Monash University Handbook

This unit examines basic concepts of intercultural communication: face and politeness in language; the relation between cultural values and discourse; cultural variation in speech acts, turn taking rules and formulaic patterns; cultural differences in the organization of written and spoken discourse; and examines their interaction in intercultural communication in the global context. Case studies drawn from a wide variety of cultures will provide opportunities to examine language use in light of broader cultural, political and social issues such as stereotyping and discriminatory language, cultural expectation and attitudes, cultural awareness training, language reform and policies.

Outcomes

On the successful completion of this unit it is expected that students will:

be sensitive to inter-cultural differences in communication patterns and cultural expectations
know what kinds of questions to ask about communication patterns in a culture with which they are not (very) familiar
be able to analyse what goes wrong in communication breakdown
have encountered examples of inter-cultural communication
assess evidence supporting different theories and thereby evaluate those theories.More generally students are expected to develop their abilities to:
read and think critically
use analytic and interpretive skills in dealing with language data
present logical, coherent arguments both orally and in writing.

Assessment

Within semester assessment: 80% + Exam: 20%

Workload requirements

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.