An Intercultural Email Project for Developing Students’ Intercultural Awareness and Language Skills

This Study explores the overall outcomes of an intercultural communication email project between Palestinian English major students and American native speakers. Using qualitative content analysis, the study investigates how email exchange with native speakers may develop students’ cultural awareness, intercultural communicative competence (ICC), and language skills. Analyzing data from participants’ email discussions over a whole spring semester and final reflective papers, the study revealed that both groups gained knowledge about a foreign/target culture and reflected on native culture. The email exchange project was regarded as a positive experience. The study also unveiled that both groups involved in the intercultural email exchange project reported development in their attitudes towards the “Other” and destabilizing stereotypes, biases, and prejudices. Palestinian participants described their American email partners as being friendly, supportive, and helpful. The Palestinian learners showed some progress in language and intercultural communication skills. However, students in both groups illuminated that their intercultural telecommunication experience was never easy