With an increasing emphasis on developing English learners’ intercultural communicative competence, great efforts should be firstly put into ELT teachers’ own development. As the primary step, ELT teachers need to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to become interculturally competent themselves. In 2010, the publishing of national document ‘Outline of China's National Plan for Medium and Long-term Education Reform and Development’ gained much attention from educators and in-service teachers. One significant section of the outline is calling for the introduction of quality education resources from abroad. Moreover, it explicitly points out the necessity of certain programs that are designed to bring in high-level talents from overseas. With that said, overseas experience in the context of China’s educational system is considered an effective way to benefit teachers’ professional development. Focusing on the English language teaching in China’s higher education system, this study employs a mixed-method approach and strives to explore similarities and differences among university EFL teachers with and without overseas experience about their perceptions of Intercultural Communicative Competence as well as their teaching practices. Furthermore, this study is conducted with practical guidance meanings which will shed light on Chinese policymaking about pre-service and in-service language teacher training programs in the future.
 

ELT teachers, overseas experience, Intercultural Communicative Competence