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Presenter
Defne Erdem Mete
Research Assisstant ( PhD in progress)
Gazi University,   Department of ELT
Gazi Üniversitesi Yabancı Diller Eğitimi C- Blok Teknikokullar
ANKARA

Title:
EIL and Intercultural Communicative Competence: Two Sides of a Coin?

Abstract
     It has become unquestionable that English is the ‘lingua franca’ today. Studies show that there are more non-native speakers of English than its native speakers. This fact has implications for the English language practices in the world. One of these is the emergence of EIL as a field of study. The studies in this area delve into issues such as the intelligibility, varieties and users of English. Thus, English language teachers are in a position to reconsider how to reflect the current status of English in their classrooms and which goals to achieve. In this respect, the model of Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) appears to offer suggestions. This paper argues that an inseparable part of teaching English as an International Language should be developing the Intercultural Communicative Competence of learners. Therefore, ICC should be thought of in the context of EIL and practices in the teaching of EIL foster ICC.