Using Foreign Films to Foster Pre-service Teachers’ Intercultural Awareness in an EFL Context

Abstract

[EN]In our ever-diversifying society, it is not only important to acquire communicative skills, but it is also the responsibility of educators to ensure that effective intercultural communication is at the forefront of EFL curricula. This chapter describes a case study in which 53 prospective teachers of English at university level completed an intercultural unit designed around films addressing cultural borders and identities in a ubiquitous learning environment. In a pretest/ post-test experiment design, students’ intercultural competence (IC) was assessed through a rubric to estimate their development in three dimensions before and after intervention. Intercultural portfolios and a self-report questionnaire were also used to gather both quantitative and qualitative data that provided further evidence of IC development in 9 sub-dimensions. The t-test analysis revealed statistically significant improvement in the dimensions studied and in students’ global IC after intervention. The results confirmed the initial hypothesis that using foreign films within EFL contexts helps develop a high level of intercultural self-reflection and sensitivity in pre-service teachers and that these IC skills are likely to be transferred to their future teaching practice.