INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING AT VIETNAM USA SOCIETY (VUS) LANGUAGE CENTER

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY – HO CHI MINH CITY
UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES & HUMANITIES
FACULTY OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS & LITERATURE

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INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION IN
ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING
AT VIETNAM USA SOCIETY (VUS) LANGUAGE
CENTER
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A paper submitted to the
Faculty of English Linguistics & Literature
in partial fulfillment of the Master’s degree in TESOL
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by
PHẠM PHÚC KHÁNH MINH
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Supervised by
NGUYỄN HOÀNG TUẤN, Ph.D.
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HO CHI MINH CITY, JANUARY 2016


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Table of contents

1.! Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 3
2.! Body ................................................................................................................................... 4
2.1. The notion of intercultural communication and its importance .......................... 4
2.2. Intercultural communication in English language teaching in general ................ 4
2.2.1.! Learners’ differences ..................................................................................... 4
2.2.2.! Teaching strategies.......................................................................................... 6
2.2.3.! Teacher training ............................................................................................. 6
2.3. Intercultural communication in English language teaching in Vietnam ............. 7
2.4. Intercultural communication in English language teaching at VUS center ........ 8
2.4.1.! Interview results ............................................................................................. 8
2.4.2.! Personal observation .................................................................................... 10
2.4.3.! Teaching experience ..................................................................................... 11
2.4.4.! Suggestions ................................................................................................... 12
3.! Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 13
References
Appendices

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1.! INTRODUCTION
Thanks to the development of technology, education has been changing dramatically over

the past decades. For instance, students nowadays are no longer restricted by geographical

difficulty to get access to education. Moreover, they have also had opportunities to study in a
foreign country more than they used to. As a result, the classroom now is considered as an
environment of cultural diversity in which the students are originated in different backgrounds
and cultures.
On the other hand, the notion of World Englishes introduced by Kirkpatrick (2007) and
the idea that English has been actively nourished and developed by people in all over the world
(Conrad, 1996; Davies, 1996; Li, 2002b; Brutt-Griffler, 2002) have altogether consolidated the
importance of cultures in teaching and learning English. Since English is now spoken by a large
number of people who are considered as not being native speakers, it can be easily seen that
English is adapted and developed into new varieties in order to express the cultural norms of the
speakers. For example,
Le Roux (2002) stated that in a context of cultural diversity, communication is an
essential component of success for students and teachers because it is the “means and indeed the
medium of education”; and it is also the primary tool which is able to assist instructors to
accomplish their teaching objectives. Therefore, a focus on intercultural communication within
the classroom environment is not only critical but of fundamental importance.
Given those reasons, teaching intercultural communication along with the English
language is considered to be of extreme importance. When students are equiped with the
knowledge of other cultures, they have fewer difficulties in communicating with those who come
from different backgrounds. Being aware of cultural differences also makes it easier for students
to adapt with new living environments. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to investigate in
the reality of teaching English in Vietnam, especially at VUS center, in terms of teaching and
learning intercultural communication, based on the writer’s observation activity, personal
teaching experience, following with implications and suggestions for the time ahead.


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2.! BODY

2.1. The notion of intercultural communication and its importance
Within the literature, intercultural communication is regarded as symnonymous as that of

general communication; however, an additional emphasis is recognized in terms of the cultural
context (Chen & Starosta, 1996; Spitzberg, 1989). Furthermore, Spitzberg (1989) argued that the
contextual parameter is the only aspect that is able to change from general interpersonal to
intercultural communicative interactions. Beyond the ability to communicate effectively and
appropriately with others in general, intercultural communication also relates to understandings
when communicate with others "who identify with specific physical and symbolic environments"
as a result of their cultural backgrounds (Chen & Starosta, 1996).
The knowledge of different cultures in communication is undeniably significant for
learners’ success. Jarvis (1986) claimed that when the discrepancy between the traditional and
new set of beliefs is too great, it “produces pasive resistance or non-learning in the student.” For
instance, in a study on the negative outcomes of learning a new culture, Kamm (1990) examined
the culture shock experienced by Vietnamese migrants after six to twelve months in the USA.
Considering the differences between the two cultures, facing new values and beliefs in a new
place, they were reported to have reactions that “may range from over-enthusiastic embrace of
everything American to a disatisfaction with everything.”
To sum up, the literature on intercultural communication has asserted the importance of
communication between different cultures and the lack of cultural knowledge can lead to
misunderstandings and “a disorientating dilemma in cross-cultural interactions” (Ellis, 1994). In
other words, teaching and learning intercultural communication is a crucial factor leading to the
success in communicating effectively. Nevertheless, the methodology used for teaching
intercultural communication indeed counts as a significant contribution to this success. Hence,
teachers of English should be acknowledged of how to teach English along with intercultural
communication appropriately and effectively.
2.2. Intercultural communication in English language teaching in general – learners’
differences, teaching strategies, and teacher training
2.2.1.! Learners’ differences
In recent years, discussions on the cultural appropriateness of various language teaching

methodologies have been brought up, especially when they were exported across contexts


