Our interest was there, then I started to be a teacher assistant to some other
classes. And I think it only after 10 or 12 years did I start to actually teach my own classes. So by
that time I was very immersed and multicultural diversity. And I was very familiar with Korea,
Chinese, Japanese, a lot of Asians, Mongolians, Thai, Vietnamese, you know, a lot of people
from Asia and a lot of Hispanics. So already after 10 years, 12 years, I was in some sense
your conversation partner, your almost more like students. You are more like a partner than you
are a leader. Does it make sense?
ME: Hmmm partner, leader? Be more specific please.
LTA: Sure, I felt (little pause) not so much like a leader in some of my first classes that I taught.
That was more like a facilitator who could facilitate conversation, trying to help them learn
speak more boldly with less shyness. And to feel confident about their speaking abilities and to
go forwarding use their language as much as they could outside the classroom. So I loved to
prepare them shopping or if they had a meeting at their childrens school, prepare them for the
childrens meeting. You know, things that were actually vital and practical for their everyday
lives. Does it make sense?
ME: Sure sure. Didnt you have a moment when you felt uncomfortable in the cultural diverse
situation?
LTA: Sometimes. Not very rarely. And I am a confident woman. Im marry to a man who is
very challenging and always wants me the best. So he was always challenging me to compile.
Dont be satisfy. Maybe he is a little Korean. (laughing)
ME: Yes, similar.
LTA: Actually he is an Irish. So I never felt in spite of that kind of challenging that you are
talking about, I never felt that I wasnt able to handle that until I start to teach here at Mason.
And I will talk about that just second. In the church program, the most challenging things Ive
ever encountered were the. (clicking her tongue) the man who are very paternalistic in their
attitudes toward women. So they looked down women. I am small, I am little, I am getting older,
and some of the men who come to the class would be very rude. Sort of expect me to be like a
servant (with strong accent) for them. Well (smiling) sometime a teacher since I am a
volunteer, I dont have be anybodys servant. So, you know, if they ask me to go get them some
coffee, well its over there. You know that kind of thing, so
ME: It happened in real life?
LTA: Yah! Oh yah! Really. So it was a volunteer program, nobody gets hired and fired in the
situation like that. So, I never felt pressured in any way. I just did the best I could. You know,
maybe sometimes I handled it nicely I could have, but nobody got upset with me. Here is
different issue all together. And we have had up to 75% of students from Saudi Arabia in any
given time. Maybe 3 years ago, 4 years ago, and then of course you can see as my class for this
semester. (little pause) The situation with that kind of attitude toward women coming from 18-
year-old. It is probably the hardest thing I ever have to deal with. The superiority and the
arrogance. And then the most of them never shows up. But there are times when I can tell .. em ..
of course, for example with mid-term grades some a couple weeks ago, I could tell they were
seriously (with strong accent on the first syllable) shocked. That is a teacher, a woman (with
strong accent on the first syllable) would do this to them. You mean, really flunk me? You would
really do that?
ME: Did they say like that? Because of your gender?
LTA: No, Im just guessing. In context. I am paying my money, and I am coming to class. So,
what more do you want? Well I e-mailed you last week. And I detailed for you what you need to
do to pass this class and I didnt hear back from you. Could you please check your e-mails? They
said I dont have time to do that. So that kind of challenge is something Im still getting used to. I
am gonna be 65 next month. Coming from 18-year-old, not just gender thing, but also age thing.
You never see that from Asians. I tutor people in Korea every day on Skype. I never encounter
that attitude from them. Its something I still to process. And the other thing I am just gonna be
honest with you. . (pausing) um
ME: Thank you, thank you so much.
LTA: The world is having more and more trouble with terrorism. And its mostly coming from
one place. So for example, on Monday I asked my class (pause) wasnt it terrible happen in
London last week. Does anybody has anything to say?
ME: You brought up that issue in class.
LTA: Yes, we were just talking about the news. On Monday we talk about the news what
happened over the weekend.
ME: on a regular basis?
LTA: Yah! And I said thats so sad what happened. So, does anybody, anybody can explain this
to me? And its like dead silence. So in my mind, educated person in the West should feel free to
say mannerly you. (smashing the table with her fist) We can dam that. But you never hear.
Anybody to say anything like that. To me thats cultural gap. Thats really hard to fathom. You
know, that really really sad to me.
ME: You mentioned cultural gap between
LTA: between the way of American looks at the terrorism and the way Saudis look at it.
ME: Could you be more specific? I just want to know what kind of differences on the notion of
terrorism between Americans and Saudis.
LTA: 10%, I think gallup polls, maybe [not clear, maybe the name of a researcher group] poll
on this here, they are pretty sure about 10% of all Muslims living in the West think that the
terrorisms ok.
ME: Oh (pause)
LTA: So if thats true, whats 10% of 1.3 billion? (laughing)
ME: Ok.
LTA: You know how many that is? Thats a hundred million. So.. (laughing) Its sizable number.
Let me just ask you a question. Do you remember when a Korean doctor cheated on his research?
ME: Oh, you know that.
LTA: Oh yah, I was tutoring a Korean student then. Do you remember?
ME: Sure.
LTA: What was the attitude of the average Korean about that.
ME: Toward what he did?
LTA: Yes.
ME: You know weve learned a lot. It was complicated, because the government supported him.
LTA: Well thats make it worse. Youre talking about Korean culture. Maybe the same as what
happened was president Park. Right? Whats the Korean attitude toward her? So.. there is huge
contrast between Korean attitude toward faults and what Im saying among my students. So,
what does the average think about Korean president Park? Are you proud of her? And her
assistant through away her laptop. Are you proud about her? So if someone from Saudi Arabia
ask you about that, what would you say?
ME: Ummm.. Its shameful. Then what kind of response can I expect from the US people if
same thing happen in the US?
LTA: Ok, lets talk about the ferry boat, cover up. There is almost no doubt president Park [was]
involved in the cover up about the ferry boat. Not president Park did the president before that.
Theyre pulling up the ferry boat out of the water. And people are still just as upset about that
now as they were 3 years ago, right? The anger, the shame, all of that are still real and when the
doctor cheated on his research, my Korean students were very quick to apologize and they felt
ashamed that someone with dishonor would break the honor of the Korean people this way
publicly. And the government was involved. There was shame, there was sadness. And that kind
of apologetic attitude, I dont see any on that. Can you see the parallel I was trying to draw? Its
so different. (low voice, sounds like she was devastated). The culture is so different. And I dont
understand that. Why arent they shamed. This is done under the name of religion. Thats what
Im trying to say. Yes, I am still struggling with this. And it comes up in my class. I hope I didnt
see any of that when I was teaching, cus I tried to be fair and equal with my student. But I
struggle with it.
ME: I think that is not a problem about all or nothing. Just we can solve the challenges
gradually and step by step.
LTA: (lower voice) Yah, right.
ME: So, at this point, what kind of effort do you do to resolve your uncomfortable situation with
your Saudi students?
