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Abstract
This study aims to explore cultural differences between Thais and Spaniards in the classroom setting to identify problems caused by cultural differences and propose guidelines for coping with those issues. We interviewed forty Thai university students majoring in Spanish and ten Spanish teachers working in Thai universities about their expectations and experiences with regards to teachers' and students' behaviors and interactions in the classroom. The results highlighted the two cultures' stark differences in power distance, individualism and expressiveness and revealed insights that can help international teachers cope with the learning disposition of students from hierarchical, collectivist, and reserved cultures.
Keywords: intercultural communication, cross-cultural communication, cultural differences.
1. Introduction
According to Chastain (1988:298), language and culture are inseparably bound: language is used to convey meaning, but meaning is determined by culture. Speaking the same language does not mean people get the same message. Speakers of different languages with different cultural backgrounds see their realities differently according to the language and culture that shape their thoughts. Differences in language and culture influence interlocutors' perceptions and interpretations and lead to different ways of expression and communication. Communicating in a foreign language requires intercultural competence. Linguistic competence alone is not enough for individuals to understand and interpret the meaning of an interlocutor's message unless one understands the culture and ways of thinking. As Allwright and Bailey (1991, cited in Leveridge 2008) remark, learning a new language involves the learning of a new culture, so it is important for learners of a foreign language to have intercultural competence, in order for communication to be successful.
Communication between a native-speaker teacher and local students in a foreign language classroom is far from perfect, not only because of the much-less-than-perfect mastery of the medium of communication by one end, but the different norms and expectations, which can further lead to unpleasant misunderstanding. When one expects certain expressions, behaviors or results but the reaction is the opposite, the experience can leave a bad taste in one's mouth. What is polite in one culture may be considered inappropriate in another. Those in contact with another culture - in this case, the foreign teacher and the local students - need to know the cultural differences to enjoy smooth and pleasant interactions in the...