¿ Cómo llevar a cabo un diálogo intercultural con alumnos de una sola cultura?

Abstract

Given the increased opportunities available today for speaking a foreign language in its natural context with native speakers, it is essential to have a certain degree of intercultural competence in order to carry out such a dialogue successfully. It is difficult for conventional textbooks published in the country of origin of the foreign language to meet this requirement, since the cultural features of a society only become intercultural when compared with the students’ culture. This article presents several exercises in intercultural learning which not only teach about standards, rules and attitudes of the target culture (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) but also stimulate reflection on the culture itself. Such cultural sensitization is indispensable for achieving equitable communication between people of different cultures.