The Approach of University Professors and Students of General English Language Courses towards English Culture

Document Type : researcher

Authors
Maryam Sharif 1
leila tajik 2
1 MA graduate, Alzahra university, Tehran
2 Associate professor, Department of English, Faculty of Literature,, Alzahra university, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/scm.2024.432611.1707
Abstract
Teaching culture in English language instruction is an issue that has long been debated. The cultural component of language gained importance in 1960s when the sociology of language was developed; hence, varied perspectives were presented regarding the topic of teaching culture in English language instruction. Despite a number of research on the role that English language culture plays in curriculum and language instruction in various educational settings, it appears that the existing discussions have ignored the primacy of this issue in general English language classes
offered to undergraduate university students. The current study looked into how instructors and students approached the subject of culture in general English language courses. For this purpose, ten students who successfully completed their general English language course and six course instructors were sampled. A qualitative research approach was adopted; all participants attended semi-structured interview sessions. Thematic analysis of the interview transcripts demonstrated that the instructors’ arguments for and against teaching culture in general language classrooms are
based on how they define and view the concept of culture. On the other hand, it was found that the students’ attitudes towards dealing with culture in general English language classes are influenced by a number of factors, including their religious convictions, the impact of media and social networks, and their reliance on culture and mother tongue. The results of this study can help policy makers and instructors figure out whether to teach or not to teach culture in English language classes.

