TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS TOWARDS INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE IN EFL CLASSROOM AT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS IN BATUSANGKAR, WEST SUMATERA

The 21st century is marked by the development of science, information, and communication in all disciplines. Indirectly, this development demands practical communication abilities. This concept has caused a significant paradigm shift from developing linguistic competence to incorporating intercultural communicative competence (ICC). Therefore, teachers are essential in promoting ICC in the EFL classroom. This study investigates the teachers' perception and how EFL teachers implement ICC in EFL classrooms. It employed a descriptive qualitative design. Three English teachers from Senior High Schools in Batusangkar, West Sumatera, were recruited to participate in this study. The semi-structured interview and classroom observation findings showed that teachers' perceptions of ICC were positive. All teachers have implemented four practices to promote ICC. Sharing personal experiences and comparing and contrasting cultures are the most common practices teachers use. The findings of this study will be of interest to anyone who wants to know how EFL teachers view intercultural competence and how their views impact on their teaching.