Problems Analysis on Intercultural Communication Ability Training in English Business Major of Application-oriented Universities

【Abstract】With the rapid development of economic globalization, international exchanges are becoming increasingly frequent, which leads to a pressing social need for talented personnel who have a strong intercultural communication competence. Compound and high-quality talents with solid basic professional knowledge are conducive to the development of foreign-related enterprises. As a college English teacher who is teaching in an application-oriented university, I always think how I can help the students of business English majoy get their intercultural communicative competence? After three years of observing and teaching, I’ve found 4 problems hinderring on the way. Solving these problems can help students’ intercultural communication competence. In this paper, the 4 problems are stated. Although they are not completely solved, I believe as more and more people emphasize these problems, in no time, they will become a cup of lemonade.

【Key words】business English; intercultural English; communication competence; application-oriented universities

【作者簡介】霍鑫红，大连财经学院。

According to a 2019 Chinses Govermental Report, President Xi Jinping said, “We will increase support for basic reseach and application-oriented basic research.” In 2015, Chinese Ministry of Education and National Development and Reform Commission began to mention the task of colleges and universities transforming into application-oriented ones. By year of 2018, 300 local undergraduate universities attended this pilot program of reformation. By year of 2022, a great number of undergraduate universities will have been in this trend. So during this long period of time, there are many jobs to do, many innovations, changes and adjustment. Unevitably, there are some mistakes , hardship and challenges.

1. Problems in Intercultural Communication Ability Training in Class in English Business Major of Application-oriented Universities

1.1 There Are not Enough Efficient and Good Teaching Methods to Help Students Involve in the Different Cultures in Class

Business English majors and general English majors have the same cultural teaching. Cultural teaching includes five aspects: verbal communication, non-verbal communication, custom and etiquette, social structure, interpersonal relationship and values. In academic teaching, teachers usually choose some cultural contents that are related to language and language usage closely, which means traditional teachers still focus on language teacheing instead of culture teaching or letting students involve in the stimulate intercultural atmosphere. However, the teaching aim of application-oriented universities is to train the students’ practical ability by engaging in international business activities, rather than merely the ability of academic communication and research. Therefore, more efficient and good teaching methods are welcome, which can truely help business major students master the ability.

1.2 The Universal View, Values Cannot be Embodied in class

The cultural teaching for business English majors is recognized as the general situation, universal view, values and conventionalization of the target language. Along with people’s conscious of intercultural communication ability strengthens increasingly, many universities domestic and abroad, especially for trade professional, have provided the courses, such as the British and American Country Profiles, Intercultural Communication, Intercultural Business Communication and intercultural communication and so on. The most of teaching content is given priority to the target language country profiles and communicative theory interpretation.

Firstly, the differences between Chinese and western cultures in international business activities are reflected in the differences in language and language culture. Secondly, the differences are reflected in operating mode, management mode, contract mode and other institutional levels. However, the levels of the differences lie in the deep-rooted cultures, such as world outlook and values. But it is difficult for the college students who lack of intercultural communication experience, and it is even harder to master and experience the principles and skills of intercultural communication, so students are also difficult to apply the knowledge has learned by them to practice.

1.3 Teaching Methods are Traditional and Monotonous

It is difficult to achieve the effect for intercultural communication skills training. Culture needs not only to be transfered easily to students in class, but also to be learned in a specific context. However, in actual teaching, students lack of real language environment to practice, and what’s more, the target language also lacks of the real cultural environment to exercise. In general, teaching methods are traditional and monotonous.

2. Main Problems of Business English Majors in Application-oriented Universities

2.1 Differences inThinking Modes

Cultures differ thinking modes, so people have different thinking modes in different social cultures. In western culture, individuality are respected by people in Britain and the United States. However, in the Eastern culture, represented by China, the thinking mode is the typical collectivism. Some obstacles can be cleared in intercultural communication if these different characteristics can be recognized, for example, different concepts about privacy. British and American people do not discuss personal matters and do not like to let others intervene in their own affairs, because they attach great importance to their privacy. So they feel uncomfortable when they are asked about their marital status, income and age. However, Chinese don’t regard as taboo subject.

2.2 Barriers in Language and Pragmatic

Language is an important tool for communication, so it is essential for intercultural communication  to have a solid foundation of language skills. At present, students in schools lack a clear understanding about the methods and purposes for English learning. They think that learning English is just memorizing words, grammar, reading textbooks and doing exercises. The ultimate aim of study is to pass examinations. Under the influence of such ideas, the basis of English learning is relatively weak, as a result, their pragmatic ability is not good. Many students are afraid to speak enthusiastically in the oral English class, and our foreign language teaching has been affected by the traditional grammar teaching since junior high school. Language learning is only limited to the grammar and vocabulary, and the application of language is only limited to the surface meaning, which lack of pragmatic. Sometimes, they want to say but they can not express clearly. For example, they don’t know when to say, what to say and how to say, which are all signs that students lack of the ability to use English. So a giant gap remains between English in grammar and English in use.

