Interactional Competence Instruction for Beginner KFL Learners

Interactional competence (IC) refers to the ability to use interactional resources, such as turn-taking, sequencing, overall structuring, and repair during actual interaction (Wong & Waring, 2021).Language learners must develop IC to engage in conversation using the target language (TL) in culturally appropriate and interactive ways.However, teaching IC is often overlooked, especially for beginner learners.In response to this need, this article presents an interaction-oriented project called the “Conversation Project” recently implemented in a first semester Korean as a foreign language (KFL) college course.In this project, KFL learners are explicitly taught a set of interactional features of Korean through authentic learning material and then given opportunities to apply them in a social and immersive learning environment with Korean speakers.The project aims to foster IC development and enhance learners' conversational skills in real-life intercultural situations.