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(Barkhuizen 1998, Coleman 1996, Holliday 1994, Hu 2002). Along with this viewpoint, the
struggle and frustration that learners may encounter when being in an intercultural classroom,
has urged teachers and syllabus developers to take into consideration learners’ cultural
backgrounds in terms of choosing materials and appropriate pedagogical approaches for
particular teaching contexts (Coleman 1996, Holliday 1994, McKay 2002).
Considering the application of intercultural communication in language teaching, many
researchers have pointed out that learners’ learning styles differ as a function of their cultural
backgrounds (Auyeung & Sands, 1996; Lam-Phoon, 1987; Ramburuth & McCormick, 2001;
Sauceda-Castillo, 2001). Moreover, Roach et al. (2003) have indicated that teaching strategies
may also differ from different perceptions.
Auyeung and Sands (1996) compared learners from Australia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan
in order to comprehend if learners from different countries differ in their learning styles.
Australian students were viewed as representatives of Western individualistic cultures and those
from Hong Kong and Taiwan were considered representatives of Eastern collectivistic cultures.
The result showed that Australian students preferred solid and active learning styles, and they
had less preference for abstract and reflective learning styles, compared with students from Hong
Kong and Taiwan. Lam-Phoon (1987) also pointed out the cultural differences between Asian
college students in Singapore and Caucasian college students in the U.S. The results found that
auditory and visual modes of learning are more favoured by Asians than Caucasians. In contrast,
Ramburuth and McCormick (2001) have found that Australian learners had slightly greater
preference for auditory learning styles than Asians, and there was no significantly important
difference in favour for visual learning modes. Instead, Asian learners denoted a greater
preference for tactile and kinesthetic learning styles than Australian ones.

Interestingly, Sauceda-Castillo (2001) observed cultural differences in learning styles
among participants of U.S. ethnic groups – African-American, Anglo-American, AsianAmerican, and Hispanic- American. Students from the minority ethnic groups (i.e., African-,
Asian-, and Hispanic-American) preferred the accustomizing learning style while AngloAmerican learners indicated preference for the assembling learning style. Both learning styles
are keen on learning through abstract conceptualization, but accustomisers transform their
knowledge through observation; meanwhile, assemblers process the knowledge by


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experimentation. To some extent, this difference in learning style preferences can explain the
reason why minority students are likely to be less vocal in class.
2.2.2.! Teaching strategies
Although the conclusion on students’ perceptions of teaching strategies in terms of
cultural differences has not been drawn firmly, Roach et al. (2003) have found that U.S. students
supposed their teachers to ultilize different strategies, such as affinity-seeking, non-verbal
immediacy, reward, referent, and expert power, more than French students did. The differences
in perceptions between American and French students seemed to suggest that the students
themselves have different expectations relating to their roles in the classroom.
Instead of identifying differences as Roach et al. (2003), Littlewood (2001) found
astonishing similarity among learners from various cultural backgrounds (i.e., eight East Asian
countries along with three European countries). In general, the findings indicated that almost all
of the students preferred independent learning styles more than having their instructors count as
strictly dominant roles in the classroom. The results therefore disconfirmed the general
assumption that learners with Eastern cultural backgrounds expect hierarchical roles in the
classroom. Overall, it can be concluded that students have positive reactions and attitudes
towards participative learning as well as group work.
2.2.3.! Teacher training
Realising the importance of intercultural communication in language teaching, its

benefits and consequences as well, there have been a number of intercultural teacher education
programmes which can potentially count as examples and models for others to follow (LadsonBillings, 1999). A recent research on intercultural teacher education programme has been
proposed by Cochran-Smith et al. (2004). The researchers also constructed a formal theoretical
framework in order to make clear of the relevant literature. The framework includes such aspects
as diversity, ideology, knowledge, teacher learning, practice, outcomes, recruitment and
selection, and coherence. Diversity associates with the identification of teacher educational
matters that are the result of demographic shifting. Ideology concentrates on the value-based
aspect of education purposes and how it befits the greater context of society. Knowledge relates
to what teachers and instructors must know to teach effectively, especially about how cultures
affect the learning progress. Teacher learning deals with the process or methods which
instructors apply in their teaching. Practice refers to the particular skills which are necessary to


