Intercultural Communicative Competence and Intercultural Sensitivity of ELT Pre-Service Students: Are They Ready for It?

This study aims to investigate the relationship between pre-service ELT (English Language Teaching) teachers' level of intercultural sensitivity and intercultural communicative competence. The study included 130 pre-service ELT teachers, comprising 99 females and 31 males. Data collection was carried out using Chen and Starosta's (2000) Intercultural Sensitivity Scale and Başol's Intercultural Communicative Competence Self-Assessment Tool (2017). Descriptive analysis and Bivariate Pearson’s correlation were performed using SPSS software to analyse the collected data. The results of the analysis showed that the level of intercultural sensitivity and intercultural communicative competence of pre-service ELT teachers were high. Additionally, a strong and positive linear correlation was found between intercultural sensitivity and intercultural communicative competence. The findings of this study suggest that pre-service ELT teachers have a high level of intercultural sensitivity and intercultural communicative competence, which are essential attributes for effective communication in diverse cultural settings. Moreover, the positive correlation between the two constructs highlights the importance of developing both intercultural sensitivity and intercultural communicative competence simultaneously. The study suggests that ELT teacher education programs should include training on intercultural sensitivity and intercultural communicative competence. By doing so, ELT teachers can develop the necessary skills to effectively communicate with diverse groups of learners, thereby enhancing the quality of English language teaching and learning. Overall, this study sheds light on the importance of intercultural sensitivity and intercultural communicative competence in ELT and provides valuable insights for ELT teacher education programs and curriculum designers.