Intercultural communicative competence in foreign language learning books: an instrument for its assessment

Resumen

This article introduces a new instrument designed to assess the extent to which foreign language teaching books used in formal educational contexts promote the development of Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC). Grounded in established theoretical models of ICC (e.g., Byram; Fantini) and content validation by experts, this tool helps users critically analyze intercultural content and activities within these materials. Through validation by experts and a pilot application carried out with 12 foreign language teachers working in different formal educational contexts (including schools, language institutes, and higher education), the instrument made it possible to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the textbooks analyzed. Among the strengths are the inclusion of content that promotes cultural curiosity and the integration of language skills. Among the weaknesses, aspects such as emotional management, non-verbal communication, and the valuation of ethnic and racial diversity were highlighted. The participating teachers positively valued the clarity and usefulness of the instrument, highlighting its transformative potential in educational practice. The possible implications and new applications derived from the adoption and improvement of the instrument are discussed.