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teach dissimilar populations. Outcomes involves the appropriate results of instructor preparation
relating to both instructional and behavior assessment. Recruitment and selection encloses the
idea about who should be selected to join the teaching department. Finally, coherence comprises
the previous seven aspects and investigates how they are related to each other. These aspects,
however, have not satisfied the desire of linking theory with practice and emphasized the fact
that there are not enough studies investigating realistic classroom practice of teachers (CochranSmith et al., 2004).
In an attempt to address the matter of connecting theory with practice Cochran-Smith et
al. (2004) have proposed a research agenda named “mapping forward” and “mapping back”.
Specifically, they have stated that research must effectively incorporate intercultural teacher
education with the learning of teachers, their professional practice, and their students’ learning as
well. Cochran-Smith et al. have explained that research mapping forward should appear in the
form of longitudinal studies in which pre-service instructors are followed from the beginning of
their training until their professional teaching experiences; next, assessments of outcomes from

their students would be concluded. Meanwhile, research mapping backwards starts with
identifying successful classroom practices, then it investigates the teachers’ learning experiences
as well as other factors which have assisted them to accomplish success in their work.
To sum up, it can be easily seen that effort to prepare instructors with intercultural
knowledge to teach various students who differ greatly in the way they think, behave, and learn,
has been ongoing for more than three decades (Cochran-Smith et al., 2004). Although there are
not enough clear improvements in this field, it is essential and important to acknowledge the
influence of cultures on the teaching and learning processes. As a result, teachers and education
programmers are to be anticipating the changes in teacher education and exploring the
appropriate applications in a specific teaching context.
2.3. Intercultural communication in English language teaching in Vietnam
Secru (2006) concluded that the development of learners’ intercultural communication
ability should be one of the main objectives of language education. As a result, language learners
are able to communicate acress cultural boundaries and mediate between cultures successfully
(Byram, 2008).
In a study examining how Vietnamese university teachers of English integrate culture
into their teaching, Nguyen (2013) found that even though the participants had a deep and


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comprehensive view towards cultures, they had considerably limited goals in incorporating
culture in their teaching practices. Moreover, the teaching activities focused more on the cultural
knowledge than developing other aspects such as the intercultural communication awareness and
skills. Nguyen (2013) also indicated that the teaching activites of Vietnamese teachers of English
are restricted and limited by their syllabuses and prescribed teaching materials. The study also
discovered that Vietnamese teachers of English received little support from the teacher
development programmes. For example, they did not have enough opportunities to develop

teachers’ intercultural competence or the pedagogical knowledge related to intercultural
communication competence.
In a study in 2012, Pham emphasized that “learning a language involves increasing
sensitivity towards cultural differences.” Therefore, teachers should raise learners’ awareness of
intercultural communication in order to avoid misunderstandings, and they should also “provide
feedback on learners’ pragmatic mistakes” rather than focusing on form mistakes. Moreover, in
order to enhance the quality of communication, teachers of English should adopt “self-discovery
rather than ‘teach all’ approach.” This can be accomplished by organizing activities that
encourage students to establish the habit of exploring intercultural communication practices and
how these intercultural differences affect the interaction and communication of people from
these cultures. Hence, teachers of English are able to arouse and foster learners’ curiosity for the
target cultures they are aiming at. Pham (2012) also suggested that this approach can be achieved
by various methods, such as role-plays, acting out scenarios, field trips, researching information
about a particular culture and so on. These activies can lead to learners’ self-discovery towards
cultural differences and their perceptions of how intercultural communication is influenced by
such cultural variations.
2.4. Intercultural communication in English language teaching at VUS center –
interview results, personal observation, teaching experience and suggestions
2.4.1.! Interview results
The interviews were conducted at Vietnam USA Society Language center, An Duong
Vuong campus. The participants are three Vietnamese teachers who have been working at the
campus for more than two years, and they are also holding a Master degree in TESOL. The
interviews were semi-constructed in order to encourage participants to express their opinions
freely as much as possible, and to avoid response bias. To minimize the biases, all of the


