Therefore, I personally picked up some lessons from my own experience: having English acquistion in the English-speaking country – the United States. I did have communication conflicts or breakdowns there. If you happen to experience the same thing later in the future, I may suggest not to blame your linguistic proficiency without realizing that there is a body of sociocultural knowledge that you probably do not have and you need to gain in order to use effectively the linguistic knowledge you have. Then, you should realize that language is not only about grammar and vocabulary but also about communicative competence. We, non-native English speakers, need all aspect in language to help us understand the conflicts that happen because of socio cultural misunderstanding. Hence, if we are a foreign or second language teacher, we need to remember that language is not only for academic purpose but also for communication purpose. Both of them should be synchronized in balance. Therefore, I promise to myself I will make a change, at least on my own teaching style first, when I return to Indonesia. I need to make sure that my students in Indonesia will learn all English skills and aspects. They will learn English not only for academic purpose but also for communication purpose. In doing so, I need to enrich my teaching strategies, teaching methods, and teaching approaches that allow me to teach them English for those two purposes.
Communication Conflicts and Breakdowns
