This presentation demonstrates using a "Han-versation" dictionary to develop intercultural competency in English conversation classes. The dictionary encourages students to negotiate their culture and use of English in relation to their foreign teacher by compiling words unique to English spoken in Korea. Students consider how to define words for foreigners new to Korea, translate words into American or British English, and provide contextual examples. An interactive demonstration of creating a dictionary entry using intercultural skills will be shown. Additionally, an overview is provided of action research using the dictionary project in a university conversation class over 10 weeks. Qualitative data found the project engaged students in introducing Korean culture while learning an inner circle variety of English.

1. PresentationTitle:DevelopingIntercultural Competencyinthe English ConversationClassroom through
a “Han-versation”Dictionary
Type of Presentation:Demonstration/Workshop
Length of Presentation:45 minutes
Topic: Developing21st
Centuryskills,learneridentity,intercultural communicationissues
IntendedAudience:teens,universitystudents,adultlearners
ClassificationsofResearch: ActionResearchProject
250-word abstract:
The demandsof the 21st centuryeconomyrequire studentstouse Englishasatool for intercultural
communication. Tomeetthese demands,thisworkshoppresentsateachingtool basedonbestliteracy
practicesfor use inconversationclass. Lee’sintercultural educationinthe WorldEnglishesclassroom
framework(2012) isadoptedto considerhow foreignteachersfromthe innercircle canimplement
intercultural Englishlearning/teachingwiththeirKoreanstudents. The teachingtool encourages
universityandadultstudentstonegotiatetheirculture anduse of English inrelation tothatof their
foreignteacherthroughthe compilationof adictionaryof wordsunique tothe EnglishspokeninKorea.
The studentsconsiderhowtodefine the wordtoforeignersnew toKorea, how to“translate”the word
intoAmericanorBritishvarietiesof English,andhow the wordisusedincontext. Aninteractive
demonstrationof the processof creatingadictionaryentryusinginterculturalcommunicationskills will
be the focusof the workshop.
Additionally, anoverviewwillbe provided of the actionresearch whichexplores the use of the
dictionary projectinanintermediateuniversityconversation classovera10-weekperiod. Qualitative
data was collectedinthe formof fieldnotestakenbythe teacher,weeklyjournal reflectionsbythe
students,and interviewswith selectedstudents. Throughthe identificationof themes,itwasfoundthat
the studentsengagedinthe projectasan opportunitytointroduce Koreanculture toforeigners and
simultaneouslybecome familiarwithaninnercircle varietyof English.