LTA: I dont try to handle [it] in class any more. So, some of my students are more easy to talk
to than others. So, for example, there is one guy in my class right now who is at the top of the
class academically, and hes already been accepted into GMU as a student for next year
academically. So he is gonna be here for a while, he will be here at least 2 more years. So I felt
that I should talk to him about it privately. And I ran into him in a hallway one day, and I asked
him about something that has happened by some of terrorists. I just felt that one on one being
able to try to relate to him in person and give him a chance to talk about it and just see how
Americans think about this. Maybe they already know what American think, we are freaked out
about this. So one on one. And the women are so easy to talk to.
ME: Right.
LTA: And the women have children. So anything that I share with them anything that any insight
that I can give them pass on the next generation. Thats what you want. (laughing)
ME: Right. (laughing together) That is the best way to share your ideas with students, right?
LTA: I think the best teachers are helped inspire students to be more than they might have
thought of to help them open their minds other ways looking at things and try to understand the
world better as a large place. Sometimes just having somebody to talk to is helpful.
ME: Ok,..oh, we already consumed 40 minutes. Can you give me 10 minutes more?
LTA: Sure!
ME: Have you ever traveled other countries or lived in other countries?
LTA: I did both.
ME: When was the first time to visit another country?
LTA: My father was military. When I was 2 years, we already move to Taiwan and there for 3
years. My baby sitters were all Chinese at that time.
ME: Oh, thats why you are familiar with other cultures.
LTA: I dont know. Certainly I had that experience early, and wasnt afraid, grew up not being
afraid of that. And then a. And then after I got married we lived in Russia for year and half when
my kids were teenagers. And then I traveled lots of times. I went to Ukraine and taught English 6
summers ago. And this summer I am going to Albania. I am gonna teach English in Albania this
summer.
ME: Youre gonna teach English for
LTA: a month.
ME: So do you feel that there is a difference between traveling and living in other countries?
LTA: Oh, totally. Did you come to the America before you came to live?
ME: No.
LTA: Your first time?
ME: Yes.
LTA: So, you dont know. (laughing laudly)
ME: Could you explain for me?
LTA: Sure. Yes. When you travel to country, it is like standing next to the swimming pool and
looking at the swimming pool and watching everyone swim. And say hello, are you having a
going time? When you move there, you jump in, you start swimming with them.
ME: What a great metaphor! I love that. (laughing together)
LTA: Its so different. One of them you get wet. The other one you stay dry. So
ME: Jumping into a swimming pool and getting wet is much more difficult.
LTA: Yah, especially the water is deep. The more you know about the culture, the shallower the
water is. So, you can prevent drowning if you try to do your homework. And there are ways of
traveling another country. That are also more valuable experience when I was in junior college.
My college had a program in Europe for 8 weeks in the summer. It was the same price as going
to the summer schools. So, I went to Europe and before we went there we had to do research on
8 countries where we were gonna visit 8 countries. So, we had to study geography, history,
politics etc. After research, and then we write papers about the countries where we were going to
visit. And then during the 8-week time, every morning we had lectures from our professors. The
professors traveled with us. And then the rest of the day we free to go, visit tour sites, but we
were also required keep it journal which was very valuable. And then we came home, we had to
write more papers. So, papers before, journals during, and then papers after. That was
definitely the most valuable Ive ever done being tourist. That was the best experience that Ive
ever had traveling other countries.
ME: Be more specific please. What did you focus on to do your papers, during, after the travel?
LTA: Well, we were required to study the political situation, art, history, art and music that
came from that countries, study history of it in the place where we were gonna visit. So, our
research was focused on what we were going to experience when we were there. If we go to
Amsterdam, we studied Rembrandt, and his art and what we see in Rembrandt museum. Who
was Rembrandt, how did he fit into history, and you know to try to contextualize what we were
gonna see. So, we didnt just go there, see just stuff and not understand what we were looking at.
We studied the place where we were visit. It was a great way to visit in to tour
ME: Can you describe what change did you experience after that traveling?
LTA: (smiling) First of all, I had a great time, 8 weeks traveling Europe, boat ride It was a
great time. Experiencing the food, and the music, art, we just had a great time. But secondly, we
visited 3 communist countries. This was 1973. And the Soviet Union was still alive. I will never,
never (strong tone) forget seeing the Soviet Union and seeing the lives of those people. What
their lives were like. How terrible their lives were. I never forget. It changed me forever. It
totally changed my gratitude for being an American, and how wonderful our lives are here, the
freedom, wealth.
ME: Can you help me imagine what you saw in Soviet Union?
LTA: uh. (a deep sigh) I think I will take all of our rest of time to describing this, so me just be
short, their lives were destitute, so poor, didnt have food, their homes everything about their
lives were so poor.
ME: Economic situation
LTA: Their economic situation and then there completely lack of freedom. There no faith, no
freedom of speech, inability to discussing anything. I just see it first hand, see the lines of people,
a hundred-people waited in to buy a loaf of bread. Just I couldnt believe that. The things I had
heard about the communist world were true. My father had told me but to see that. It changed me
forever.
ME: You saw what you heard and the first-hand experience influence on your life.
LTA: Right.
ME: Thank you for sharing. We dont have enough time, so this is my last question. Tell me
about your teaching materials regarding cultures. Are you teaching cultures in your class?
LTA: Not this semester. My classes are very academic focused, because the level 8 is the last
class my students take to be academically prepared. They have already taken culture classes that
we have elective to teach that.
ME: Then what about the former classes? Did you teach culture?
LTA: Yes. At level 6.
ME: Tell me about the most challenging or interesting topic about culture?
LTA: Um (pause) Last semester especially one class was 100% Chinese, and then another
class was quite diverse. And trying to explain to them how American so individualistic, so non
what did you call collectivistic?
ME: Yah, collectivist, collectivism.
LTA: Non collectivist, non group mentality. Even for example with the context of the family, even
within a family, people are often very individualistic. They do what they want, not for the family.
My husband and I dont agree with that, because we are Christians. We wanna take care of each
other, take care of our kids. But there are very extreme individualism here. To try to explain that
aspect of American culture I found quite challenging. Not because I think it was a good idea
necessarily, but just so that they were tried to understand the thing they would see out there that
they didnt understand.
ME: Tell me about teaching materials that you used at that time.
LTA: I often use newspapers, current events different types and I would often use current event
or things what happening to try to help them understand American culture.
ME: Tell me about your teaching way. How do you facilitate students to learn cultures?
LTA: Well.. when I actually bring something, thats the opposite. Im actually trying to give