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interviews used an informal conversational style, and discussions started at a broad level,
concerning about the perceptions of intercultural communication. Then, the participants were
introduced with more detailed questions relating to intercultural communication teaching at the
language center. The interviewer recorded and took notes during the interviews and all of the
interviews were transcribed afterwards.
The first two questions of the interview are aimed at introducing the research topic,
which relate to the concept of intercultural communication, team performance and the
workplace. Among the three participants, two of them addressed the relevance of intercultural
communication and team performance; however, the relationship between the two concetps was
not significant. For example, the first interviewee demonstrated that the communication is more
appreciated than team performance and they are not closely related to each other. Besides, the
second interviewee stated that “intercultural communication competence has something to do
with team performance but not much,” and that “intercultural communication competence does
not make a lot of difference to the performance”; however, she mentioned that good intercultural
communication competence is able to improve the working quality since Vietnamese teachers
are sometimes required to cooperate with foreign ones. Agreedably, the two participants both
view their workplace as a multicultural environment due to the diversity of teachers’ origins; for
instance, American, English, South African, Australian, and so on.
The next two questions aimed to investigate the participants’ awareness of intercultural
communication competence. First of all, the three interviewees are aware of the importance of
intercultural communication in today’s job market. Nevertheless, they all agreed that the ability
to commuincate interculturally is certainly not the most important factor, just an advantage in the
process of communication. Interestingly, the first and the third interviewees stated that the more
crucial factors are soft skills and the countries or the working environments of the labour.
Secondly, concerning about the characteristics, qualities or skills of an individual who is able to
communicate interculturally, all of the participants had different ideas about the issue. For
instance, they mentioned that an intercultural individual should have a good proficiency of
English, be acknowledged of the cultures, be hard-working, sociable and friendly. These
characteristics and qualities are considered to be able to contribute to a person’s success in
working and communicating with other people from different cultures.

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The last part of the interview examined the matter of intercultural communication

competence in the practice of teaching English at VUS. All of the three participants in the
interviews notably mentioned that the teaching programme at VUS lack intercultural knowledge.
For example, the first interviewee talked about the book Everybody Up and said that there is not
enough knowledge about culture provided. Furthermore, Vietnamese teachers have to cover
other language skills and areas so that the time for extra knowledge is limited. Another example
from the second interviewee is the book Solution. Although the book provides a culture lesson
which is taught by foreign teachers, she still thought that it was not enough for the learners to be
prepared and aware of intercultural communication. When the interviewees were asked about the
kind of intercultural knowledge they want to teach in class, they listed a number of different
aspects such as table manners, etiquettes, greetings, word choice when communicating with
others, and so on. Meanwhile, when suggestions for teaching intercultural communication skills
were asked, the participants were reluctant and hesitate to express their opinions. The first
participant advised her students to watch and learn from movies or to go to district One to
communicate with foreign people and learn from them. The second interviewee was unsure
about what teachers should do to promote the student’s intercultural communication skills since
the culture lessons are taught by foreign teachers. However, she thought that students should get
frequent input of intercultural knowledge in every lesson and when it is possible, students should
have chances to produce and practice the language or the customs of foreign cultures. The third
participant mentioned that in order to provide more intercultural knowledge for students,
teachers should do more self-study, investigate the topic of the lesson more carefully in order to
identify important cultural points so that they can teach the students more accurately and more
appropriately.
To sum up, the interviews provided enlightening infomation and personal opinions

towards intercultural communication competence in a specific context. Vietnamese teachers
seem to be novel to the idea of teaching cultural knowledge since they have been familiar with
teaching the language skills and areas. However, the three interviewees are aware of the
importance of intercultural communication competence and it can be easily seen that they have
tried to embed more cultural aspects into their lessons in order to improve learners’ intercultural
communication skills.
2.4.2.! Personal observation


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Vietnam USA Society (VUS) language center is operated by Vietnamese boards of

directors and has been in business for more than ten years. The students of the center are mainly
Vietnamese students who are currently studying at public or private schools, coming to the
center at night or the weekends in order to improve their English skills. The age range of these
students varies from three to twenties; there are even adults who are in their forties learning
English at VUS but they only account for a small portion. Considering the learners’
characteristics, it can be seen that the teenagers, whose ages range from thirteen to nineteen, are
the ones that can be introduced and taught intercultural communication easily. They are willing
to learn new knowledge about the world, about other cultures as well. Their willingness is also
supported by their desire of studying abroad; therefore, intercultural communication knowledge
and skills will be able to benefit them in the future.
Apart from the learners aspect, the materials and coursebooks used at the school should
be taken into consideration in terms of providing a source of intercultural communication
knowledge and skills. The coursebooks such as Everybody Up, Motivate, Solutions and so on
seem to focus on grammatical and vocabulary aspects, comprising a large amount of
grammatical exercises which are useful for learners to enhance their language skills (reading,
listening, writing and speaking). Furthermore, the coursebook Motivate also provides CLIL

