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Yun Jen Yang, Shih Chien University, TaiwanAbstract
This study investigates the challenges learners often face in cross-cultural communication, particularly the misunderstandings that occur when context, emotional cues, and cultural background interact and alter meaning. The central research question asks whether visualizing or dramatizing linguistic ambiguity can help learners better perceive contextual differences and improve their interpretive skills. Using a design-led approach, three experiential learning activities were developed as tools to highlight how context shapes meaning. These activities include the Exchange Diary (encouraging learners to interpret messages from shifting roles and perspectives), the Masked Dialogue (emphasizing non-verbal cues to make tone and situational context more noticeable), and the Bopomofo Booklet (using mismatches between symbols and sounds to draw attention to subtle linguistic differences). Data were gathered through classroom observation, learner reflections, and interviews to examine how these activities influenced learners’ understanding of context and meaning. Findings indicate that these visualized and performative activities helped learners attend more actively to contextual cues, increased their sensitivity when interpreting messages, and strengthened their ability to reflect on why identical expressions may carry different meanings in different situations. This study demonstrates how simple design-based pedagogical interventions can support learners in connecting context with meaning, offering a practical supplementary approach for cross-cultural communication and language-related courses.
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