them a chance. To talk about their culture in class. Their current event in some ways, you know.
Thats not my current event. You know, give them a chance to talk about their own culture more.
(End of Interview)
Appendix C
Participant B Interview Transcripts
Interviewee: Participants B
Date of interview: April 3, 2017
Location of interview: The participant Bs office, INTO Mason building, Global Center
LTB = Language Teacher (Participant B, interviewee), ME = Hyejin Yoon (interviewer)
ME: I prepared 10 questions. I would appreciate it if you could give me concise stories. Could
you tell me about yourself such as your educational background, and how long you have been
taught English?
LTB: Ok. Certainly. So um... my undergraduate degree was in anthropology and I focused on my
cultural things and um.. my minor was um.. linguistics. And um.. right after college, my first two
jobs were in Japan. And first year, I worked for um... (recording garbled, but it seems a name of
company) company. And I learned.. sort of ... immersion haha.. I learned uh... business daily life
vocabulary starting language on my own. And then I wanted to continue living there I spent
second year, third year of my teaching English to uh.. in an English conversation school in
student's homes, small classes And so uh... that experience really um. ummkind of helped
me identify my students in terms of what is like to go to in the country where you dont know
anybody, you are learning the language from scratch, being immersed in the language every day
in the frustration of cultural differences and misunderstanding, and saying the wrong things
sometimes being embarrassed and feeling bad. Umm and then after working, I finished this job
and decided to go back to my masters in English linguistic here at George Mason.
ME: So you got a Master degree.
LTB: Yes.
ME: TESOL?
LTB: English linguistics and then the.. uh TESOL certificate.
ME: Ok, how long have you been teaching?
LTB: Oh.. well Ive been teaching continuously at Mason since the summer of 1999. So thats 18
years? I guess? And then before that I also did for 5 years I taught Japanese women for church
in Rockville, Maryland. And I did some all private tutoring as well. So.. Its been a while.
ME: Thank you for answering. Um.. tell me about your first day of teaching in a culturally
diverse class. How did you approach the students who had different cultures from you?
LTB: Umm.. I think the beginning we have a lot more Korean students and a lot more Arab
students. And I did not have much experience then Arab students, so I just observed that the
south American and the Arab students are a lot more vocal, because, since they come from an
oral culture. And Korean students and we have some Japanese and Thai and.. and.. Vietnamese
students as well. They come from a culture thats more has different learning styles, they are
tending to be more quiet in class, but of course very good writing skills. Um.. so by observing
since then I also encourage students to work together, but at that time I was kind of learning the
differences between students learning styles [and] had them demonstrate self [their approach]in
class.
[OC: Here we means INTO mason institution]
ME: Did you feel that students felt a part of the community of learners?
LTB: I dont think that they do initially when they first come here. But I think they develop
friendships in class and thats something that I really encourage them to do this to get to know
the teacher, get to know each other. Because I try to promote the idea of learning together and
helping each other. You know.. its not only for classroom related things but also for just daily
life things and for home sickness something like that.
ME: After the first class, how did you feel?
LTB: After my first class?
ME: Yes, can you remember that? (laughing)
LTB: II remember what struck me it was really time management.
ME: Time management.?
LTB: Making a syllabus, especially time management. It was not something that was covered
and the um in my training.
ME: That was about it in terms of teaching skills.
LTB: Yes, yes.. and it was administering teaching things. Um kind of a puzzle to me [at] first.
ME: There were a lot of thing to do in a short time, right?
LTB: (laughing together) Yes, thats true.
ME: How do you believe intercultural competence [is] actually? What do you think intercultural
competence is?
LTB: Oh, I think its a very complex issue. I think its very important. I think students need to
understand how to interact successfully in a learning environment in the US that is probably
different from their education styles in their countries. Um you have that you also have
many some of them maybe are have not been in the school before coming back to school for
older learners and then theyre interacting with Arab students and interacting with women, men
and women in [the] same class which is shocking for many of them. For other students are
shocked stu students are very much unlike them, and also I have students often mentioned that
they were surprised at um like students from old countries that dont have good history [with]
each other, theyre surprised at they have things in common.
ME: Could you be more specific? Could give me a a situation as an example?
LTB: So.. some students.. I remember have have noticed surprise in their journals and
emails or something, about how lets say, for instance Korean and Japanese students
interacting in the class, ummm the fact that they were surprised sometimes surprised by each
other or impressed by each other or (small laughing) or maybe shocked. But.. just.. I remember
one students wrote like between Korean and Japanese students they were surprised that they
could be friends [with]each other. [For] Some students [it was the] first time be friends for
someone from another country that they dont usually interact with.
ME: Its a positive way.
LTB: Yes.
ME: Thats wonderful. (laughing)
LTB: So, I think intercultural competence is very important and something I tried to encourage
in the classroom.
ME: Then, what about between the teacher and students?
LTB: Um! Thats also important too. And I think the um.. because the idea of lowering your
affective filter is very important from day one on I encourage students to be comfortable with
each other and kind [to]each other, [be]cooperative each other, because if we feel comfortable
in the learning environment, then we are more relaxed, and minds are more receptive to new
ideas in learning.
ME: Krashens theory
LTB: Yes, exactly. (laughing together)
ME: How do you strive to get their affective filter lower?
LTB: Um, from the very beginning, from the first day, I tell them that we are all here [to] learn
together um kinda like taking a journey together and I encourage them to speak up if they notice
that I maybe said something um.. incorrectly [or]write something wrong on the board and I.. I
tell them sometimes my brain and my hand are not connected, because Im not thinking and
doing at the same time correctly. And then I dont want to give wrong information, so please
help me so they dont feel uncomfortable by correcting the teacher
ME: uh!
LTB: But theyre helping the teacher and the class. So I feel like that perhaps by sort of
humbling myself in that way, it helps the students uh.. realize that everyone can make mistakes
and that they too can feel comfortable making mistakes in the classroom.
ME: Yeah, open-minded, showing yourself. Thats great. Have you ever traveled and lived in
another county?
LTB: Yes, so.. I have uh.. I have when I was 18, we went to Mexico for two months for our
short-term mission. And then after college, I lived and worked in Japan for 3 years by myself, not
through the military or Jet government teaching program, just on my own. Um In addition, I
traveled to lets see.. when I was 16 to..uh.. France, England, Canada, Hawaii, Mexico, Um..
then I had a short visit to Korea few years ago, and then 3 years Japan plus many vacations with
my husband in the past 10 years.
ME: Wow, you traveled and lived a lot of countries. Could you describe cultural differences
which you aware in
LTB: in the classroom?