(Content and Language Integrated Learning), which is a new method for teaching and learning
English in Vietnam. Despite the new approach introduced, these coursebooks still lack
knowledge and skill about other cultures, giving learners the sense and awareness of intercultural
communication. Therefore, it can be said that intercultural communication information still
needs more attention and concentration from the programmers of the language center in
particular and the Vietnamese policy makers in general.
2.4.3.! Personal teaching experience
Taking teaching experience into consideration, the writer has been teaching at VUS
center for one year; however, the writer has dedicated to the job and drawn a lot of personal
experience which is considered as personal valuable asset. During the time teaching at the
school, the writer has tried to introduce knowledge, providing information and practices on
cultural aspects, using videos, presentations, reading materials, listening texts and so on. The
reactions from the students are various and thought-provoking. First of all, it can be seen that
younger learners are less keen on such activities than the older ones. For instance, they showed


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indifference or boredom towards learning new knowledge beside what is provided in their
coursebook. In other words, they lack the awareness of intercultural communication knowledge,
probably because of their immaturity and thoughtfullness about the world. Secondly, considering
the older learners such as high school or university students, interest and concern have been
recorded and recognised when they get access to such cultural information. This might be the
result of their maturity and better-developed cognition towards the world around them. Finally,
thanks to the support and agreement of students and other colleagues, the writer has been
motivated to continue integrating intercultural communication skills and knowledge into the
teaching pracice. Nevertheless, the writer should be aware of the correctness and appropriateness
when introducing new information, as well as which methods and practices should be employed

for the best result.
2.4.4.! Suggestions
It is essential for language teachers to integrate culture into language teaching (Byram,
2009; Liddicoat et al., 2003). Only when teachers are acknowledged of proving suitable
methods, approaches and comprehensible activities in the classroom, learners’ willingness for
new knowledge and information will be increased. For instance, teachers should read materials
on cultures and cultural matters. Besides, teachers can improve their cultural knowledge by
communicating and interacting with foreigners, learning about culture from the media, websites
and movies. Furthermore, they can also continuously reflect and modify their cultural behaviours
when they encounter intercultural issues.
From another viewpoint, it is necessary that educational programmers and policy makers
support and provide language teachers with sufficient opportunities to enhance intercultural
communication skills for learners. Language teachers are usually restricted to the syllabus and
the provided materials. In this case, it is the duty and responsibility of programmers that they
should incorporate more intercultural issues into the programme by adopting and adapting new
international materials, trending ideas and innovations and so on. Also, language teachers should
be provided with more workshops, conferences and training courses in terms of intercultural
communication competence so that they are able to improve their teaching practices, giving their
students the best knowledge they can. In short, language teachers, educational programmers, and
policy makers should unify and incorporate with each other so as to improve the teaching and
learning processes of intercultural communication. As a result, learners become successul


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communicators and in that way, they are profited the best from their teachers and learning
programmes of their countries.

3.! CONCLUSION

Culture is an obvisous feature in communication between people from distincitve cultural
backgrounds (Liddicoat, 2009). Therefore, being aware of culture in language teaching is able to
aid learners to become reflexive about their cultures and competent in communicating with other
cultures as well. As a result, culture has become a specific important element in language
teaching, and the lack of knowledge of cultures can lead to misunderstandings and “a
disorientating dilemma in cross-cultural interactions” (Ellis, 1994).
The paper has presented and reviewed studies on intercultural communication aspects.
Besides, intercultural communication in language teaching is also investigated and further
discussed. The investigation analyses the current statuses of teaching intercultural
communication in the world as well as in Vietnam. After that, the writer presents the personal
observation and teaching experience at a specific language school in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam.
The presentation leads to implications and suggestions for teaching intercultural communication
in the future.
In conclusion, cultures count as a crucial aspect in communication, and language also
plays an important role in communication as well. Therefore, integrating cultural knowledge and
skills in language teaching is of the utmost importance in order to enhance students’ intercultural
communication competence. As a result, language learners can avoid misunderstandings and
confusion when communicating with people from different cultural backgrounds.


