The Integration of Intercultural Business Communication Training and Business English Teaching

Abstract

The cultural information transferred by language is an important part of Business English teaching. Therefore, teachers of Business English should not only improve the language level of the students, but also develop the students' cross-cultural understanding. The cultivation of intercultural business communication (IBC) competence could not be realized by one or several courses, it must be emphasized through the entirety of Business English teaching. For example, elements of intercultural training should be reflected in Business English teaching materials, classroom discourse, teaching activities, and teaching methodology. This paper analyzed the afore-mentioned elements of IBC competence. Utilizing literature reviews and questionnaires, it also revealed problems in teaching and cultivating IBC competence in Business English curriculum and examined what obstacle Chinese students experience in intercultural communication. The author of this paper proposed three principles that should be followed while integrating IBC competence and Business English teaching in order to realize the simultaneous increase of course knowledge and IBC competence, and to further students’ professional knowledge, English language ability, and intercultural business fluency.