Developing intercultural competence through didactic teaching and experiential learning: evidence from Chinese students’ reflective journals

Developing intercultural competence is central to foreign language education, yet current practices often prioritise didactic teaching over experiential learning due to limited opportunities for intercultural interactions. The current study aims to investigate the effectiveness of a teaching design in developing students’ intercultural competence in the foreign language context, which combines didactic instruction with experiential learning through an intercultural communication course. Thematic analysis of 195 reflective journals by Chinese students revealed holistic development in students’ IC elements accompanied by asynchronous progression across specific components. These findings offer valuable insights for enhancing intercultural competence in the foreign language education context.