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Appendices

Appendix 1 – Interview 1

I: Hello Ms. Thuy. How are you today?
P: I’m great. Thank you. How are you?
I: I’m good, thank you. Thank you for coming here for the interview. And these questions are
kept for research purpose only, so your infomation and your answers will be kept confidentially.
P: OK. Got it.
I: Thank you. The first question is how relevant are the topics of intercultural communication
competence and team performance to your organization?
P: Uhm... I think, in my workplace, I’m working in a language center, so we are… there is a mix
of international teachers from all over the world and Vietnamese teachers. The foreign teachers
are mainly from the USA, and other English speaking countries. So, it is a mix of different
cultures and our school usually promote the American culture.
I: Yeah, thank you. So the two terms, intercultural communication competence and team
performance are closely related?
P: I think intercultural communication is more appreciated than the team performance. We do
have it, in my opinion, they are not closely integrated.
I: OK, thank you. And the next one, do you think, do you view your company as a multicultural
workplace?
P: Yeah… It’s quite difficult to say that but… yeah… you can say so. But there are many people,
many workers from different places around the world, but half of the staff are Vietnamese and

the other half are multicultural teachers.
I: Yeah… Thank you. And… So do you think intercultural communication competence as a key
factor for success in today's job market? If yes, what makes you think this way? And if no,
please explain your answer.
P: OK. I think intercultural communication competence is an important factor to contribute to
one person’s success, but I don’t think it is the most important factor. I think their ability
together with their language competence and their soft skills are also as important as the
intercultural communication competence.
I: Thank you…


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P: But if one person has good intercultural communication competence, it is an advantage for
him or her.
I: Yes, I agree. And… Next one, how would you view an interculturally and communicatively
competent individual in your organization? So for example, you can give me like some qualities,
characteristics, and skills that make a person intercultural.
P: I still don’t really get the question. Can you explain it?
I: OK, so this question is about the qualities, characteristics and skills. And these factors
contribute to a person that is considered interculturally and communicatively competent. So he or
she can communicate perfectly, well, and he or she also has the intercultural knowledge. So he or
she must have some qualities, and some characteristics, and some skills. So what do you think
about this?
P: I think, first of all, we have to mention about the language, for sure, he or she must be able to
speak the lingua franca, English. And moreover, they should have some knowledge about the
other culture, like… I’m teaching English, so I should, I have to work with foreign teachers
mainly British or American teachers, I should know some basic customs of them so that I would

behave appropriately, I won’t do something rude to them.
I: OK, thank you very much. And so what do you think about the barriers that you have
encountered when you communicate with other people from English-speaking countries?
P: I think the most difficult barrier I have to encounter is the background knowledge. I have
learnt English for several years, I can speak English, but sometimes, we don’t really get each
other understood because they know something in their culture, in their native culture which I
don’t know. So when they talk to their friends, they may laugh or think it in another way, not that
what I think on the literal meaning.
I: Yes, I understand. And the next one what kind of intercultural knowledge do you want to teach
in English classes?
P: Uhm…
I: So, like, for example, in your English class, you would like to teach the student some
intercultural knowledge. And what kind of the knowledge that you want to teach them, for
example, maybe about the culture of the country, or how people behave, or how people address
each other…


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18!

P: Usually, I teach them all of the knowledge, but I focus on the way of behaviors. Yeah… What
is considered as appropriate responses to a foreigner, for example, when they do something good
for you, you should say thank you, and… when you want to express your dislike, don’t do, don’t
complain anything directly, it will hurt people, and I try to teach them to do it politely, indirectly.
I: Yeah, gently.
P: Yeah…
I: Thank you very much. And so, in your opinion, does the teaching programme at VUS provide
enough intercultural knowledge for the learners? Can you please give examples and explanations
for your answer?

P: I think the teaching programmes at VUS provide some knowledge of intercultural
communication for the learner, but not really enough. It’s not really enough because, actually we
are using the textbook Everybody Up for the very young learners, for primary students. And in
the book, there are parts in the book that taught children about the culture of the target language
but there is not much time, and it’s only a small part in the programme. Mainly we have to cover
vocabulary, grammar language, listening, writing… too many things… It’s addressed but they
don’t focus on it enough.
I: So they do mention about the cultural knowledge but not, like, enough?
P: Yes.
I: And the last question is what do you think the teacher should do in English classes to help
improve the student’s intercultural communication skills?
P: I think the best way I usually advise my students is to watch movies because movies are like a
minimized society… and they will see in some situations, how the native people behave, and it
reflects their culture, they can learn from these. And I also advise them to go to the foreigner
district, in district 1, where they have many opportunities to communicate directly with the
foreign people. They will feel it, experience it more deeply and more accurately.
I: OK, thank you very much. This is a very interesting interview and it helps me a lot for my
research. Thanks again and wish you all the best for the future.
P: OK, never mind. Good luck with your research.
I: Thank you.


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19!

Appendix 2 – Interview 2

I: Hello Ms.Phung. Thank you for coming here today for the interview. How are you today?
P: I’m fine.