ME: No, in other countries where you lived.
LTB: Oh, ok. I remember very vividly when I travel[ed] to France in high school. That we were
in a restaurant we were taking a long time to decide when we wanted to order, it was like a
dessert place. And the waitress got so frustrated with us and fed up so she disappeared, and
never came back to take our order. (loud laughing) I remember that feeling when I was in
France, I had taken study French, I mean sorry when I was in Mexico, I studied French in a
high school, I hadnt studied Spanish at that point, and I got lost. But anyways that was scary
feeing not knowing the language ..
ME: when you were in Mexico?
LTB: Mexico, yah. We had like a day when we were free to go around the city and I was doing
something I got lost and then some woman was very kind and uh helped me figure out where I
need to go. That was a scary fleeing I remember. And then
ME: culture differences
LTB: Culture differences, oh yah, there are lots of examples when I was in Japan, I said wrong
things, and I didnt understand something. My um.. the house keeper for our company, before
she left the day, she made me some food such su.. new you know by myself. She made me
some food and when she gave to me, she said its not very delicious though. And I went to
asked my boss. Ziako shang made this food, why did she give it to me? Thats not delicious.
And then she explained the culture to me about humility when you give something to someone,
you know, like an English would say, this isnt much but you know so, that was uh
[OC: Ziako is a Japanese female name, and shang means Mrs.]
ME: Yah, we do that. (laughing)
LTB: (laughing) so that was one of many experiences where I had some cultural
misunderstanding. (laughing)
ME: You traveled and lived in other countries. Could you explain differences between traveling
and living in another country?
LTB: Oh yes, so when you traveling um.. you are just there for a short time, and sometimes
depending on the situation, sometimes someone else has responsibility for you like when went to
Mexico, I was one member, so you dont have a sense of responsibility as much as all on your
shoulders. However when my husband and I traveled to Japan on vacation it is on our shoulders
in term of where we need to go, and figuring out the bus system and asking people for directions
when we need to, ummm. But I think its also different in that when you just visiting you just
there for short time you dont have all build up frustrations. When you live there, you more
familiar with the area, but also sometimes build up frustrations as well. I know students here
have built up frustration too. (giggling)
ME: Ok. Tell me about your memorable moment when you taught students who had different
cultures.
LTB: Um.. (deep thinking) one thing comes to mind is um the first semester when I was a new
teacher, um I had never seen and interacted with students um.. who wear Niqab. So a Muslim
woman who has face covering, you can only see these eyes. There were 2 women in the class.
And it was very umm.. hard to hear them and .. and .. you cant see their libs. And it muffled
underneath the cloak the material um.. but it is interesting that they showed they made a point of
showing the other teacher that pictures of them, you know, in regular clothes, you know,
fashionable clothes we cant kind of see who they were beyond just the eyes in the outward
appearance. And I think thats very important to look at the inner person. So I have one student
in my elective class now who wears Niqub and see her eyes,, she puts her glasses [which are] a
lot much bigger. You know I try, and she resp uh.. corresponds by email sometimes when
she has some questions, but I try to make a point of looking at her eyes and connecting with
her. Thats sort of eyes into you know when you do your soul that kind of thing.
ME: You know sometimes a facial expression could be a key clue to catch intended meanings.
LTB: Yah.
ME: So didnt you have difficulties to read her emotion
LTB: Yes! Very much. (strong and definite tone) some students have just nose cover, you can still
see their forehead, eyebrows. So you get to see more expressions on their faces. Um.. yes, when
they just you have like sort of very carefully and
ME: yah, right.
LTB: Its a challenge.
ME: it reminds me of when I met for the first time a woman who had Niqub. At that time I
remember, I was so nervous, because I concerned that I could make mistakes in the conversation.
LTB: Right! (laughing together)
ME: Ok. Tell me about the time when you felt like students struggle with cultural differences in
your classroom.
LTB: Umm.. Last semester, there was a situation. The class was mostly Chinese students. It was
a wonderful class, everyone was so motivated. Um.. there were one Chinese girl and one Saudi
guy who had um.. (click her tongue) a little bit of a difficult in communication and
misunderstanding, because her feelings unintentionally. So the Saudi guy, he was very friendly
and outgoing, he wouldve tried to sort of loosen people up by relaxing them, making kind of
some jokes. But he uh (click her tongue) what did he do?(talking to herself) I think he
pointed at her, you are kind of single He was kind of teasing her, [I] dont remember what he
said, he was teasing, but she felt very embarrassed, its kind of loosing face in front of the class.
And it was awkward and uh.. it took a while, you know I talk to each of them separately, um.. it
took a while for them to kind of maybe few classes also for them kind of work thing out (audio
garbled) kind of more comfortable with each other.
ME: What did you do?
LTB: Um I think I when it happened I was just kind of shocked. But also I tried to say
something like well dont you mean som something you know lets I think I something
like lets not. Maybe we can say that in another way or something. And then I talked to him
after class couple of time. And talked to her separately after class too.
ME: Do you think that problem caused by cultural differences?
LTB: Yah, yah, It was somewhat personality because he was a very outgoing person and easy-
going. And he would joke like with guys in his group. It was fine. But kind of you know the girl
she was a very sweet sensitive girl, and it was ... it was not a good situation (laughing)
ME: Can you describe the last situation that you encountered, uncomfortable situations caused
by cultural differences between you and others.
LTB: me and other students?
ME: anybody.
LTB: Here? More recently?
ME: Yah, more recently.
LTB: Um I think some examples, when someone said something that was totally different when
I felt how I viewed the situation, but thats not exactly cultural diffe .. different lens but
um different cultural. (pondering deeply) Can we come back? I cant think of it
ME: Oh, then could you define culture?

