English as an International Language in Practice: Virtual Intercultural Fieldwork between Balinese and Chinese EFL Learners

ABSTRACT This ‘inclusive practitioner research’ study presents a collaborative ‘virtual intercultural fieldwork’ project in which Balinese and Chinese university students communicated in English to explore similar emic cultural concepts related to the Japanese concept of amae (presumed indulgence); namely, manying (Balinese) and sajiao (Mandarin Chinese), through online exchanges and interviewing. The project aimed to develop and improve learners’ (including teachers) intercultural communicative competence and multiliteracies related to linguistic competence and intercultural understandings. The project also provided opportunities for the learners to use academic English in authentic situations by posing research questions and exploring methods to discover transcultural understandings through research. Applying the principles of Cultural Linguistics, Exploratory Practice, and Team Learning, the analysis of this project’s unique virtual communication element aims to inspire innovations in classroom design for teaching English as an International Language.