I: OK. So your answers and your infomation will be kept confidentially and will be served for
the research purpose only. OK... So, the first question is how relevant are the topics of
intercultural communication competence and team performance to your organization?
P: Uhm... We’re working at VUS. And I think intercultural communication competence has
something to do with team performance but not much because it depends on the practice of this
organization, this company. Because one person’s performance does not depend on another’s
performance much, so... I think the relevance of intercultural communication competence does
not make a lot of difference to the performance. But anyway, if you have, I mean Vietnamese
teachers, if a Vietnamese teacher has good intercultural communication competence, it can
improve the working quality because sometimes Vietnamese teachers and foreign teacher have to
share information or share experiences about the class that they share.
I: Yeah... Right, thank you. Alright, so the next question is do you think, do you view your
company as a multicultural workplace?
P: Yeah, to some extent it’s a multicultural workplace because teachers are from many countries,
from many regions of the world.
I: OK, thank you. So that makes the company become a multicultural workplace, thank you. And
the next question is do you think intercultural communication competence as a key factor for
success in today's job market? If you say yes, what makes you think this way? And if no, please
explain.
P: Yeah, because the world is flat, you know… and um… in our work, we have to deal with
colleagues, customs from many parts of the world, and um… it is our advantage if we have a
good competence of intercultural communication.
I: Yes, thank you. And um… so if a person is interculturally and communicatively competent, so
what characteristics, what qualities, or skills that make that person become a good individual?
P: Can you please clarify your question?


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20!

I: OK. So if a person who is considered to be competent interculturally and communicatively, he
or she must have characteristics or some qualities. What do you think about the characteristics
and the qualities of that person?
P: Um… I think in order to be communicative competent and intercultural competent, it takes a
lot of time and effort, and um…
I: So he or she should be a hard-working person? Or he or she should have a good knowledge of
the language or the culture?
P: Of course, hard-working and good knowledge of both cultures…
I: OK, thank you. And, so have you ever encountered any barriers when communicating with
other people from English-speaking countries?
P: Yes, of course. I think culture is a very big barrier and it prevents people from understanding
each other, yeah…
I: Yes, can you give me one example if possible?
P: OK. I think when we are talking to someone, we have to consider that person’s culture, the
country’s culture and the person’s own culture. I mean everyone has different personalities,
um… personal traits, and if we are not very careful, we might violate their values.
I: Yeah, thank you. And the next question is what kind of intercultural knowledge do you want to
teach in English classes?
P: OK. For my students, I think they should be provided with some basic knowledge of
intercultural like eating manners, like how we greet each other because the way of greeting and
table manners may vary from one culture to another culture. And some daily topics of
conversation are also very useful for them.
I: Yeah, thank you. And um… in your opinion, does the teaching programme at VUS provide
enough intercultural knowledge for the learners? Please give examples and explanations for your
answer.
P: Yeah… I think nowadays the material developers are really careful and they put some effort in
designing the materials to give students input about intercultural knowledge and the knowledge
of the target language. Like in the book Solutions, we have… every unit has one lesson or one
part devoted to provide students with knowledge of, I mean cultural knowledge.

I: OK. So do you it is enough for the students, or it is too much, or it’s not enough?


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21!

P: Usually this part is taught by the foreign teachers so I think I can’t say much about this but I
think the book is making a good effort in helping students with intercultural knowledge.
I: OK, yes, thank you. And the last question is what do you think the teacher should do in
English classes to help improve the student’s intercultural communication skills?
P: Um… I think they should embed this kind of knowledge in every lesson, um… and help
students to be familiar with the knowledge. And what’s more, I guess that foreign teachers may
have more advantage if they teach this.
I: OK, so do you have any advice for your foreign colleagues? Like if they want to improve the
cultural lesson in Solutions, what do you think they should do?
P: Well, I think they should let students act out a conversation or if it comes to table manners,
eating etiquettes, students should have a chance to bring the food to class, to have kitchen
utensils and to learn how to the spoon, the fork, etc.
I: OK. So they should have more chances to produce, practice the language.
P: Yeah…
I: OK. Thank you very much for the interview. This really helps me with my research and um…
wish you all the best for the future.
P: Thank you. Hope I can help.

Appendix 3 – Interview 3

I: Hello, Ms.Anh. How are you today?
P: I’m fine, thanks.
I: Thank you for coming here for the interview. And your answers and your infomation will be

kept secretly, just for the research purpose only.
P: Good...
I: OK. And the first question is how relevant are the topics of intercultural communication
competence and team performance at your organization?
P: What does it mean, “competence”?
I: OK, like the…
P: And “team performance”?


