Testing intercultural competence in English: Basic questions and suggested answers - Rudi Camerer, elc: European Language Competence, Frankfurt, Germany

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TESTING INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE IN ENGLISH:Basic questions & suggested answers

Rudi Camerer TEASIG-BESIG Pre-Conference Event Manchester, 10 April 2015

1. CONSTRUCTa) Personalityb) Discoursec) English as a Lingua Francad) Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

2. CRITERIA3. FORMAT & SAMPLE ITEMS

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Linguistic &communicative

competence

ICC

Featuresof personality

(openness, tolerance …)

Interculturalknowledge

CONTEXT

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE (ICC)

The SIETAR-List: 53 Tests of Intercultural Competence• Behavioral Assessment Scale for Intercultural Communication

(BASIC)• Counseling Inventory: A self-report measure of multicultural

competencies• Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory (CCAI)• The Cross-Cultural Assessor• Cross-Cultural Counseling Inventory• Cross-Cultural Sensitivity Scale (CCSS)• Cultural Competence Self-Assessment Questionnaire

(CCSAQ)• The Cultural Orientations Indicator® (COI®)• The Culture in the Workplace Questionnaire™• Educoas, Editorial February 2002• Expatriate Profile (EP)• Foreign Assignment Success Test (FAST)• Fuld&Company, Inc. - Competitive Intelligence• GAP Test: Global Awareness Profile• Global Interface• The Global Team Process Questionnaire™ (GTPQ)• Grove and Associates• Hogan Assessment System• Insights Discovery System• The Intercultural Competence Assessment (INCA)• Intercultural Competency Scale• The Intercultural CONFLICT Style Inventory• Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI)• Intercultural Orientation Resources (IOR)• Intercultural Readiness Check• Intercultural Sensitivity Inventory (ICSI)

• Intercultural Sensitivity Inventory (ICSI)• Intercultural Sensitivity Survey• International Assignment Profile• ITIM: Culture and Management Consultants• Living and Working Overseas Predeparture Questionnaire• Meridian Resources Associates• Multicultural Counseling Awareness Scale (MCAS)• Multicultural Counseling Inventory (MCI)• Nipporica Associates• Personal Orientation Inventory (POI)• PCAT: Peterson Cultural Awareness Test• PCSI: Peterson Cultural Style Indicator• Prospector• Prudential Intercultural• SAGE• School for International Training (SIT)• Selection Research Int’l (SRI)• Team Management Systems• TCO International• Teaching Tolerance• Test of Intercultural Sensitivity (TICS)• Tucker International: International Candidate Evaluation (ICE)• Overseas Assignment Inventory (OAI)• International Mobility Assessment (IMA)• Evaluation of Expatriate Development (EED)• Supervisory Evaluation of Expatriate Development (SEED)• Windham International• Window on the World

SIETAR - The Society for Intercultural Education, Training and Researchhttp://www.sietar-europa.org/SIETARproject/Assessments&instruments.html#Topic2621.01.2012

1. TEST CONSTRUCT

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The SIETAR-List: 42 Tests of Intercultural Competence

• Behavioral Assessment Scale for Intercultural Communication(BASIC)

• Counseling Inventory: A self-report measure of multiculturalcompetencies

• Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory (CCAI)• The Cross-Cultural Assessor• Cross-Cultural Counseling Inventory• Cross-Cultural Sensitivity Scale (CCSS)• Cultural Competence Self-Assessment Questionnaire

(CCSAQ)• The Cultural Orientations Indicator® (COI®)• The Culture in the Workplace Questionnaire™• Educoas, Editorial February 2002• Expatriate Profile (EP)• Foreign Assignment Success Test (FAST)• Fuld&Company, Inc. - Competitive Intelligence• GAP Test: Global Awareness Profile• Global Interface• The Global Team Process Questionnaire™ (GTPQ)• Grove and Associates• Hogan Assessment System• Insights Discovery System• The Intercultural Competence Assessment (INCA)• Intercultural Competency Scale• The Intercultural CONFLICT Style Inventory• Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI)• Intercultural Orientation Resources (IOR)• Intercultural Readiness Check Intercultural Sensitivity

Inventory (ICSI)


“The Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI)measures how a person or a group of people experiencecultural difference.”

