The multicultural English language classroom - An exploratory case-study of the manifestation of cultural diversity inside and outside the classroom at the Aotearoa school

Abstract

This ethnographic study aims to investigate the (inter)cultural dimension in English language teaching at the Aotearoa school in New Zealand. Three questions were formulated to address in what ways cultural diversity is manifested inside and outside the classroom, to examine the advantages and challenges of a culturally diverse language learning environment, and to assess to what extent this culturally diverse language learning environment leads to intercultural communicative competence. Special attention is paid to the current status of English as an international language. Furthermore, Bucholtz & Hall’s (2004) model of identity, Byram et al.’s (2002) model of intercultural communicative competence, and the notion of multimembership by Cole & Meadows (2013b) are used as starting points for data interpretation.