INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Abstract

Abstract: There has been an increase in the importance of the cultural aspect in
teaching and learning foreign languages, and teachers nowadays are supposed to
stimulate the acquisition and development of intercultural competence in their students.
Foreign language teaching and learning should be regarded from an intercultural
perspective. The foreign language classes can be the link between the two cultures by
which students have the opportunity to discover other values, mentalities, and facets of
life. In doing this, a new vision should be taken into consideration, in which the teacher
naturally and harmoniously combines the linguistic and cultural elements in the
educational process during all types of lessons, irrespective of the topic being dealt
with, or whether they focus on grammar or vocabulary issues. The culture and
civilization notions must not be regarded separately, but should be integrated in the
activities meant to develop the four language skills. This paper highlights the role of
foreign language teachers in developing intercultural competence, the didactic
activities used in forming the cadets ’ intercultural competence, pointing to the way in
which this competence is achieved in the military higher education environment as
well.