Effects of Task-Based Intercultural Instruction on EFL Students’ Intercultural Competence and Language Abilities

This study was designed to investigate the effects of Task-Based Intercultural Instruction (TBII) on Chinese EFL students’ intercultural competence and language abilities, focusing on reading and writing. A total of 102 freshmen at a university in China participated in this study. They were randomly divided into one experimental group (n = 50) and one control group (n = 52). During the 16-week experimental period, both groups received Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT), though the experimental group was integrated with intercultural instruction while the control group did not receive intercultural instruction. Before and after the experimental period, there were pre- and post-surveys on intercultural competence and pre- and post-tests regarding language abilities. Paired sample t-tests between the pre- and post-surveys and pre- and post-tests were administered to determine the effects of TBII. Independent t-tests were also performed to compare the differences between the two groups regarding intercultural competence and reading and writing abilities. The findings revealed statistically significant mean score changes in the participants’ intercultural competence in the experimental group. Furthermore, both groups showed significant improvements regarding reading and writing abilities. Based on these findings, pedagogical suggestions are made for EFL learning.