IDI was designed by Dr. Milton Bennett and Dr. Mitchell Hammer.Based on Dr. Bennett’s Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity, “IDI is ascientifically valid and reliable psychometric instrument.”

• In use globally since 1998.• 50 items or statements, answered as to the extent to which a person agrees

or disagrees with the statement.• Available in many different languages.• Available in paper and on-line form.

http://www.mdbgroup.com/idi_background.htm


• Behavioral Assessment Scale for Intercultural Communication(BASIC)

• Counseling Inventory: A self-report measure of multiculturalcompetencies

• Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory (CCAI)• The Cross-Cultural Assessor• Cross-Cultural Counseling Inventory• Cross-Cultural Sensitivity Scale (CCSS)• Cultural Competence Self-Assessment Questionnaire

(CCSAQ)• The Cultural Orientations Indicator® (COI®)• The Culture in the Workplace Questionnaire™• Educoas, Editorial February 2002• Expatriate Profile (EP)• Foreign Assignment Success Test (FAST)• Fuld&Company, Inc. - Competitive Intelligence• GAP Test: Global Awareness Profile• Global Interface• The Global Team Process Questionnaire™ (GTPQ)• Grove and Associates• Hogan Assessment System• Insights Discovery System• The Intercultural Competence Assessment (INCA)• Intercultural Competency Scale• The Intercultural CONFLICT Style Inventory• Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI)• Intercultural Orientation Resources (IOR)• Intercultural Readiness Check Intercultural Sensitivity

Inventory (ICSI)



http://www.icunet.ag/de

The SIETAR-List: 53 Tests of Intercultural Competence

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TIS Test of Intercultural Sensitivity (ICUnet.AG, Passau)

e.g. “Unfamiliar situations make me feel uncomfortable.”

Self-evaluation based on 67 questions

http://www.icunet.ag/dienstleistungen/potenzialanalyse/tis.html

TIS Test of Intercultural Sensitivity (ICUnet.AG, Passau)

e.g. “In choosing my personal aims I prefer to be cautious, rather than take risks.”

Theoretical BackgroundThe TIS serves as a tool for the self-evaluation of an employee’s intercultural competence.The test is based on current psychological and cultural studies research findings andrecords seven computer based, relevant intercultural personality traits, for example, beingopen to new ideas and self-reflection. Such traits are regarded as essential for successfulintegration into a foreign culture and are directly linked to success and job satisfactionwhen working with employees from other cultures.

Self-evaluation based on 67 questions

http://www.icunet.ag/dienstleistungen/potenzialanalyse/tis.html

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e.g.

“I believe that verbal and non-verbal behaviour varyacross cultures and that all forms of such behaviour areworthy of respect.”

Self-evaluation based on 50 statements

Answers range from “fully agree” to “fully disagree” on a multiple-point scale.

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Construct of Personality profiling

TEST

A definition of theessential

characteristics ofthe criteria is

crucial for theestablishment ofthe test format

(Criteria) Criteria

Responding toquestions which

relate to thecriteria.

performanceand behaviour

or series of realperformances

outside the test.

Competenceobjective

Features ofpersonality

and dispositions

observablenot observable not

observable

Theoretical concept of personality (in intercultural encounters)

Criteria of intercultural competence ?

• Denial, Defense, Minimization, Acceptance, Adaptation, Integration

• Tolerance of Ambiguity, Ambiguitätstoleranz

• Openness

• Behavioural Flexibility, (problemorientierte) Flexibilität

• Stress-Resistance

• Emotional Intelligence, Intelligence, Reflexionsfähigkeit

• Emotional Resilience, Emotionale Stabilität

• Inner-referenced vs. outer-referenced

• Flexibility and Openness

• Perceptual Acuity

• Personal Autonomy

• Focus on Goals

• Inner Purpose

• Reflected Awareness• …

CONSTRUCT VALIDITY ?

