This paper is intended to expose the importance of cross-cultural competenc to improve
English oral communication effectively. The background of this paper is due to my teaching
experience in English Department of School of Bumiayu Islamic Teacher Training.
(CCU)course is offered to the students in the sixth semester. To know the students’
knowledge about cross-culture, in the begining of semester session, before they got the
materials, the writer instructed them to make a group of two or three, then practiced
communicating in English. The number of the students in a class is thirty five, so there are
about twelve groups. Each group was then extended one topic to perform in the role play.
The writer took several topics from the guidance book entitled ‘Business Across Culture:
Effective Communication Straegies’. Based on practicing to communicate in English with
foreigners through role plays, most students still performed/showed Javanese or moslem
attitude in which are not appropriate with foreign’s culture. Meanwhile, the cultural
competence will affect practically some aspect of language use. It can influence the
foreigners’ respond whether or not they accept the communicator’s attitude. Negative or
inappropriate impression of English learners of course can inhibit the effective
communication
