Language learner/native speaker interactions: exploring adaptability in intercultural encounters

Diversity and intercultural awareness initiatives are increasingly common at institutions of higher education in the USA. Although students recognize and appreciate the diversity of their surroundings, studies show that intercultural interactions at the social level are lacking. This study focuses on how English language learners, multilingual students, and monolingual students of English perceive themselves as able to adapt their communication styles to unfamiliar social encounters. Results of a survey on communicative adaptability (N = 1128) reveal both differences and similarities in communication styles among these three groups. Implications for intercultural education as well as language learning and teaching are discussed.