LTB: Define culture? In general? Um (high pitch) so, I guess ones culture is is a
generally agreed upon a set of beliefs, values, and customs, umm that helps to unify and
make. unify a group of people make a relationship go smoothly um.. of course, within that
culture there always individual differences as well, but the overall cultural feeling of flavor is
still there.
ME: I think youve learned about culture, because your undergraduate major was anthropology.
So, I can be pretty much sure you have a cultural knowledge background. So, when do you think
that you changed your mind set on culture?
LTB: Um (high pitch) I am not sure about changing my mind, but I guess I was maybe more
enlightened when I visited Mexico, when I was 18, and then by working and living overseas in
my early 20s, I think those experiences really shaped my understand[ing] of how cultural
impacts people and have[how] different some cultures are and yet in spite of differences
people are still people.
ME: Can you be more specific?
LTB: So, for example, people just see differences, as the differences with their culture. However
when you get to know people one-on-one, um.. you realized that you still have the same concept
things like brothers and sisters are getting jealous of bad each other, husband and wife things
are somewhat similar. Uh and um people still um.. raise their family. They go to work,
have some goals and desires for kids futures and their futures for good relationship among the
family members and friends. Those kinds of things.
ME: Do you teach culture?
LTB: We do teach something about culture, like holidays, and some culture differences
sometimes, I gave a lot of examples for vocabulary words, sometimes personal experience to give
insights into some cultural face um I can be kind of [a] window into American culture with
some examples so they can see sort of what some daily life applications or understand.
ME: what about the most challenging or the most interesting things when you teach culture?
LTB: We teach kind of language skills not cultures. Culture is part of it. So we, for instance, talk
about academic culture, American classroom culture also, for instance, sometimes I remember
the lower level students maybe at that time less exposed [to] um.. American culture, or
classroom experience, um.. sometime.. some students.. you are helping a student over here
[by]answering to the students questions at the students desks and then why you still talking
help this person, some else raise their hands, teacher teacher and its like just a minute, I
will [be] there in a minute, and I am helping this person, but I remember if theyre annoying, not
so much now really usually um.. but students [can be] kind of demanding [of]your attention
when they think that youre already helping someone else. So you know, I think thats a culture
difference, um sometimes space personal space is a cultural difference, too. And I actually
have had that was one of our topics of one of our readings or something that we had had that but
yeah yeah.. I recall like the Turkish guy who was when he first came here he was very tall
and I am short, he was standing very close to you and then I would like to step back (giggling)
two steps, you know, but then overtime is he got more accustomed to living here, he is still here
actually studying his master. Next time I saw him, he didnt have that very close personal space
thing.
ME: Hes understanding.
LTB: Yes, yes.
ME: Is there any standard for teachers to evaluate students achievement concerning culture?
LTB: Long ago when were revising out curriculum, we had some discussion about that. She
didnt include those things, that they need such as cultural awareness, or just it should be
language based. Um and through those discussions we determined that it should be something
like it has to be measured, but it was language based. So.. we.. we include cultural awareness,
our holiday come up, but its not something to.. you know, for quizzes, its language based. Its
something that we do, like extra, but its not something that we measure and test on.
ME: What do you want your students to know regarding culture?
LTB: Um (high pitch, about 5-second-pausing) have a good understanding of American
classroom culture, had interact with people from other cultures as well as people from this
culture, they might see in their future classes, for instance small talking that one thing that many
students mind difficult during the break time and before and after class, that kind of social things.
ME: Could you tell me about the most recent topic that you dealt with?
LTB: Cultural topics..um let me see (about10-second-pausing) um. we talked about day
light saving. And we briefly talked about Valentines. And I think I maybe briefly mention that the
US doesnt have the concept of white Valentines Day.
[OC: She knew Koreans made up White Day, March 14, and celebrate the day to confess ones
love.]
ME: Oh, you know that.
LTB: Yes. (laughing) And we briefly mentioned about African American, Black history month,
February, Martin Luther King
ME: All right. When you found students relying on their stereotypes how did you handle that?
LTB: Hmm (lower pitch, relaxing) I am not sure if I can recall the time when I was obviously
aware of students having stereotypes, except for maybe last semester, maybe one student set
some, because he was the only Arab student in the class. Theres almost entirely Chinses except
for him, Korean students, and I think everyone else were Chinese. 9 Chinese and 2 not. So just
because that the younger guy was more outgoing and verbal, sometimes maybe he would say
something, I would say, we all had something, something, so he wasnt like targeting one
particular group of people.
ME: Tell me about the time when you felt you should change your teaching style, because
students cultures.
LTB: Hm.. thats good one. Just recently from my elective class, its mostly a bunch of, a lof of
variety were Saudi guys. And there were some quiet and not so quiet Saudi women, and 4
Chinese students in the middle. So my idea was to teach ok, we do one chapter a week tried to
get through the book, that wasnt working, its like.. ok, here is not.. not I need to have some
more, um.. kind of loose my.. uh.. my schedule little bit, and have things[a]little bit, you know, a
fluff activity when people come in, a sponge activity, we just called, so because theres a guy
coming late, and I need to have something people can be working on thats not so structured.
And then the other thing is starting this week I am gonna [be a] little bit more hands on thing on
vocabulary, since reading vocabulary is difficult for especially Saudi guys, some of them cant
read well, some of them are good, but I need to kind of adapt their learning style better.
ME: I know you focus on language and culture is extra.
LTB: Right.
ME: That means, youve never prepared teaching materials to teach culture, am I right?
LTB: Oh, well. Um like on some major holidays with students who especially are mostly new
classrooms, yah, I do like warm up activities about some cultural events. We we used to be
required to get workshops about some like holidays thing like that.
ME: So, did you prepared some

