ISJ November 2012: Intercultural communication competency for international educators

Beverley Shaklee & Sydney Merz

Abstract:

Several months ago at the ECIS leadership conference in Vienna, Austria, a presentation was given on intercultural communication competence (ICC). During the presentation, participants discussed what they do in their schools to ensure the development of intercultural communication competence in their school setting.

The answers were interesting and informative. Respondents indicated a very wide range of activities, including short-term orientations and day-long workshops for all staff and faculty to the far end of the continuum which was stated as ‘we don’t do enough’. Questioning further and probing for examples it became clear that, while there is strength in the development of ICC in some of our international schools, others are struggling to determine what, if anything, they should be doing.