Almaty kazakh state humanitarian-pedagogical college №1

Theory of
intercultural
communication
English teacher:
Yelubay Aruzhan Serikbaykyzy
INTRODUCTION
Is it always possible or
necessary to define
people's behavior based on
their cultural background?
Intercultural Communication
Definition
• the definition of
intercultural
communication is the
communication that takes
place between people from
different cultural
backgrounds.
Intercultural Communication Skills

• Education - Expand your horizons and

learn about the world by reading
books, watching documentaries, taking
courses, or simply watching movies
produced by directors from around the
world.
• Active listening - Sometimes, the best
way to learn is to simply listen.
 Intercultural Communication
Skills
• Keep an open mind - It can be tempting
to judge things we don't know or
understand. When learning new things,
try to keep an open mind and be open
to new ideas and outlooks on life.
• Tolerance - Sometimes, we come
across people who have views or
beliefs that we struggle to understand
or accept; it can often be best to put
these differences aside
 Intercultural
Communication Example
• it's an English as a foreign language class and the
teacher is from a different cultural background from the
students, or it's a class in an international school, and
almost everyone is from a different culture.
• How each student feels about completing a set task may
differ depending on their cultural upbringing. For
example, a student from a culture that places a lot of
respect on teachers and elders may find a debating task
uncomfortable. Alternatively, some students may feel a
lot more comfortable sharing personal details, such as
their parents' occupations, than others.
 Intercultural Communication Example
• American business partners, for example, prefer small talk to build a relationship
first, whereas Brits may try humor, and Germans tend to get straight to the point
without beating around the bush. Thais, on the other hand, think nothing of asking
what are considered rather personal questions in the western world, for example
about your marital status or job. Similarly, Americans like to use first names when
addressing others, while in Austria, titles should be used to avoid sounding
disrespectful. Germans will want to shake hands, while people in Thailand place
their palms together at chest level and bow instead.
 Intercultural Communication Example

Social conventions USA UK Germany Thailand

Conversation Small talk Humor Direct approach Personal questions

Palms
First name, First name, Shake hands,
Greeting together and bow,
informal informal formal
respectful
Thank
You