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“The construction of a psychometric test begins with thecompilation of a list of empirically verifiable phenomenawhich exhibit, more or less concealed, the propertyconcerned and its characteristics. Theoretical assumptions,personal bias and convictions play an important role in this.To avoid succumbing to subjective factors such as these,the decision on which phenomena should be recognised asindicating a certain property should be based on theconsensus of those dealing with the property methodicallyand scientifically. Academic psychology has a long way togo to reach this consensus. The confused muddle ofcontents typical for academic psychology and observableeven with basic properties like intelligence, attraction,competence etc. will necessarily follow.”

Meyer, Harald (2004) Theorie und Qualitätsbeurteilung psychometrischer Tests. Stuttgart:Kohlhammer.pp. 16–17 [author’s translation]

Intercultural Development Inventory

WorldmindendessScale (1957)

CaliforniaPsychological

Inventory(1982)

OccupationalPersonality

Questionnaire

(1984)

Social AnxietyScale (1985)

MinnesotaMultiphasicPersonalityInventory

(1972)

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http://www.zpid.de/pub/tests/verz_teil1.pdf

Die derzeit vorliegende 21. aktualisierte Auflagemit Stand August 2014 benennt -- ? --Testnachweise mit Test-Kurznamen(Testabkürzungen, Akronyme), Test-Langnamen (Titel eines Tests oder Verfahrens),Autoren, Jahr der Publikation undDokumentennummer bzw. bibliographischeNachweise von 2620 Testrezensionen zu 1235Testverfahren.

1. Entwicklungstests2. Intelligenztests3. Kreativitätstests4. Leistungs-, Fähigkeits- und Eignungstests5. Fremdsprachentests6. Einstellungstests7. Interessentests8. Persönlichkeitstests9. Projektive Verfahren10. Klinische Verfahren11. Verhaltensskalen12. Sonstige Verfahren

6,714

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“There is considerable evidence to suggest thatwhen predictive validation studies are conducted

with actual job applicants where independentcriterion measures are collected,

observed (uncorrected) validity is very low andoften close to zero. This is a consistent and

uncontroversial conclusion.”

Frederick P. Morgeson / Michael A. Campion / Robert L. Dipboye / John R. Hollenbeck / KevinMurphy / Neal Schmitt (2007) Are we Getting Fooled Again? Coming to Terms with Limitationsin the Use of Personality Tests for Personnel Selection. In: Personnel Psychology 2007, 60, 1029-1049.

Behaviorist & LearningAspects of Personality

Cognitive Aspectsof Personality

Trait & Skill Aspectsof Personality

Humanistic & ExistentialAspects of Personality

Person-Situation InteractionistAspects of Personality

LearningTheories

of Personality

Personality Theory“Personality is like love:

everyone agrees it exists, but disagrees on what it is.”

Cattell, Raymond B. (1973): Personality Pinned Down. In: Psychology Today, 7 (July), 41.

• Friedman, H.S. / Schustack, M.W. (eds.) (2001): Readings in Personality. Classic Theories and Modern Research.• Schultz, D.P. / Schultz, S.E.(2005): Theories of Personality. 8th ed.• Crowne, D.P. (2007): Personality Theory.• Littleton, K. / Wood, Cl. / Staarman, J.K. (eds.)(2012): International Handbook of Psychology in Education.

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(1) Identity is not fixed.

(2) Identity is constructed and may vary.

(3) Contexts are moderated by social variables and are expressed throughlanguage.

(4) Identity is salient in every communicative context.

(5) Identity informs social relationships and communicative exchanges.

(6) More than one identity may be articulated equating an interactivesystem of identities management.

