Multilingual communication skills

In the work of an academic expert, communication and interaction are no longer an area separate from other expertise, but increasingly an essential part of the work and the competence required in the work.

In almost every field, you have to know how to act and work in multilingual and multicultural environments, both face-to-face and through technology, while valuing others and building common understanding. Academic experts are therefore expected to have sufficiently flexible and multilingual interaction skills.

What are multilingual interaction skills?

Interaction skills generally refer to the knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to communication that enable effective and purposeful interaction. In a public speaking situation, a communicator may be highly skilled at influencing others and achieving personal goals, but the attitude and approach towards other participants could be perceived as offensive or unethical.

Communication and interaction are inherently multilingual: we use linguistic and other resources when communicating. It is important to recognise what kind of language skills and other resources you have at your disposal. How could they be utilised more effectively in interaction, learning, and work tasks? When you are aware of your own multilingual competence, you can communicate more purposefully and better consider your conversation partners.

Multilingual interaction skills can be examined through the dimensions of the following figure and the questions that clarify them.

Modern multilingualism encompasses spontaneous and flexible co-existence of parallel languages in
various communicative situations.

Ģ��ֱ��'s language policy

Effectiveness and appropriateness in assessing interaction skills

After each interaction task or situation, the interaction skills of all those involved in it can be assessed. The focus can be in individuals or in the mutual competence of the parties involved in the interaction. Effectiveness and appropriateness are often used as evaluation criteria.

When evaluating appropriateness, consider how acceptable and fitting the communication behavior is, for example, from the perspective of the interacting parties, the interactive situation, or the culture:

What kind of expression of emotions is considered acceptable or appropriate, or what level of politeness is required?
How are ethical principles demonstrated, for example when producing scientific texts?
How is a common understanding constructed and ensured in multilingual communication?

Productivity of communication and achievement of objectives are central to effectiveness: How have participants succeeded in their intentions and met their communication goals?
The goal may be, for example, to create a reliable impression, have one's suggestions taken into account, resolve a conflict, arrive at a joint decision, or build trustworthy relationships.

Further reading on the Academic study skills website

Ģ��ֱ��