An algorithm for teaching students intercultural communication through culturally marked elements (experimental testing)

Importance. The problem of insufficient intercultural literacy among students at non-linguistic universities, which subsequently leads to communication breakdowns in international professional projects due to a lack of understanding of English-language culturally marked elements (CMEs), such as proverbs, is examined. This relevance stems from globalization, which requires engineers not only to master terminology but also to decode hidden value codes.

Materials and Methods. The study focused on the acquisition of CMEs by engineering students at Tambov State Technical University. In the presented experiment, the experimental group was taught according to the developed algorithm, while the control group conducted standard classes. The teaching methods included a test on 20 culturally marked elements with different levels of perception, role-playing simulations, and a reflective essay.

Results and Discussion. In the course of working with engineering students, the experimental group demonstrated significant progress after 12 lessons: the average score increased from 0.8 (±SD) to 2.5 (±SD). Moreover, 60 % of participants achieved the second level of competence, 15 % the third, and the proportion of correct interpretations of proverbs increased from 20 to 82 % (+ 62 percentage points). In the control group, the improvement is insignificant, to 1.2 (±SD), (+10 percentage points). Within the framework of role-playing simulations, the experimental group reduced the number of conflicts to 2.0 per 10 dialogues, which is 75 % less than the baseline. Moreover, 70 % of scenarios are resolved through compromise, while in the control group, there are 6.0 conflicts per 10 dialogues, and only 20 % of situations ended in a peaceful agreement (the experimental group / control group effectiveness ratio is 3.0). Analysis of the experimental group reflective essays revealed a high average score (8.1 out of possible 9.0). Elements of cultural reflection were identified in 90 % of cases.

Conclusions. The data obtained confirm the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm for preparing engineers for intercultural interaction. It allows for the identification of gaps in cultural competence and the development of adaptive strategies that mitigate risks in international projects.

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