This article discusses intercultural communicative competence (ICC) as a present-day theoretical and practical concern. Byram’s (1997) model of ICC serves as a point of departure for the discussion since this is a theoretical construct which has had considerable impact on curriculum development and teaching materials in a number of countries over the past two decades. However, several theoretical criticisms have been directed at the model in recent years, and Byram’s own theoretical stance has evolved since the model was introduced. The aim of the article is to provide insight into how these recent perspectives lay the foundation for a state-of-the-art understanding of ICC. First, the article provides an overview of key issues which have been raised in critiques of Byram’s model. It considers the merits of such evaluations and shows how some of this criticism has been met by Byram’s later work. Second, the article deliberates how reconceptualisations and alternative voices in the academic discourse have illuminated aspects of intercultural communication on which Byram’s model is unclear. In connection with this discussion of theoretical matters, some practical implications for teaching and learning are considered. The article concludes by pointing to the need for a new theoretical model which is suited to serve as a comprehensive guideline for intercultural teaching and learning in the 21st century classroom.

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The present chapter explores the affordances of literature as an educational medium in the School of the Future, more specifically in relation to the teaching and learning of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Norway. As new educational needs have emerged in response to the demands of the rapidly changing workplace and societies of our contemporary world, the role of literature in today’s language classroom may seem somewhat precarious. The chapter therefore considers what 21st century skills like cross-cultural communication, in-depth learning, critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, innovation, collaboration, and multiliteracies may entail in a context of literary reading. First, it gives an overview of how notions of 21st century skills and the encounter with English language texts feature in the current Norwegian National Curriculum. Next, the Model of the Intercultural Reader (MIR) (Hoff, 2016) is proposed as a viable theoretical framework for developing such skills through reading and working with literary texts in the EFL classroom. Practical implications are considered, and both strengths and limitations of the model are addressed. By concretising the theoretical and practical links between the MIR and the concept of 21st century skills, the chapter expounds upon previous discussions of the model and thereby provides further insight into its relevance as a pedagogical tool. Moreover, the chapter illuminates why literature still can and should play an important part in the present-day teaching and learning of English.