| “Acculturation and Communicative Competence among International EFL Learners: A Mixed-Methods Investigation.” |
| کد مقاله : 1097-ELTCONF7. (R1) |
| نویسندگان |
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غزاله صالح * دانشگاه بین المللی امام رضا مشهد |
| چکیده مقاله |
| Abstract In the globalized landscape of English-medium higher education, international students must master not only linguistic proficiency but also the intercultural and pragmatic skills that define communicative competence. This study investigates how patterns of acculturation shape the communicative competence of international EFL learners in English-speaking universities. Drawing on Berry’s (1997) bidimensional framework and recent expansions such as Lefringhausen & Marshall’s (2016) Locals’ Bidimensional Acculturation Model and Doucerain et al.’s (2017) multidimensional methodological approach, the research employed a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design. Quantitative data from 120 participants were collected using an adapted Vancouver Index of Acculturation and a dual measure of communicative competence (self-perceived and performance-based). Qualitative interviews with 20 participants explored the affective and social mechanisms that connect adaptation with communicative behavior. Results show that integrative acculturation—active participation in the host culture while maintaining heritage identity—predicts higher pragmatic fluency, intercultural awareness, and willingness to communicate. Separation and marginalization strategies correlated with interactional anxiety and reduced linguistic flexibility. The findings highlight the mediating roles of emotional resilience, institutional support, and teacher mediation. The study contributes to current TESOL discourse by situating second-language performance within broader sociocultural processes and by offering pedagogical implications for intercultural responsive teaching that fosters mutual adaptation between learners and host communities. |
| کلیدواژه ها |
| Keywords: Acculturation; Communicative Competence; Intercultural Communication; TESOL; Mixed Methods; Identity Negotiation; EFL Learners. |
| وضعیت: پذیرفته شده مشروط برای ارائه به صورت پوستر |