Omoniyi, Tope & White, Goodith (eds)(2006): The Sociolinguistics of Identity. New York. Continuum. p. 2

Six positions concerning

PERSONALITYwhich most scholars agree on:

Assessment of interculturalsensitivity:

e.g. IDI – Intercultural Development Inventory(Hammer / Bennett)

Assessment as a process of asking aperson’s attitudes and opinions in orderto reach conclusions about what his /her personal (psychological)

dispositions are.

What a test of interculturalcompetence should test:

Assessment of interculturalcommunicative performance

e.g. in English:

e.g. Language Competence Tests like IELTS etc.

Assessment as a process of observing aperson‘s performance in order to reachconclusions about what he / she knowsor can do.

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PERSONALITY & CULTURE(S)

What is the relationship?

Meet Mr. Kim

Prestigeous company

Mechanical engineerfor Kalon Co., Seoul

Member of professional associationfor mechanical engineers

Worked on a joint-venture teamin Frankfurt/M.

May 2012- June 2014

His parents grew up duringJapanese occupation.

Korean male community practice,i.e. social relaxation mostly with other men

His children grow up in an affluentenvironment.

Age: late forties

Lives in Seoul,married, 2 young children

Adapted from Ron Scollon & Suzanne Wong Scollon (2001). Intercultural Communication. A Discourse Approach. 2nd ed. p.181f.

PERSONALITY & CULTURE(S)

HOW MANYIDENTITIESDOES EACH

OF USHAVE?

Corporateculture

Professionalgroup

Utilitariandiscourse

Gender discourse

Generationaldiscourse

Koreanlanguage community

Confucian-based attitudes towardeducation, his position in society &

toward his familyConfuciancommunity of values

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“Perhaps the most significant aspect of this evolution has been ourdevelopment over the past decade of the theoretical frameworkof mediated discourse analysis, an approach to discourse whichfocuses less on broad constructs like ‘culture’ and more on theeveryday concrete actions through which culture is produced.”

Ron Scollon, Suzanne Wong Scollon, Rodney H. Jones (2012). Intercultural Communciation. A DiscourseApproach. 3rd ed. p. XVIII.

“Intercultural theory 3.0”

Communities of Practice

“An aggregate of people who come togetheraround mutual engagement in an endeavor.Ways of doing things, ways of talking, beliefs, values,power relations - in short - practices, emerge in thecourse of this mutual endeavor.”

Luise Mullany(2009). Gender Studies. In: Francesca Bargiela-Chiappini (ed.)(2009). The Handbook of Business Discourse. p. 215.

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English:Language No. 1

of Intercu l tu ra l communicat ion

Wikipedia

Vienna-OxfordInternational Corpus of English

http://ice-corpora.net/ice/

http://www.univie.ac.at/voice/

http://www.uta.fi/ltl/en/english/research/projects/elfa.html

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Businesscorrespondence

“Keep It Shorth & Simple“?

e.g. request schemata in writing:

Anglo-American style Common in China, Indonesia, Japan …

SalutationRequestSign off

SalutationFace-work / Securing of Good Will

Reasons for requestRequestSign off

Andy Kirkpatrick (2010). English as a Lingua Franca in ASEAN. p. 118f.

Influence of L1 on pragmatics

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In ELF research we have already seen a radical rethinking of the normagainst which ELF speakers’ pragmatic knowledge and behaviour is

matched. This norm is not the monolingual nativespeaker but rather the expert multilingual user.There is empirical support for this stance fromstudies of the pragmatic behaviour of bilinguals.

Juliane House (2010). The Pragmatics of English as a lingua franca. In: Anna Trosborg (ed.)(2010). Pragmatics acrossLanguages and Cultures. pp. 363-387.

