Intercultural competency in foreign language lessons

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a research project carried out surveying different university students coming from different bachelor programs within the French language and francophone cultures frame. The objective is to include intercultural competition in the classroom, basing it on educational procedures which aim to enhance empathy and open-mindedness. Invoking at the same time the notion of social identity. Trying to answer the question:  “What concrete proposals can be made in the classroom to build intercultural competencies?” Acting as a methodological support a series of didactic activities based on the idea that intercultural competence is relational and complex. Additionally, we look to prove an aspect of the social psychologist Henri Tajfel and John Turner about social identity. The results indicate that this kind of educational work is sustained by a process of construction-deconstruction.