Developing Learners’ Intercultural Communicative Competence through Online Exchanges: Case of Third-Year Students in Algeria

Abstract

Foreign Language Education generally aims to produce intercultural speakers who develop relevant language skills necessary for communication and work. In fact, online exchanges provide an excellent opportunity to enhance learners’ analytical and critical thinking skills. They can enormously help develop learners’ intercultural awareness making them ready to accept cultural differences. This paper examines the relevance of using virtual or online exchange development in language teaching and learning, focusing principally on virtual task categories and the use of Information Communication Technologies, which has become an everyday reality of the 21st century. It seeks to answer the following research questions: Do online exchanges help to develop learners’ intercultural communicative competence? Are online communication tools effective for promoting the teaching and learning processes? A student’s questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with teachers are adopted as instruments to collect the necessary data. The participants are undergraduate third-year students and EFL university teachers from the Department of English Language at University Djillali Liabes of Sidi Bel Abbes (Algeria). Findings showed positive feedback from the students toward using online exchanges to foster intercultural competencies. They also revealed that teachers know the importance of online tools when teaching cultural issues. Thus, it is worth noting that Information Communication Technologies and online interactions contribute significantly to creating spaces where learners, particularly develop cultural tolerance, improve communication, exchange and promote knowledge besides becoming self-autonomous.