Anglo-American English(“Mid-Atlantic”)

InternationalEnglish (ELF)

TEACHING ENGLISH IN AGLOBALISED WORLD:

+

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Common European Framework ofReference for Languages (CEFR)Council of Europe 2001

Domains, scenarios, situations,communicative tasks andobjectives, forms of oral andwritten interaction, interactivestrategies, language processes,socio-linguistic skills, interculturalskills…

You can download the complete document here:www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/source/framework_en.pdf

Qualtiative Aspects of Spoken Language :Range, Accuracy, Fluency, Interaction, Coherence

External Context of Use

Sustained Monologue

Overall Oral Production

Addressing Audiences

Overall Written Production

Reports and Essays

Planning

Compensating

Monitoring and Repair

Listening as a Member of a Live Audience

Reading Correspondence

Examples of individual scales

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CRITERIA ICE Level 1(CEFR B1)

ICE Level 2(CEFR B2)

INTERACTION

Establishing andmaintaining contact

Can enter unprepared into conversations with familiar topics.[Conversation]

Can engage in extended conversation on most general topics in a clearly participatoryfashion, even in a noisy environment. [Conversation]

Is aware of, and looks out for signs of, the most significant differencesbetween the customs, usages, attitudes, values and beliefs prevalent inthe community concerned and those of his or her own. [Sociolinguisticappropriateness]Can maintain a conversation or discussion but may sometimes bedifficult to follow when trying to say exactly what he/she would like to.[Conversation]

Can adjust what he/she says and the means of expressing it to the situations and the recipientand adopt a level of formality appropriate to the circumstances. [Flexibility]Can express him or herself appropriately in situations and avoid crass errors of formulation[Sociolinguistic appropriateness]

Use of communicativestrategies

Can repeat back part of what someone has said to confirm mutualunderstanding and help keep the development of ideas on course.[Cooperating]Can correct mix-ups with tenses or expressions which lead tomisunderstandings provided the interlocutor indicates there is aproblem. [Monitoring & Repair]Can ask someone to clarify or elaborate what they have just said.[Asking for clarification] - USE OF METALANGUAGE

Can give feedback on and follow up statements and inferences and so help the developmentsof the discussion. [Cooperating]Can correct slips and errors if he/she becomes conscious of them or if the have led tomisunderstandings. Can make a note of “favourite mistakes” and consciously monitor speechfor it / them. [Monitoring & Repair]Can ask follow up questions to check that he/she has understood what a speaker intended tosay, and get clarification of ambiguous points. [Asking for clarification] -USE OF METALANGUAGE

CONTENT

Neutral attitude Can perform and respond to a wide range of language functions, usingtheir most common exponents in a neutral register. [Sociolinguisticappropriateness]

Can sustain relationships with native speakers without unintentionally amusing or irritating themor requiring them to behave other than they would with a native speaker. [Conversation]

Knowledge of 1 or moreaspects of IC theory

Shows general awareness of potentially culture-bound differences inbehaviour and communication styles.

Shows awareness of and experience with potentially culture-bound differences in behaviourand communication styles.

LANGUAGE

Polite language Can adapt his expression to deal with less routine, even difficultsituations. [Flexibility]Is aware of salient politeness conventions and acts appropriately.[Sociolinguistic appropriateness]

Can express him or herself confidently, clearly and politely in a formal or informal register,appropriate to the situation and person(s) concerned. [Sociolinguistic appropriateness]

Shows some awareness of the relevance of non-verbal communicationand uses para-verbal signals (e.g. gestures, facial expression, posture,proxemics) appropriately in some cases. [General linguistic range]

Shows awareness of the relevance of non-verbal communication and uses para-verbal signals(e.g. gestures, facial expression, posture, proxemics) appropriately in most cases. [Generallinguistic range]

Linguisticappropriateness

Has enough language to get by, with sufficient vocabulary to expresshim/herself with some hesitation and circumlocutions on topics such asfamily, hobbies and interests, work, travel, and current events, butlexical limitations cause repetition and even difficulty with formulation attimes. [General linguistic range]

Has a sufficient range of language to be able to give clear descriptions, express viewpoints anddevelop arguments without much conspicuous searching for words, using some complexsentence forms to do so. [General linguistic range]

