Leading, Inspiring, and Connecting: Advancing EFL Teacher Education and Intercultural Learning

Rita Szaszkó PhD is Associate Professor, Head of Department of Languages and Art Education  at Eszterházy Károly Catholic University, Jászberény Campus, Hungary. She has gained international experience in higher education and her research interests involve the effects of intercultural contact on foreign language learning motivation, intercultural communication and online education. Currently she is involved in the investigation of and teacher’s self-reflections. She makes presentations at conferences, writes and reviews research articles and chapters in English and Hungarian. She is also an opponent of doctoral theses.

Could you reflect on your academic and professional journey leading to your current role as Head of the Department?

My academic journey began with completing a doctoral program in English in a non-English speaking environment and earning a PhD in Education Science, specializing in Language Pedagogy. I started this PhD program as a freelance EFL teacher, driven primarily by intrinsic motivation. The program provided an inspiring academic environment, including professors, fellow PhD students, other professionals and various professional events. After my first year of PhD studies, I became involved in higher education as an assistant lecturer, joining a group of inspiring colleagues with whom I immediately began collaborating. After obtaining my PhD, I became a senior lecturer, and five years later, head of department. I am currently an associate professor.

How has your PhD in Education Science in the field of language pedagogy shaped your approach to teacher education and curriculum development?

My BA and MA studies provided a strong foundation in theoretical frameworks and methodology, which were further enhanced by my PhD studies. I experienced an excellent example of teacher education from the perspective of a student. I became involved in curriculum design immediately upon entering higher education as a teacher, contributing to the development of experimental MA as well as BA and postgraduate specialist training programs in English. My PhD studies also enabled me to teach research methodology and supervise and review students’ research designs and thesis writing.

What leadership principles guide you in balancing departmental responsibilities with teaching and research commitments?

Just to name a few, for me, active listening and mutual respect are fundamental. It is important to model the behaviour and work ethic of a committed teacher and researcher, and to foster a diverse, collaborative environment. It is essential to be able to make decisions, foresee the possible outcomes, and when necessary, be flexible. It is also crucial to engage in self-reflection and always seek to improve regarding teaching, researching and leadership.

You deliver teacher training courses for future EFL teachers working in primary school contexts (Grades 1–6). What competencies are most essential for effective language teaching at this level?

Among the most important knowledge, competences and attitudes are relevant content knowledge, age-appropriate methodological knowledge, English communicative and linguistic competences, intercultural and global competences, collaboration and cooperation, as well as autonomous learning, reflective practice, problem-solving, creativity, digital competence and positive attitudes.

How do you integrate language pedagogy, methodology, and interculturality within your teacher education programmes?

These three components are present in nearly all of the courses, though their emphasis varies according to the specific course requirements. For instance, in a descriptive grammar course, the primary focus is on grammar practice. However, the different tasks demonstrate how particular grammar structures can be introduced and practised with students in ways that are appropriate for their age, and the content of the practice sentences, texts, or other activities often includes intercultural elements.

Based on your experience in higher education mobility programmes across Europe, what differences or common challenges have you observed in teacher preparation?

Teacher education can differ widely from one country to another. There are clear distinctions in required qualification levels (BA vs. Ma degrees), in how programs balance academic theory with classroom practice, and in the availability of alternative pathways into the teaching profession. In some regions teacher trainings are moving toward making an MA degree compulsory, others continue to emphasize strong apprenticeship-based training models.

Your research explores the effects of intercultural contact on foreign language learning motivation. What key findings have emerged from your work?

One of the fundamental findings is that intercultural contact (both direct and indirect) significantly impacts language learning motivation, language attitudes, and intercultural competence among adult EFL learners.  Intercultural contacts act as powerful motivators for learning EFL, as such encounters help students advance on the language proficiency continuum and serve as a goal for communication with other cultures. A distinction can be made between direct contact (e.g., travelling, meeting foreigners) and indirect/non-interpersonal contact (e.g., watching films in the target language, reading, media). It is also important to note that a foreign language setting, indirect, media-based contact is the most frequent way for students to gain information about target language speakers and their culture. Contact with other cultures enhances the development of EFL learners' cultural awareness and these experiences contribute to increased motivation and a decrease in language use anxiety. Furthermore, I also found that during virtual intercultural encounters (e.g., during VE courses) students experience positive inner drive and favorable attitudes toward online communication. Finally, emphasize that carefully chosen films can improve EFL learners’ intercultural competence, covering topics like stereotypes, empathy and acculturation, while boosting language learning motivation.

