English for Cross-Cultural Communication in the Greater Bay Area and Beyond

Course Synopsis

With the rapid global increase in mobility, technology and the ensuing growth of multilingualism, cross-cultural understanding has become essential for communicating effectively with others from different cultures and promoting coordinated regional development. Moreover, there is a growing sense of urgency for cultivating talents to promote Hong Kong’s reputation globally as a leading international city and enhance its role in fostering exchange as well as stronger ties with other cities in the Greater Bay Area. This course aims to strengthen students’ English speaking and writing abilities by engaging with a wide range of original sources. It also prepares them with enhanced competitiveness and international competence for living and working in a cross-cultural context. In addition, the course will cover practical skills for communication and translation in diverse cultural situations and for critically analysing different culture-specific rules of the use of language.

Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs)

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

CILO₁	Understand cultural and linguistic variables in speech and communication in multicultural and multilingual communities.
CILO₂	Demonstrate knowledge of language registers and the choice of linguistic codes in the social and economic context of the Greater Bay Area.
CILO₃	Produce documents and materials in appropriate styles from information extracted from various linguistic sources.
CILO₄	Apply strategies to conduct effective communication in various multicultural and multilingual settings.