Arab Educational Information Network

The teaching of English as a global language, therefore, becomes more than linguistic competence; it also involves comprehension and interaction with a plurality of cultural contexts through which English is used. This would mean that the approach to ELT is intercultural or integrates language learning into cultural awareness, making efforts to foster both linguistically appropriate and culturally sensitive communication. The paper is to explore how an intercultural approach to ELT will serve to bolster the students' understanding of global communication. It considers the impact of cultural knowledge on language use, the part played by the teacher in fostering intercultural competence, and the practical tactics involved in introducing cultural elements into a classroom-based English language programme. This is finally concluded with challenges and opportunities arising through this approach in modern teaching. (Published abstract)