ICC — RELEVANT DESCRIPTORS FOR ORAL PERFORMANCE

SOCIOLINGUISTIC APPROPRIATENESSC2: Appreciates fully the sociolinguistic and sociocultural

implications of language used by native speakers and can react

accordingly . …

C1: Can recognise a wide range of idiomatic expressions and

colloquialisms, appreciating register shifts …

B2: Can sustain relationships with nativespeakers without unintentionally amusing orirritating them or requiring them to behave otherthan they would with a native speaker…

INTERACTIONB2: Can interact with a degree of fluencyand spontaneity that makes regularinteraction, and sustained relationshipswith native speakers quite possible

without imposing strain on either party …

Testing intercultural communicative competence

TEST

The essentialfeatures of the

criteria aredecisive for the

test format

Criteria (Criteria)

Communicativeperformance or

series ofperformances

whichdemonstrate or

simulate thecriteria.

performanceand behaviour

or series of realperformances

outside the test.

Competenceobjective

Features ofpersonality,

psychologicaldispositions

observablenot observable not

observable

Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

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TRAINING & TESTof INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE in ENGLISH

2. CRITERIA

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Criteria for intercultural communicative competence

1. Knowledge about institutions, processes of socialisation and otherspecifics in one’s own and in one or more target countries.

2. Knowledge of the causes and processes of misunderstanding betweenmembers of different cultures.

3. Ability to engage with differences in a relationship of equality (incl. ability

to question the values and presuppositions in cultural practices and products in one’s own environment).

4. Ability to engage with politeness conventions and communication andinteraction conventions (verbal and non-verbal).

5. Ability to use essential conventions of oral communication and torecognise changes in register.

6. Ability to use essential conventions of written communication and torecognise changes in register.

7. Ability to elicit the concepts and values of documents or events (i.e.

meta-communication).

8. Ability to mediate between conflicting interpretations of phenomena.

cf. Council of Europe, Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. 2001. Michael Byram,Teaching and Assessing Intercultural Communciative Competence. 1997. Jürgen Beneke, Interculturalcompetence. In: Bliesener, Ulrich (ed.), Training the Trainers. Theory and Practice of Foreign Language TeacherEducation. 2000. a.o.

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FOCUS ON DIFFICULT TASKS

Photo: MS Cliparts

2 BASIC ASSUMPTIONS OF TRAINING

• positive relationship sought !

• 1st, 2nd, 3rd encounters are crucial !

3. TEST FORMAT &

SAMPLE ITEMS

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Test of Intercultural Competence in English—ICE

WRITTEN PARTS (Levels 1 & 2)

Time Part Item-Type No of items Rating criteria

10 min. 1 Critical Incidents 10

cf.ICE Handbook

www.elc-consult.com

10 min. 2 Listening Comprehension 10

10 min 3 Structured Responses 10

10 min 4 Proof Reading 10

10 min 5 Country Specifics 30

10 min 6 Writing 1

60 min

ORAL PARTS (Levels 1 & 2)

10 Min. preparation time

Time Part Task-type What is tested? Rating criteria

5 Min. 1 Dialogue on personal

background andinternational / interculturalexperience

Ability to discuss personal experience inintercultural encounters neutrally and adequatelyand to maintain interaction

• Communication• Intercultural competence• Language

5 Min. 2 Discussion of input(text, picture, diagram etc.)

Ability to discuss aspects affecting culture-boundbehaviour and intercultural communication and toreflect on one’s own culture and experience

5 Min. 3 Discussion of criticalincident or text

Ability to discuss critical incidents, to give realisticexplanations and pragmatic suggestions

15(+10) Min

Test of Intercultural Competence in English

Oral test:

10 Min. Preparation time

Time What is being tested? How is it tested? Rating criteria?

5 Min. 1. Ability to discuss personalexperience in interculturalencounters neutrally andadequately and to maintaininteraction

Dialogue re. personal backgroundand international/interculturalexperience

5 Min. 2.Ability to discuss aspects affectingculture-bound behaviour andintercultural communication and toreflect on one’s own culture andexperience

Discussion of input(text, picture, diagram etc.)