How can intercultural communication be meaningfully embedded in EFL classrooms, particularly at the primary level?

For example, various EFL coursebook packages include intercultural and cultural pages, which are popular among primary school children. In addition, a range of age-appropriate supplementary materials is used, including short online videos, pop songs, children’s rhymes and songs, interactive exercises on various online educational platforms, and role-plays that can enhance students’ cultural knowledge as well as their intercultural and global competences.

What lessons has online education offered regarding intercultural engagement and learner motivation?

One example is a virtually extended (VE) classroom, where students can collaborate even across continents, which can greatly open the participating students’ horizons and motivate them. The biggest challenges are often technical issues and organization, particularly when classes are in different time zones.

You are actively engaged in conference presentations, research publications, and peer reviewing in both English and Hungarian. How do these scholarly activities inform your teaching practice? 

When I conduct research, I explore topics that interest me and are directly or indirectly related to my teaching. Listening to conference presentations, reading and reviewing research articles enable us to view our teaching from an international, multi-angled perspective, to learn about the latest trends in approaches and methodology, and to become familiar with new theories, models, and innovations in an inspiring environment that also opens possibilities for further professional collaboration. New and innovative methods and techniques and good practices can be experimented with in the classroom.

As an external reviewer of doctoral theses and a member of doctoral defence committees, what qualities distinguish rigorous and impactful research in language pedagogy and applied linguistics?

Rigorous and impactful research in language pedagogy and applied linguistics is characterized by methodological transparency, contextual sensitivity and practical relevance. Such research goes beyond simply reporting findings and it is replicable. It provides applicable, evidence-based insights that effectively bridge the gap between theory and classroom practice.

What advice would you offer to doctoral candidates working in interculturality and language education?

From a research methodological point of view, when designing, conducting, and writing their doctoral research and dissertation, candidates should focus on systematicity and replicability, as well as adequate theoretical grounding, the triangulation of methods, validity, and reliability. They should also pay close attention to ethical considerations and draw evidence-based conclusions. Regarding the research topic, they should choose one that is relevant to their real-world context in integrated intercultural and language education. The results should be beneficial for other researchers and practitioners and again should help connect theory and practice. Classroom research lends itself well to investigating interculturality, multilingualism, and language education, utilizing virtual or classroom-based experiential learning to foster genuine interaction in the classroom.

Having received an Excellent Teacher Honor in 2023, what does teaching excellence mean to you in contemporary higher education?

As I interpret it, teaching excellence from a human perspective is expressed through personality: a visible inner drive, a genuine motivation to transfer knowledge, and a commitment to developing various skills and competences in a holistic way. It should come from someone who can truly motivate and inspire others. From a professional perspective, it means continuous self-reflection, ongoing self-development, and active participation in a range of professional events, including those in an international context. Teaching excellence in contemporary higher education requires resilience, adaptability and the ability to keep up with the times. It also involves the capacity to collaborate with inspiring colleagues.

What emerging trends do you foresee shaping the future of EFL teacher education and intercultural pedagogy?

Obviously, various forms of digital integration are and will be important, but we must keep the best values and practices of traditional forms of teacher training and physical classroom presence. Also, a special focus on global competence development and affective learning (the “pedagogy of care) seems to be emerging giving particular attention to empathy, and emotional intelligence in teacher education and intercultural pedagogy.

What continues to inspire and sustain your commitment to language teacher education and research?

I believe, for me, teaching EFL and conducting research related to it is an innate motivation. Teaching and working and researching with like-minded colleagues is something I value greatly.