LTB: Handouts, activities
ME: Then where did you get that materials?
LTB: Oh, from books I have, online
ME: Got it. (closing and expressing thanks)
(End of Interview)
Appendix D
Participant C Interview Transcripts
Interviewee: Participants C
Date of interview: April 24, 2017
Location of interview: The lobby of INTO Mason building, Global Center
LTC = Language Teacher C (Participant C, interviewee), ME = Hyejin Yoon (interviewer)
ME: Could you tell me about you? Your education background, teaching experiences.
LTC: I went to undergrad at the university of Alabama where I studied English literature and
during that time I had some like grammar classes my professor actually TESOL professor who
taught about linguistic research about interesting, So I ended up attending grad school there at
the university Alabama for applied linguistics, my Masters degree, and after that I taught
English language institute program in Alabama which is similar to this program. Students from
different cultures, countries, intensive English before they attend university. And I taught there
for in Alabama for two years and then I was accepted to the English language fellow of Unite
State department, so I traveled to Bangladesh and I taught English for a year the at a
university, they were all Bangladeshi students, and after that years up I came back. Here also I
have been teaching English since then.
ME: So.. almost total 5 or 6 years teaching
LTC: Yeah.
ME: Thats great.
LTC: Yeah.
ME: Have you ever learned about cultural differences? Especially about intercultural
classrooms.
LTC: Yeah. That was a definite something that we discuss in my Masters classes, how should we
approach English-English teaching, being sensitive students cultures, kind of there are
differences between teaching ESL programs like here, students from many cultures compare to
teaching EFL programs, students from similar cultural background. Yeah~ something that we
discussed methodologies, something that I have experienced both in my teaching (laud laughing)
experience.
ME: Do you think you should change teaching methodologies, sometimes teaching materials to
adapt students cultural differences?
LTC: I think um. maybe not method so much, I use materials definitely like therere something
that, you know, international students dont have a lot experience with US culture compare to
domestic students. I can think of (chuckling) a really specific example when I first started
teaching. Theres a reading in one of our text books about cheer leading, the considered sport, I
think (recording garbled) kind of thing like what the definition, what makes it sport. And
my students were totally not into it they didnt understand, there were international students,
they couldnt understand why anyone who (recording garbled) cheer leading is not a big
thing, the question whether something is a sport not that big a deal, we asked to domestic
students whether something is what a big deal because they get funding for that, so.. I was
trying .. it was my first years teaching ..(recording garbled) .. facilitated a discussion, trying to
get them to do something that (recording garbled). So very clearly how the topic of the materials
should be differentiated.
ME: How did you feel and how did you react when you faced cultural differences between you
and your students?
LTC: Um.. in that time, it was kind of awkward (smiling) I mean, they were just staring at me,
just, you know, wondering, and also then even another situation now I feel kind of like if I am the
only American, specialist teacher, there was a kind of pressure on me like be representative
American, so its such broad category.
ME: Um.. are you teaching culture now in your classes?
LTC: Ummm ..(little pause) yeah, yes, I mean, lots of stuff that we do end up bringing students
cultures to my culture, I guess, like actually one in our classes in last semester we did a
descriptive paragraph and descriptive essay and their topic was actually to choose in objects
that representative of your culture and to describe and explain why its important to your culture
so like
ME: students cultures?
LTC: Yes, students cultures so like the examples from the book was about the Statue of Liberty.
What it looks like, and how its representative American culture. The students could choose
anything from their own cultures. Some of them wrote about chopsticks, some wrote about their
cultural clothing, or certain kind of food, holiday. So its a way for students to culture into the
classroom, also working on some like specific writing.
ME: Ok. So, in terms of your teaching and learning materials, do you tend to follow the text book?
Or do you prepare some other materials?
LTC: I used the text book mostly as the base. And of course I used some supplementary materials
based on maybe things that you need to cover that arent in the text book or that are more
interesting and those I choose based on what I think is interesting (smiling) what I think my
students find interesting (giggling).
ME: So do you search teaching materials in relation to culture on-line? Or other resources?
LTC: Mostly on-line, some other new sources good for like reading anyone, whatever..
ME: Is there any time when you faced the situation that was quite challenging or interesting?
LTC: Yes, sometimes. There were times when reading and listening about some kinds of topic in
the textbook that students have a lot of questions about it and sometimes I spend more time in
explaining content getting to the language points we are supposed to be practicing, so sometimes
students have to understand the meanings of the context first before learning grammar points.
ME: Do you access students cultural competency?
LTC: Um, I guess it would be more indirectly, so like in their speaking and listening class
students have to give presentations and then like we have previously discussed like what makes
typical American academic presentation and I would expect students to present that way since
theyre preparing for academia in the US, for example. Or essay structure and writing style and
so.. I guess like I am using that criteria to assess them, but not specifically.
ME: Um, not directly.
LTC: Right!
ME: Ok. We already covered many questions. Then I want to listen to your stories. Have you
ever traveled and lived another country?
LTC: Yeah, I lived in Bangladeshi for a year. I was teaching there. It was interesting.
ME: Total one year living in Bangladeshi.
LTC: Yes.
ME: Ive never been in Bangladeshi. One year is not short. Can you tell me about when you first
experienced different culture in there? And how did you feel?
LTC: I was so overwhelmed first few days when I was there, call my mom crying what am I
doing? ... (laughing loudly) I cant stay here for a year, just because by myself.
ME: Didnt you decide to go there by yourself?
LTC: Well I didnt actually. You apply to the program in general and they place you. So, I didnt
get the choose specifically.
ME: Can you tell me more about the program?
LTC: Oh, yeah, sure. I was an English language fellow which is a fellowship sponsored by the
US [State] department and they select maybe ... around 100 fellows each year. They work for
like one year at a university or some kinds of program like that. And basically, our job was to,
I mean, I was teaching there, I was also doing teacher training in other kind of like promotion
for US embassy. I was primarily teaching university students and training secondary school
English teachers.
ME: What kind of benefit did you get from the program?
LTC: Officially we paid, and it was kind of like a prestigious fellowship, I guess, within English
teaching schools. And all the expenses were covered by the program.
ME: You didnt want to go to Bangladeshi. They placed you. (laughing together)
LTC: Yeah, so you apply to the program, you kind of say which areas of the world you are
willing or interested to go to. And the more than you choose that I think better chances are being
selected, and thats ended up..
ME: You cried (laughing together)
LTC: Yeah, I was alone, they took me from the airport. I arrived in the middle of the night. It was
like Bangladeshs like super crowed, the traffic was crazy, they drove me to my house, people
from the university picked me up and left me there. That was all by myself. And I didnt know
how to go to anywhere. Its night, I [was] gonna go out, I was hungry, and I was like what am I
supposed to do? (laughing together)
ME: I had a similar experience in the US.
LTC: Yeah, it was overwhelming. When its completely different, well I was prepared for like my
job as far as I was gonna be doing at the university, but I dont think I was really prepared for
the cultural differences.
ME: you didnt prepare.
LTC: Oh, well I read about Bangladeshi like people who previously worked there, giving me
information. I wasnt what I I dont know I felt really unprepared.
ME: Could you tell me about the most challenging experience in Bangladesh caused by cultural
differences?
LTC: Um.. one the biggest challenge that I had was at the university that I worked for um
getting them to agree with my program about what my job was acutally gonna be it was
extremely challenging in last several months. So, before when I was told you go to teach English
classes to university students at this university and also do other English language training
programs with the US embassy American center. And my university was supposed to give me a
certain day off, so I could go to the other center and teach, do a work shop, and theyre also
supposed to drive me there. It wasnt driving far, but it took a long time because of the traffic.
ME: Didnt you have a car?
LTC: I couldnt buy car, I dont think foreigners can like drive. And also like the traffic was
crazy, like most people who can afford to have a driver and it was too far for me to walk or and
they dont have taxies (giggling). And there were rickshaws, so they drove me like two times a
week and negotiating them actually drive me. Actually giving me the day off from the work was a
huge struggle for many months. They would have filled out a form and somebody signed it so get
the paper singed by whoever they said, then I delivered the form, then they would call me, oh~
we lost your form, do the form again, and then the day would come for me to right in the van,
they van will be gone, someone else in the car, or they didnt have a driver or they couldnt do
this. That was kind of reason. I dont know how much that was. The university was unprepared
or like a communication problem between me, so I think a lot of that I had to do it like cultural
expectations of I said Im going to do that, this is the plan, or more like plan and stuff little
looser Bangladeshi culture.
ME: Have you experienced difficulties caused by different values, different perspectives?
LTC: Oh, yes. I had one. Stereotypically Americans are really obsessive like time and
punctuality and making a plan where thats not really that big a deal, more like here in the US, I
am really strict with my students about our class starts that 12:30, you need to be there at 12:30
and ready for class. Maybe students come by 1 or 1:30. Theres others consist about more like
you know American myth if you work hard, you can whatever you want, if you study a lot, you
achieve a lot. It was like different there, you know, thats not really its more of your success
could be based on who you know, who can help. But here the US is more individual achievement.
ME: In Bangladeshi class, you were the only one American. Your culture was minor at that time,
right?
LTC: Yes.
ME: I think there might have been some conflict between your minor culture and their major
culture. How did you overcome that situations?
LTC: I had some (thinking) colleagues and my neighbors actually my land lord I considered
them basically as my allies. I would tell my co-workers who was also a Bangladeshi Id say I
dont understand what is going on, because is not for me an English or because theyre doing
something that I dont understand, can you help me. And so I really learned that I needed to
since I was minority in that culture to ask for help in that case what was about strategies that I
could use.
ME: Can you be more specific? What was their advice for you?
LTC: Well, for the driving me, and schedule problems, basically what I had ended up having
to do was getting the embassy involved which was sounded like really really terrible, but my boss,
and embassy say ok, this is the rules that is what she has to do. I think it helped because it was
like this was my boss who was coming from, who was coming from the position of power like she
must come to the event, you must drive her there, and then it was kindda out of my hand, well
they said, not me. (laughing together)
ME: Ok. Lets move to stereotypes. Do you think that you have stereotypes?
LTC: Yeah. Do you want me to five an example?
ME: Yes, please.
LTC: You know as teachers have some kinds of stereotypes about students from specific
countries. Oh, students from this country are really fastidious, students from this country are
really good at writing and reading but not good at speaking. Or like students from here are
really rich, and are spoiled whatever. And I think similarly students have those stereotypes each
other. They would think about classmates and Americans are really wealthy and really fat
(giggling) something like that, hamburgers every day, for example.
ME: I would like to listen to your opinion. Do you think that we can overcome stereotypes?
LTC: I think that the important thing is overcoming stereotypes for teachers and students. They
need to know a real person from that culture and situations. Ok, I might be from this country, I
doesnt necessary mean that all the things that people assume about a certain group are truthful
for individual and so I think that thats one of the positive things about having students from so
many different countries in a class together. They can actually learn first hand from individuals
about their lives about how they may or may not conform to those stereotypes and how it doesnt
matter country or the place. They are always individuals who have own views about ideas. I
think that is the important way for students and teachers too.
ME: Did you meet students who struggled with cultural differences in your classes?
LTC: Yeah. I think sometimes when students were arriving, and they have some difficulties
dealing with like American teaching styles or more like an discussion based sharing your ideas,
letting other students participate classes, some students uh their cultural traditional
educations are to be more silent, are to do more quiet, I dont know, I guess, individual type
work, especially in language classes, I am trying to get them more participate more. I think that
can be more difficult for some student who especially when they first arrived, they were
experiencing overwhelming feeling that I did (laughing) because of new style teaching.
ME: What did you do for them?
LTC: I tried to put them into smaller groups or maybe work with their partners, so its not that
pressure on them to speak in front of whole class. They need to get more practice just another
person, hopefully another culture.
ME: How did the students react to your help?
LTC: um.. I think students appreciated the pair work or being able to discuss just with one
person and work together with partner, especially before they have to talk to larger group and I
think um especially in language class, Im giving them much practices as many as possible
enough time to complete their work.
ME: Can you tell me about the latest experience other cultures?
LTC: Um.. I have always in my class (laughing). Um (pausing) Oh we were talking about
we were doing abut cause and effect writing essay in my class, we were talking about what are
the causes of stress of students lives, brainstorm some ideas, you know, several like culturally
specific like pressure from parents I mean I think many cultures.. students from many cultures
were felt like pressure from their parents. The students explained how like specifically parents
pressure them to get good grades because theyre paying a lot of money for their international
education and something so far away I think thats one, so they were discussing that kind of
sharing with each other and with me about how thats kind of specific for them.
ME: Ok, then what do you want your student to know regarding cultures?
LTC: I think it is important for students to know that different cultures may approach something
differently. And I want my student to know how to interact respectfully with people from other
cultures whether they are here, whether they are traveling and be able to kind of be interested in
another culture and be aware about the world.
(End of Interview)
Appendix E Commented [AM16]: I appreciate how you approached

