Exploring and Assessing Intercultural Competence - Center for ...

- 2 with routine social greetings
- 4 able to communicate concretely
- 1 with sufficient structural accuracy
- 1 with structural accuracy plus professional vocabulary
Exploring and Assessing Intercultural Competence
As might be expected, results for Swiss volunteers were even more dramatic, given their previous
language experience and trilingualism. By the end of their sojourn, all indicated an ability to
communicate in the host tongue, including the 5 who began with “no Spanish” or “no ability at
all.” All 20 indicated progress in their proficiency levels in the ranges indicated below:
- 1 able to satisfy routine social demands
- 6 able to communicate concretely
- 6 with sufficient structural accuracy
- 2 with sufficient structural accuracy and vocabulary
- 1 able to speak fluently on all levels
- 3 able to speak sometimes as an educated native speaker
- 1 able to speak as an educated native speaker
Despite greater strides in learning Spanish made by the Swiss, it is interesting to compare their
comments with those made by the British volunteers whose remarks were far more elaborate and
enthusiastic, revealing they felt a greater sense of accomplishment. Here’s what the British
volunteers said:
- I have more confidence in speaking to new people and also speaking Spanish (BA1)
- I gained more confidence in speaking with Spanish-speakers
- learning Spanish was extremely fun (BA4)
- I learnt a new language, gained a much greater sense of perspective on all aspects of
life, and an understanding of a different culture….I continue to have Spanish
lessons…and I continue to be fascinated by Latin American culture…
- I realize I am not the typical volunteer; on the plus side I could bring a great deal of
maturity to the experience; on the negative side, language ability reduced my
communication skills…. In most instances, I was able to find someone who wanted to
practice their English in order to find out more about the culture. I am very curious and
asked lots of questions. I look upon Ecuador as my second home
- The language tuition focused on speaking, which was good as this is the part of the
language most needed day to day… (BA8)
In contrast, only 4 of the 20 Swiss volunteers commented at all and only 1 expressed any surprise
at the progress made (as though it was expected they would indeed learn the language):
- I am still working on my accent (SA1)
- I was surprised at how quickly I learned Spanish (SA4)
- I learned more Spanish with my host family and friends than in the course (SA6)
- I am now pursuing a Masters in Spanish literature and linguistics (SA10)
Aside from the levels of host language proficiency they attained, alumni also gave significant
testimonies during interviews which speak to how they viewed the relevance knowing the host
language with regards to intercultural adjustments. Key ideas are listed following each narrative
below:
(BA1) “Learning the host language was vital to the success of my trip. I had learned Spanish at
school so I had some basics before arrival. I was grateful for the 4-week individual language
course and felt this really boosted my confidence. The host family did not speak any English so I
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