Effectiveness Of The Communicative Approach In Developing Linguocultural Competence Of Prospective English Language Teachers

Abstract

Linguocultural competence is increasingly acknowledged as an essential element of the professional profile of English language educators, who are required to instruct not only linguistic structures but also to facilitate intercultural communication in heterogeneous classrooms. Nonetheless, in numerous teacher education programs, the advancement of linguocultural competence is often disjointed and frequently diminished to sporadic "culture lessons" that are disconnected from communicative practice. This article examines the efficacy of a communicative approach in fostering linguocultural competence among prospective English language educators. A quasi-experimental study was conducted involving sixty second- and third-year students enrolled in an English language teacher education program. The experimental group engaged in a twelve-week intervention centered on communicative tasks that incorporated authentic texts, role-plays, simulations, and project work, accompanied by explicit reflection on cultural significances. In contrast, the control group adhered to a primarily structural, form-focused curriculum. Data were gathered via a linguocultural competence assessment, scenario-based discourse completion tasks, classroom observations, and a reflective questionnaire. The experimental group exhibited markedly superior improvements in sociolinguistic awareness, pragmatic flexibility, and intercultural sensitivity relative to the control group, and expressed increased confidence in managing culture-related incidents within the classroom. The discussion emphasizes how the communicative approach facilitates the amalgamation of linguistic and cultural learning, augments learner autonomy, and offers a pragmatic framework for future professional communication. There are some suggestions for future research and some ideas for how to design a curriculum for teacher education.