•Communication•Intercultural Competence

•Language

5 Min. 3.Ability to discuss critical incidentsand to give realistic explanationsand pragmatic suggestions.

Discussion of critical incident ortext

15(+10)

Min

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Rating criteria oral performance:

Criteria Points

1. Communication Contributing to interaction 6/4/2/0

Involving other interlocutors 6/4/2/0

Use of polite discourse conventions 6/4/2/0

2. Interculturalcompetence

Expression of non-judgemental attitude* 8/4/0

Evidence of knowledge of interculturaltheory

8/4/0

3. Language Linguistic appropriateness 6/4/0

TOTAL < 40

* 0 points = FAIL

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Test of Intercultural Competence in English

Written parts:

Time Part No of items

10 Min.1 Critical Incidents 10

10 Min.2 Listening Comprehension 10

10 Min3 Structured Responses 10

10 Min4 Proof Reading 10

10 Min5 Country Specifics 30

10 Min6 Writing 1

60 Min

1.

A foreign partner asks you how much you earn. Youdon’t want to answer the question so you say

a) “Enough to live on. What about you?”

b) “Enough for me and my family” and try and talk about another topic.

c) “It’s none of your business!” because he should know it’s a personalquestion.

LEVEL 1

Part 1 Critical Incidents

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LEVEL 2

Part 2 Listening Comprehension

TRUE FALSE NOTMENTIONED

In the following you will hear parts of interviews.

16. Ardak grew up in Kazakhstan and has workedinternationally for many years. In this interview she talksabout her experience as a project leader in Ethiopia.Listen to what she says and mark whether the followingstatement is true, false or not mentioned.

Ardak could not understand the people in Ethiopia.

LEVEL 1

Part 5 Country Specifics

a

b

c

You may choose any 30 questions. If you do not want to answer aquestion, click on the button NEXT. The number of questions, which you

have answered correctly, is displayed at the bottom right.

Read the questions below. Mark one of the letters.

1. Belgium’s official languages area) Walloon and Flemish.b) French, Dutch and Luxembourgish.c) French, Flemish and German.

2. Belgium’s population is approximatelya) 35 million.b) 25 million.c) 10 million.

3. In business contexts conservative suits with shirts and tiesa) are worn only on formal occasions.b) are a must.c) are less appreciated than casual clothes.

a

b

c

a

b

c

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LEVEL 1

Part 6 Written Production

You receive the following email from a business associate you havemet once or twice.

Dear …This is just to let you know that I will be in your area next weekand wonder if I can take you out for lunch. It would be nice tosee you again. Let me know.With best wishesCarol

Reply to the email.You have no time next week so refuse the invitation.

Do not write more than 60 words.

Writing: Rating criteria:

Criteria Points

The email is appropriate in all respects, i.e. it would not cause any offence,irritation, confusion or misunderstanding.andThe language is appropriate for the level concerned (B1 or B2).andThere are no or very few mistakes and none which affect understanding.

10

The email would not cause any offence, irritation or misunderstanding, but onemain part of the message is missing or inappropriate.orThe language is below the level concerned (B1 or B2).orThere are several language mistakes, none of which affect understanding of themain message.

6

The email may cause offence, irritation, confusion or misunderstanding as parts aremissing and/or inappropriate.

4

The message is expressed in such a way as to cause offence, irritation or confusion.orThere are so many mistakes that not even the main message can be understood.orNothing has been written.

0

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Interculture Journal 12/2010

http://www.interculture-journal.com/

“International English and the Training of InterculturalCommunicative Competence”Judith Mader, Rudi Camerer

Professional Business English Trainers:

Intercultural Competence in Business EnglishRudi Camerer, Judith MaderCornelsen 2012

“Testing intercultural competence in (International)English: Some basic questions and suggested answers”Rudi CamererLanguage Learning in Higher Education 2014 – 4(1). pp. 207-236.

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