Deny Raharjo. (2023). “EFL LEARNERS’ LEVEL OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE: A CASE STUDY IN CROSS CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING CLASS”. Surakarta: English Education Study Program. Faculty of Education and Teacher Training. Sebelas Maret University. First consultant: Dr. Sri Haryati S. Pd., M. Pd. Second consultant: Ellisa Indriyani P. H., S. Pd., M. Hum. Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) has been implemented into English classes for EFL learners to achieve ability to communicate effectively between cultures. This research aims to find out: (1) EFL learners’ ICC level in Cross Cultural Understanding (CCU) class; (2) Challenges faced by EFL learners and the solution in acquiring ICC in CCU class. This study is using qualitative research in the form of a case study. The participants of this research are EFL learners of English education department, that have passed the Cross Cultural Understanding class. The data collection techniques used in this study are questionnaire and semi-structured interview. The findings of this research show that: (1) the data analysis shows that the participant’s overall aspect of ICC is in moderate level, with overall average score of 2.95. (2) The challenges faced by participants in acquiring ICC in CCU class that can be identified in the study are the difference in communication habits with foreign people and culture, the overwhelming number of culture related materials and the language barrier when communicating with people from different countries. The solutions to these challenges are using face-saving and face giving strategy for the difference of communication habits, optimizing the application of the cultural knowledge in the real intercultural communication setting for the overwhelming cultural related materials, and using practical strategies to maintain the communication in the middle of communication with language barrier problem.