2.3 Obstacles in Cultural Knowledge and Understanding

The cognitive level, knowledge structure, understanding and mastery of students’ own culture affect and restrict their ability to accept and communicate with other cultures properly and naturally.

First of all, each country or nation has its own special history, and the reflection of culture is also different in style, so the distinctive history is reflected in the liturature and language itself. What’s more, it is often difficult to understand and master a language without an understanding of the history of the country or nation. The long history of China makes the broad and profound Chinese culture, so it is difficult for people from other nations to have a deep and correct understanding. Similarly, it is inevitable for Chinese to misunderstand the true meaning of other cultures, for example, people with other culture backgound probably think every Chinese are good at kungfu.

Secondly, the influence of myth and religion is often deeply rooted in the blood of a nation, which plays an important role in the formation and early development of a nation. Western people generally believe in Christianity or Catholicism, so in their daily talking,  they often use some myths, characters and allusions from ancient Greek myths and the bible, and often cite them in English articles and works. However, manystudents do not understand this usage of knowledge,therefore, they cannot experience its deep meaning in the article and communication. For example, if a Chinese donot know the meaning of “ Judas Kiss ” which quoted from Bible, then hedoesn’t know that it represents a sham act of treason.

Thirdly, each country or nation has its own unique traditional habits and customs, which are reflected in the language. For example, in the west, owls have the meaning of wisdom, and some people will wear decorations with owl. For this reason, they have a saying “As Wise As an Owl”.However, it is regard as bad luck in China. For another example, the Chinese call themselves as “descendants of the dragon”, because they think the dragon always has a good meaning, such as the dragon and the phoenix are auspicious, lively, etc. However, westerners believe that the dragon is not only evil, but also ferocious, even need to be killed.

3. Subjective Problems of Students for Business English Majors

Students in undergraduate  colleges and universitities are from two sources, one part is enrolled according to the entrance examiation result after high school; the othe part is from junior college, who probably failed the exam. After passing another exam intheir second year in junior college, the tops ones may further their studies by upgrading to these undergraduate colleges and universities. Obviously, the latter part hinder the whole level undergraduate students.

3.1 Lack of Enthusiasm for Learning

The entrance scores of business English majors are uneven in schools, and many students were not good at English when they were in junior high school, so their English is weak. Many students have not laid a good foundation of English since primary school,  because in China, high schools has been a traditional mode of “exam-oriented education”. In the process of teaching, theyemphasis too much on independence and completeness of the subject system. However, English teaching as a professional basic course will not get special attention, so this also affects the improvement of English level.

3.2 Generally Low Humanistic Quality

At present, many students in university are not interested in calligraphy, writing expression, humanistic accomplishment, literature and art, so their whole level of cultural quality is low. And most students only like to play games and chat in Wechat, but they generally do not pay attention to some Chinese and foreign classics, traditional art and culture and the compulsory course for business English majors, e.g.“The overview of English country”, “The literature of UK and US”, etc.It is mainly because students are not interested in humanities, e,g. politics, geography, history, religion, society, education, diplomacy, literature, art and other topics. What’s more, they also have little understanding of Chinese and western culture, which affects their ability of intercultural communication.

All the time, most students can only learn English grammar and words in English learning. Therefore, they often just listen to teachers in class, rather than study knowledge by themselves. In most cases, students lack of initiative to care about the content of newspapers, television and other media in their spare time, and not to say about the cultural information. In this way, even the students with good grades, but they just only have excellent test scores and better command of basic knowledge. However, theability of using English and intercultural communication is relatively weak, and these problems will be exposed after theywork. At the same time, there are also some students who are good at communicative skills and are fluent in oral English. However, some cultural conflicts arise because they are weak in the knowledge of Chinese and western cultures.

4. Problems of Teachers for Business English Majors

4.1 Weak Awareness of Intercultural Communication

Since most English teachers are not from intercultural background, nor they have the chance to have the real intercultural communication , they are not familiar with some specific concepts of intercultural communication. Due to lack of foreign exchange in the long term, most English teachers are weak in the awareness of intercultural communication relatively, and the ability of intercultural communication is not strong enough. Therefore, in English teaching, they also neglect the awareness of cultivating students’ intercultural communication.

4.2 Lack of Professional Practical Business Experience and Skills

Because most English teachers in schools are full-time teachers and most of them are from academic background, and many are used to knowledge theories on books, rather than acquiring the real practical skills. So one way to solve the problem is that teachers are supposed to be encouraged to carry out on-the-job internship in enterprises for one or two semesters, by participating in intercultural communication activities in the related companies and enterprises. So teachers in these going-to-transforming universities are not fully ready to tackle the challenges. It needs time to have a double-profesional tittle. Thus, with no good business practice experience and the necessary practical skills training, teachers cannot let students learn the vivid and concrete knowledge with the full of applicable guidance.

5. Conclusion

Thought the above analysis of the problems found in traditional methods, universities, teachers and students in in English business major of application-oriented Universities, it is concluded that there is a long way to go to finally achieve the Intercultural Communication Ability Training in English Business Major of Application-oriented Universities

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