looking at your data and situated it within the scope of a
Thematic Coding specific literature.
Participant Quote Sub-theme Theme

A To try to explain that aspect of American culture I The Knowledge
found quite challenging. Not because I think it was a participants
good idea necessarily, but just so that they were tried know that
to understand the thing they would see out there that EL teachers
they didnt understand. should
B I think its a very complex issue. I think its very integrate
important. I think students need to understand how to cultural
interact successfully in a earning environment in the elements in
US that is probably different from their education language
styles in their countries. classes
So, I think intercultural competence is very important

and something I tried to encourage in the classroom.
Thats also important too. And I think the um..

because the idea of lowering your affective filter is
very important from day one on I encourage students
to be comfortable with each other and kind [to]each
other, [be]cooperative each other
C I want my student to know how to interact respectfully
with people from other cultures whether they are
here, whether they are traveling and be able to kind of
be interested in another culture and be aware about
the world.
A Eventually out whole family went to Russia. Lived in The
Russia participants
have
we lived in England for 2 years when I was in experienced
elementary school immersion
B I lived and worked in Japan for 3 years by myself, not in another
through the military or Jet government teaching culture
program, just on my own.
C I lived in Bangladeshi for a year.
A Speaking wise from English with the consonant The
clusters, the differentiation between r and l and participants
uh so especially especially so the ending of the are aware
words having consonant clusters thats so different of cultural
from Korean differences
They have the typical rolled r as supposed to the

weird and unusual American r
.
I think Arabic different, a different kind of way
Thats why they insert those things, but I think that the
sentence structure is so different.
Korean is like from Mars in comparison to the Venus,

something like that.
B She made me some food and when she gave to me, she
said its not very delicious though. And I went to
asked my boss. Ziako shang made this food, why did
she give it to me? Thats not delicious.
C Stereotypically Americans are really obsessive like
time and punctuality and making a plan where thats
not really that big a deal, more like here in the US,
its more of your success could be based on who you

know, who can help. But here the US is more
individual achievement.
they have some difficulties dealing with like American

teaching styles or more like a discussion based
sharing your ideas, letting other students participate
classes, some students uh their cultural traditional
educations are to be more silent, are to do more quiet,
I dont know, I guess, individual type work, especially
in language classes,
A Experiencing the food, and the music, art, we just had The
a great time participants
B a Muslim woman who has face covering, you can only know Big C
see these eyes culture
I think I maybe briefly mention that the US doesnt

have the concept of white Valentines Day.
Black history month, February, Martin Luther King

