[EN]This thesis explores the development of intercultural communicative intercultural
communicative competence through CLIL and PBL hybrid approach at tertiary education in the
Costa Rican context. The study describes a pedagogical intervention where two language
approaches were combined to mediate intercultural learning. The main aim was to explore the
extent to which the implementation of a hybrid approach of CLIL and PBL principles could
enhance FL intercultural communicative competence during two compulsory English courses at
tertiary education. Evidence and data was sought through longitudinal intervention experiments for
two academic semesters. Participants were divided in two groups: the control group, which
included 94 participants (n=94) and the experimental group, which included 124 (n=124). A mixed
method approach with a quasi-experimental design was implemented during two academic
semesters in Integrated English courses offered at Universidad Nacional: Sede Regional
Chorotega. Different data collection instruments were used to gather information: questionnaires,
Likert scales, formative quiz, and journal entries. Quantitative data analysis was processed through
statistical methods such as descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. The quantitative data
gathered were analyzed using the SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Science), while the
qualitative data were analyzed using a content thematic analysis with the program (Nvivo) and
through scrutinizing the collected sources of information from participants.
The results from both groups were compared to determine the efficacy of the hybrid method
used in contrast to traditional FL methods. Findings and results of this study revealed that the
experimental group students had a much more positive perception of the inclusion of intercultural
matters and their perspectives, which supported the hypothesis that a hybrid approach of principles
from CLIL and PBL is effective to foster and mediate the ICC component in the foreign language classroom. After the interventions, results revealed that –after exposing participants to systematic
intercultural learning activities, tasks, and projects under a learning environment of hybrid teaching
principles– students’ intercultural communicative competence was fostered and this improved over
time engaging learners in a meaningful and dynamic FL process. The experimental group students
was observed to have a higher impact on the intercultural dimension of knowledge during the
intervention I and on attitude during intervention II. The hybrid method of teaching principles was
highly favored on the category of satisfaction reporting an overall positive perception of the
integration of the intercultural component through the method’s varied learning activities,
contextualized content, material, and resources used in the context of remote learning. These
supportive aspects around the study highlight the relevance of the method used to provide learners
with a multivariant approach to enhance their FL process at tertiary education where the target
language was used to promote learning and personal growth. This study recommends further a
systematic inclusion, development and implementation of the intercultural component through
hybrid methodologies that use varied tasks and material and holistically put the learner at the center
of the learning process