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22!

I: Like the ability to communicate interculturally, so… that person has knowledge of other
cultures, and… does that affect his or her team performance?
P: Um… Yes, I think so. If you have… like… ability to understand other language and culture,
so you may know more about like… their… how can I say… their customs and their… um…
I: values?
P: Yes, kind of. And then they can communicate with other people more easily.
I: OK, thank you. So do you view your company as a multicultural workplace?
P: Oh… I guess so. I just… If you understand multicultural like more than two, OK, I say yes.
But in this place, just two languages are used here, only English or Vietnamese. So it’s really
hard to say that this is a multicultural workplace.
I: OK, yes. So do you think intercultural communication competence as a key factor for success
in today's job market? If you say yes, what makes you think this way? If no, please explain your
answer.
P: Um… Well I think that maybe yes, maybe no. It depends. It depends on the… the country.
So… if you work only in your own country, so the intercultural communication is not a big deal,
but if you work outside, so maybe it will… it will affect but not too much.
I: OK.

P: Because for example, if you treat the foreigner with your… like… native customs, it’s not
suitable. So even even you work abroad or you travel to another country, um… how can I say…
um… the communication is not a factor. It not really is…
I: OK, I see. So the next question is if a person... if a person has good knowledge of interculture
and he or she can communicate very well, so he or she must have some qualities and
characteristics, or skills. So what do you think about his or her qualities, characteristics and
skills?
P: OK. Maybe they will be more sociable, and they have... like... how can I say... like... more
clever, and the ability of solving any problem maybe much easier because they have a lot of
knowledge about other things so they can improve it.
I: Yeah... So they are more sensible...
P: That’s right.
I: And think about others...


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23!

P: And qualities, I have no idea about this, but maybe characteristic is like they’re more sociable,
they’re more um... humorous, for example, and they are easy to communicate and make friends
to have more relationships.
I: Like easy to adapt to new environments?
P: That’s right.
I: OK, thank you. So what barriers have you encountered in the process of communicating with
people from English-speaking countries?
P: Um... you mean my own experience?
I: Yeah...
P: OK, um... Well I think that... it’s about...
I: Language?

P: Like... some of your vocabulary... is a bit weak, and the customs maybe cause some troubles
when you communicate with them. You think that it’s ok but it in their country is not ok. Like
that... And um... I think language is the most important... customs...
I: OK, language and customs... Thank you. So in your class, what kind of intercultural
knowledge do you want to teach your students?
P: Um... How can I understand intercultural knowledge? It’s about what?
I: Um... So, for example, it’s about how to eat at the table in a Western country, or how to greet
another person...
P: OK, yeah... Alright. Yes, I think that it’s important, like you say, the way you eat, maybe it’s
different in other countries, the way you say, the way you use your words and body gestures.
I: Yeah... Body gestures...
P: And sometimes... How can I say... The way you work... Maybe... Body language...
I: Yeah... OK. So in your opinion, does the teaching programme at VUS provide enough
intercultural knowledge for the learners? Can you please give some examples and explanations
for your answer?
P: OK. Well…
I: So maybe in your classes, the book has enough or not enough intercultural knowledge. What
do you think about this?


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P: Yes… Well I have to say not enough. But, sometimes, being a teacher you have to tell them…
But if it’s relevant to the topic, you can tell them some more about it. But if you don’t have
enough time, it’s really hard to explain it.
I: Yeah… So it’s about like… time constraint?
P: Yes, like… or about bad luck. When you use black, you think it’s bad luck or something like
that or people will think that black cat is… bring some bad luck for you, too. But in other…

some other countries, they don’t think like that. You have to tell them about it.
I: Yes… So it depends on the… like the topics of the lesson.
P: Uh huh… But we don’t have enough time for that.
I: Yeah… OK. Thank you. So the last question is what do you think the teacher should do in
English classes to help improve the student’s intercultural communication skills?
P: Yeah, OK, as I told you, you have to… like… learn a lot and study more about the topic you
say, and if it’s like… Because I said we don’t have enough time so maybe if the topic you are
talking about has some important effect on the communication competence, so you have to tell
them about it. But if it’s not, you may…
I: Skip that one?
P: Yeah… Skip that one.
I: OK, so… like… Teachers should self-study more and…
P: And they have to learn for yourself first…
I: And then study the lesson beforehand to…
P: That’s right.
I: To identify the important factor. OK. So thank you very much for the interview. This really
helps me with my research.