Byram's ICC model

Michael Byram, who is a leading expert in language teacher education, developed a model of Intercultural communicative competence (ICC) to support English teachers in their routine preparing pupils for real-life situations. He combines “five basic competences of communicative language teaching, i.e. grammatical discourse, sociocultural, strategic and mediational with competences that focus on intercultural learning.”[1] Introducing the model, he refers to pupils as ambassadors between their own and different origins, as well as identities.

 

Knowledge – How to use in class:

  • working with stereotypes → provocative statements/ discuss in class

  • facts (film, texts, internet, authentic material

  • guest speakers

Skills (interpret and relate) – How to use in class:

  • achieve a change of perspective with creative tasks (writing new scenes/different endings in literary texts)
  • learners experience → a situation from different cultural point of view (how does the American school work – what is a typical day like at such a school)[2]
  • role plays/certain games

Attitudes – How to use in class:

  • visual aids, such as brainstorming, to create curiosity and interest

  • young adult literature

  • authentic texts brought by learners (songs, interviews) 

  • e-mail exchange, virtual and face-to-face encounter projects

Skills (discover and/or interact) – How to use in class:

  • comparing e-mails, face-to-face and virtual encounter projects (web cam), chat, study visits

  • negociations of cultural misunderstandings

  • role plays 

  • critical incidents

Education: – How to use in class:

  • critical comparison how Australian/US-American/ German/... societies deals with immigration

 

Sources: 

[1]frenchtechblog.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/byrams-model-of-icc.jpg

[2] Michael Byram’s (1997) Model of Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) Müller- Hartmann, Andreas / Schocker-von Ditfurth; Marita (2007). Introduction to English Language Teaching. Stuttgart: Klett.