Intercultural Communication with Students of Other Languages

This study explores a native English speaking teacher's (NEST) experiences with intercultural communication during her English teaching experience in Korea. A narrative inquiry approach (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000) examines the NEST's life experiences in-depth. The findings report that while the NEST developed coping strategies for intercultural communication and had access to extended cultural frames of reference; the teacher relied on core values of her original culture when problematic situations occurred. The findings also allude to the fact that language learners may feel greater challenges for confronting tensions and conflicts when situations demand students beyond their comfort zones. The NEST's narrative also reveals complexities and ambiguities during intercultural communication that could be the influences of physical location, age, gender. ethnicity, and sociocultural background. The study brings forth valuable implications, especially for countries in the Expanding Circle (Kachru. 1992), where priorities of hiring NESTs exist to enhance language proficiency of students in public school systems.