C the Statue of Liberty. What it looks like, and how its
representative American culture
Some of them wrote about chopsticks, some wrote

about their cultural clothing, or certain kind of food,
holiday
A And trying to explain to them how American so The

individualistic participants
B [I] dont remember what he said, he was teasing, but know Little
she felt very embarrassed, its kind of loosing face in c culture
front of the class.
I guess ones culture is is a generally agreed

upon a set of beliefs, values, and customs, umm that
helps to unify and make. unify a group of people
make a relationship go smoothly um.. of course,
within that culture there always individual differences
as well, but the overall cultural feeling of flavor is
still there.
I think thats a culture difference, um sometimes

space personal space is a cultural difference, too
C we were talking about what are the causes of stress of
students lives, brainstorm some ideas, The
students explained how like specifically parents
pressure them to get good grades because theyre
paying a lot of money for their international
education and something so far away I think thats
one, so they were discussing that kind of sharing with
each other and with me about how thats kind of
specific for them
A Not this semester. My classes are very academic The Attitudes
focused, because the level 8 is the last class my participants
students take to be academically prepared. They have consider
already taken culture classes that we have elective to teaching
teach that. culture as
B We teach kind of language skills not cultures. Culture an extra
is part of it. activity
Its something that we do, like extra, but its not

something that we measure and test on.
C sometimes I spend more time in explaining content
getting to the language points we are supposed to be
practicing, so sometimes students have to understand
the meanings of the context first before learning
grammar points
I guess it would be more indirectly, so like in their

speaking and listening class students have to give
presentations and then like we have previously
discussed like what makes typical American academic

presentation
A I often use newspaper, current events different types The Skills
and I would often use current event or things what participants
happening to try to help them understand American can select
culture appropriate
teaching
when I actually bring something, thats the opposite. materials
Im actually trying to give them a chance. and
Thats not my current event. You know, give them a
techniques
chance to talk about their own culture more
B like on some major holidays with students who
especially are mostly new classrooms, yah, I do like
warm up activities about some cultural events. We
we used to be required to get workshops about some
like holidays thing like that.
Handouts, activities
from books I have, online

C of course I used some supplementary materials based
on maybe things that you need to cover that arent in
the text book or that are more interesting
Mostly on-line, some other new sources good for like
reading anyone, whatever..
I tried to put them into smaller groups or maybe work

with their partners, so its not that pressure on them
to speak in front of whole class. They need to get more
practice just another person, hopefully another
culture.
So very clearly how the topic of the materials should

be differentiated.

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Running head: LANGUAGE TEACHERS INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE

Language Teachers Intercultural Competence

George Mason University

EDUC 878 Intercultural Competence:

Theory and research application to international education

language teachers to be equipped with high sensitivity on cultural differences and to be

As intercultural mediators, language teachers have a responsibility to teach culture in class. By

attitudes and skills of IC.

skills in communication and germane behaviors. According to Byram (1997), intercultural

competence is comprised of five components, attitudes, knowledge, skills of interpreting and

commonalities between various definitions, a majority of theorists recognize that intercultural

Dimensions of Culture Learning

customs, learning styles, communication styles, history/historical interpretations,

achievements/accomplishments, technology, the arts, literature, etc.the sum total of what a

enables learners to be more proficient in specific cultural settings. In terms of cultural-general

individuals experience phenomena such as intercultural adjustment, adaptation, culture shock,

competence in classrooms. Commented [AM5]: may not be a bad idea to draw on

conceptualized a developmental model of intercultural competence. The Developmental Model

of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS) is used as a framework so as to understand cognitive

culture as it relates to other cultures and their behaviors are context-bound.

learning as a communication endeavor and as a humanistic enterprise, the development of an

similarity and difference, centering cultural difference in the development of intercultural

complexity in curriculum and prepare relevant teaching and learning materials.

Competence Stage I Stage II Stage III

In the USA, UK and France

Council of Europes Common European framework of reference for languages. However,

syllabi for cultural learning and interculturality.

In response to the current broad emphasis of globalization and internationalization, IC

This pilot study collected data by implementing a qualitative research methodology,

1) explore the language teachers conceptions of culture;

stories, and to discover new issues for future research.

Masons degree programs directly.

students in class. In a cross-cultural setting, to communicate and understand each other,

participant B, I could meet themet participant C.

England, and Ukraine.

teach English to Bangladeshi university students.

average number of teaching experience in language programs including volunteering was 18

categories: participants schema on culture, their locations on the continuum of intercultural

questions that arose during the interview.

Procedure of Data Collection

purpose or shared with anyone other than the instructor.

meanings of interaction recorded be repeated during an entire qualitative study. Adopting

describing on meaning of participants tones, hesitations and the length of pauses.

Trustworthiness and Validity

qualitative research trustworthiness. Koro-Ljungberg (2010) addressed how validity can be

established with researchers responsibility and in the process of decision-making, saying

classes. Commented [AM12]: Keep going here this explains their

Knowledge. According to Byrams (1997) description of IC in terms of knowledge,

deal with pupils stereotypes in class.

considering teaching culture as an optional activity.

should employ experiential approach to cultural education.

I appreciate the material that you have presented here and

moderate languages and expressions.

Also, I struggled with the limitation of my background knowledge concerning IC,

continuously needed to go back to the theories to check my understanding. Although it was a

the process of checking my knowledge concerning IC was a great opportunity for me to

internalize the theories.

not harming participants psychologically during the conduct of research.

For language teacher educators. According to the participants self-reports, they

that they can impart their IC to students.

Commented [AM15]: Circle back to the main ideas of the

Bennet, J. M. (2009). Cultivating iIntercultural cCompetence. In D. K. Deardorff (Ed.), The

language classroom. In D. L. Lang & R. M. Paige (Eds.), Culture as the core: