ELT Scholars’ Attitudes towards Inclusion of Intercultural Competence Assessment in Language Proficiency Tests

Abstract

Intercultural Competence Assessment (ICA) has recently become a central issue in applied linguistics in general, and language testing and assessment in particular. The present paper aims to investigate the difference between native and non-native assessment experts’ beliefs about incorporating ICA in the Language Proficiency Assessment (LPA). Basic qualitative research design was employed and questions were emailed to 97 native and non-native language testing and assessment experts of whom 32 participants returned their responses (response rate = 33%). Moreover, 10 of the experts were interviewed to triangulate the data. The data were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. The results demonstrated that there were no significant differences between native experts and non-native experts’ attitudes towards whether ICA should be included in the LPA. Despite this finding, some native speaker experts strongly disagreed with the notion while some other non-native scholars supported it. This study may be helpful to Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) assessment experts who argue for the inclusion of ICA in the LPA, believing that such an inclusion would benefit not only second language proficiency assessment but also efforts in designing more effective instructional syllabuses.

MALL integrated with metacognitive skills to promote preservice English teachers’ intercultural communicative competence

“…It is crucial to recognize that the ICC development is a continual and longitudinal process characterized by periods of progress, occasional stagnation, and even regression. Central to this development is the cultivation of awareness, including self-awareness, which is nurtured through various means, such as discussions, introspection, and reflective practices (Kazemian et al, 2022(Kazemian et al, , 2023. Moreover, it is essential to acknowledge that target language development holds significance within the realm of ICC despite its limited inclusion in many of the component frameworks associated with intercultural competence (a piece of linguistic and sociolinguistic).…”

A study of the intercultural communicative competence and the effects of cultural familiarity on reading comprehension based on ethnicity

“…Regarding the importance of ICC, Kazemian et al (2022) and Kazemian et al (2023) conducted two studies under the rubric of problematizing language testing and assessment syllabi through intercultural competence assessment perspective in an EFL context and ELT scholars' attitudes towards inclusion of intercultural competence assessment in language proficiency tests. These aforementioned studies reveal concrete evidence that ICC is important not only in reading comprehension but it also in language testing and assessment.…”