Overcoming Dual Barriers: Learning Challenges and Instructional Strategies for Central Asian Students in English-Medium Intercultural Courses

Abstract

The pace of globalization has been accelerated under economic development, intercultural education has transitioned from a peripheral offering to an indispensable core component of modern higher education. This paper addresses a highly specific yet increasingly common pedagogical scenario: the delivery of an intercultural communication course, taught entirely in English, to a cohort of 14 Central Asian students who are non-native English speakers. The primary objective is to explain the “dual barriers” confronting this distinct learner group—a compounding and synergistic effect where linguistic challenges and cultural obstacles intertwine and mutually reinforce each other. The study commences with a detailed profiling of the students’ unique socio-cultural and educational backgrounds, alongside a critical assessment of their English proficiency, which often veers towards instrumental rather than academic mastery. Subsequently, the paper provides a multi-faceted analysis of the specific learning impediments encountered across four interconnected dimensions: linguistic, cognitive, affective, and cultural. These impediments range from fundamental misunderstandings of specialized terminology and the socio-linguistic dynamics leading to classroom silence, to profound anxieties surrounding cultural identity and the constraining influence of deeply ingrained worldviews. Grounded in the principles of constructivism, which posits that learners actively construct knowledge, and humanism, which emphasizes the affective and personal growth aspects of learning, this paper proposes a comprehensive suite of targeted pedagogical interventions. These strategies encompass the deliberate use of multi-modal input to cater to diverse learning styles, the systematic implementation of scaffolded language support structures, the careful cultivation of a psychologically safe “third space” for dialogue, and the adoption of a multi-faceted assessment system. The ultimate aim of these proposals is to empower learners to effectively navigate and overcome the dual barriers, thereby facilitating not merely the superficial acquisition of theoretical knowledge, but the profound development of genuine intercultural understanding and practical, applicable competence.