So the author hopes this study can reach both practical and theoretical significances。 On the one hand, it may contribute to promote students’ interests in applying English, improve their English level and strengthen their intercultural communicative competence。 On the other hand, it may further enrich the application of English extracurricular activities on cultivating students’ intercultural communicative competence in high schools。

This thesis consists of five parts。 

Part one introduces the background of the study, the significance of the study and the layout of the thesis。

Part two is a literature review in general, including the studies of intercultural communicative competence abroad and in China and theoretical bases。

Part three describes the problems existing in high school’s English teaching。

Part four summarizes the application of English extracurricular activities in high schools to cultivate students’ intercultural communicative competence effectively。

Part five is the conclusion, including findings, limitations and further suggestions。

2。 Literature Review论文网

2。1 Researches home and abroad

Many foreign scholars have defined intercultural communicative competence under different labels。 For example, B。D。Ruben points out that is "the ability to have the same unique pattern of activity accompanied by an inpidual in a certain environment in order to achieve its character, goal and expectation, the relative ability to meet the basic requirements of a person, satisfy his character, and achieve his goals as well as expectations。(Ruben 334)。 In a sense, a successful intercultural communicator is able to get rid of the barriers brought by cultural differences and have adequate and effective communication fit in culture。 Based on the definition of B。Spitzberg, intercultural communicative competence is seen as an "effective communication process" that is consistent with specific contexts and finally achieves certain goals。(Spitzberg 347)。 

According to Wen Qiufang, intercultural communicative competence is pided into communicative competence and intercultural competence。 (Wen 26)On the one hand, communicative competence involves language competence, pragmatic competence and strategic competence。 On the other hand, intercultural competence includes the sensitivity to cultural difference, the tolerance to cultural persity and flexibility to deal with the culture。 

2。2 Theoretical bases

The chapter connects the Affective Filter Hypothesis, Compensation Hypothesis and Constructivism Theory with the ECA in high school。 What’s more, it states some concepts, which closely relate with the understanding of intercultural communicative competence。 These concepts serve as the theoretical bases of the advocacy of ECA and ICC。

2。2。1 Affective Filter Hypothesis文献综述

Krashen proposed Affective Filter Hypothesis, which believed under the traditional classroom teaching mode, restricted by such unavoidable factors like teaching forms, teaching contents and classroom atmosphere, it is extremely easy to increase the students' affective filter layer, resulting in their anxiety, fear and escape, so that they are unable to have extra space to accept comprehensible language input。 Foreign language learning anxiety exists a great quantity of language learners, caused by the unique of the process of language learning, which is not only a kind of learners’ complex on self-perception, beliefs, feelings and behaviors but also an emotional factor affecting the second language acquisition。 So how to reduce such a gnawing anxiety lies in not only learners themselves, but also every foreign language teacher。 Aside from struggling to create a student-centered and topic-based classroom environment, an effective method is to actively expand English extracurricular activities, developed in a relative relaxed and loose environment, contributing to students’ overcoming emotional anxiety and negative emotions, helping to reduce students' affective filter layer, consequently absorbing, assimilating and internalizing comprehensible language。 (Krashen 16)