Real examples of ICC practices in the EMI classroom

Intercultural communicative competence (ICC) plays a critical role in the EMI classroom; however, it is widely assumed that effective ICC take places effortlessly through the English language and contact with international students. EMI lecturers, who are generally convinced that their role is to teach only content, are often unaware of ICC and its deployment in pedagogical practice. Given the current position of ICC in EMI, and the lack of research in the field, this study aims to fill the gap by examining ICC in the EMI classroom by offering real examples of ICC practices.

The data for this qualitative study come from the TAEC corpus. Examples of ICC practices were identified using an observational schedule comprising 22 categories in two areas, course design and teaching methods. Based on the analysis of course design, we provide real examples of lesson management and teacher roles in the EMI classroom, roles of language in EMI and development of language awareness, use of appropriate jokes and anecdotes, and internationalisation of curricula. The study describes good aspects of teaching practice, which foster ICC in EMI and support effective learning for students of diverse backgrounds.