Keywords

Subjects

  •  

    • Alpetkin, C. & Alpetkin, M. (1984). “The Question of Culture:EFL Teaching in Non-English-Speaking Countries”. ELT Journal. 38. pp. 14-20. Doi: 10.1093/elt/38.1.14.
    • Alpetkin, C. (1993). “Target Language Culture in EFL Materials”. ELT Journal. 47. pp. 136-143. Doi: 10.1093/elt/47.2.196.
    • Ammon, U. (2004). Sociolinguistics: An international handbook of the science of language and society (2nd ed.). Walter de Gruyter.
    • Atay, D. (2005). Reflections on the cultural dimension of language teaching. Language and Intercultural Communication, 5(3-4), 222-236. doi:10.1080/14708470508668897.
    • Atkinson, D. (1999). “TESOL and Culture”. TESOL Quarterly. 33. pp. 625-654. Doi: 10.2307/3358880.
    • Bahrainy, S. (2013). An Analysis of Cultural Values in EL Textbooks. The Culture Strategy Quarterly. 6(22). pp. 163-182. (In Persian)
    • Baleghizadeh, S. & Aghazadeh, S. (2019). Content analysis of English grammar textbook from the perspective of culture and the status of English as an international language. Criticism of foreign language and literature. 7(24). pp. 121-144. (In Persian)
    • Baleghizadeh, S. (2011). English language teaching materials and learners' cultural identity. Quynh Le & T. Le (Eds.), Linguistic diversity and cultural identity. A global perspective, 259-271.
    • Baybordi, I. & Karimian, A. (2014). The globalization of culture and its impact on Iran's national identity. International Relation Studies. 7(28)- pp. 77-101(In Persian)
    • Benett, M.J. (1997), “How Not to Be a Fluent Fool: Understanding the Cultural Dimension of Language”. New Ways in Teaching Culture. A.E. Fantini (ed.). Alexandria, VA: TESOL. pp. 16-21.
    • Beresova, J. (2015). Authentic materials – enhancing language acquisition and cultural awareness. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 192, 195-204. doi:10.1016/j.sbsprodoi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.06.028
    • Byram, M. (1989). Cultural studies in foreign language education. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
    • Byram, M. (1997a). Teaching and Assessing Intercultural Communicative Competence. Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters.
    • Byram, M. (1997b). ‘Cultural awareness’ as vocabulary learning. The Language Learning Journal, 16(1), 51-57. doi:10.1080/09571739785200291.
    • Byram, M. (2004). Routledge encyclopedia of language teaching and learning. 29. (M. Byram, Ed.) Routledge.
    • Byram, M. (2012). Language awareness and (critical) cultural awareness – relationships, comparisons and contrasts. Language Awareness, 21(1-2), 5-13. doi:10.1080/09658416.2011.639887.
    • Canagarajah, S. (2007). Lingua Franca English, multilingual communities, and language acquisition. The Modern Language Journal, 91, 923-939
    • Clarke, V., & Braun, V. (2017). Thematic analysis. The journal of positive psychology, 12(3), 297-298.
    • Damen, L. (1987). Culture Learning: The Fifth Dimension in Language Classroom. Reading, MA: Addisson-Wesley.
    • Dasli, M. (2011). Reviving the ‘moments’: From cultural awareness and cross‐cultural mediation to critical intercultural language pedagogy. Pedagogy, Culture & Society, 19(1), 21-39. doi:10.1080/14681366.2011.527118.
    • Devrim, D. Y., & Bayyurt, Y. (2010). Students’ understandings and preferences of the role and place of “culture” in English Language Teaching: A focus in an EFL context. TESOL Journal, 2(1), 4-23.
    • Hişmanoğlu, M. (2013). Does English language teacher education curriculum promote CEFR awareness of prospective EFL teachers? Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 93, 938-945. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.09.307.
    • Jenkins, J. (2007). English as a Lingua Franca: Attitude and Identity. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
    • Kachru, B. B. (1997). World Englishes 2000: Resources for research and teaching. In L. E. Smith & M. L Forman (Eds.), World Englishes 2000. (pp. 209-251). Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press.
    • Kambutu, J., & Nganga, L. W. (2008). In these uncertain times: Educators build cultural awareness through planned international experiences. Teaching and Teacher Education, 24(4), 939-951. doi:10.1016/j.tate.2007.08.008.
    • Khuwaileh, A. A. (2000). Cultural barriers of language teaching: A case study of classroom cultural obstacles. Compuetr Assissted Language Learning, 13 (3), 281-290.
    • Kramsch, C. (1993). Context and Culture in Language Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
    • Kramsch, C. (1995). The cultural component of language teaching. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 8(2), 83-92. doi:10.1080/07908319509525192.
    • Kramsch, C. (2011). Language and Culture. In J. Simpson (Ed.), The Routledge handbook of applied linguistics (pp. 305-317). Abingdon: Routledge.
    • Kramsch, C. (2013). Culture in foreign language teaching. Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research, 1(1), 57-78.
    • Kumaravadivelu, B. (2001). Toward a Postmethod Pedagogy. TESOL Quarterly, 35(4), 537-560.
    • Kumaravadivelu, B. (2003). Beyond Methods: Macrostrategies for Language Teaching. NewHaven, CT: Yale University Press.
    • Kumaravadivelu, B. (2006). Understanding Language Teaching: From Method to Postmethod. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
    • Lazarton, A. (2003). “Incidental Displays of Cultural Knowledge in the NonnativeEnglish Speaking Teachers Classroom”. TESOL Quarterly. 37. pp. 213-245. Doi: 10.2.307/3588503.
    • Lessard- Clouston, M. (1996). “Chinese Teachers’ Views of Culture in their EFL Learning and Teaching”. Language, Culture and Curriculum. 9. pp. 197-224. Doi: 10.1080/07908319609525231.
    • Lo Bianco, J., Crozet, C., & Liddicoat, A. J. (1999). Striving for the third place: Intercultural competence through language education. Melbourne: Language Australia.
    • McConachy, T. (2008). Raising sociocultural awareness through contextual analysis: Some tools for teachers. ELT Journal, 63(2), 116-125. doi:10.1093/elt/ccn018.
    • McKay, S. (2003). Toward an appropriate EIL pedagogy: reexamining common ELT assumptions. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 13(1), 1-22.
    • McKay, S. (2006). EIL Curriculum Development. In Rubdy, R & Saraceni, M (Eds.). English in the World: Global Rules, Global Roles (pp. 114-129). London: Continuum.
    • Mehran, P., Sotoudenama, E. & Marandi, S. (2016). Iranian EFL Learners' Beliefs about Culture and its Reflection on Teaching English Language. Zabanpazhoohi journal of language research. 7(17). pp. 143- 174. (In Persian)
    • Modiano, M. (2001). “Ideology and the ELT Practitioner”. International Journal of Applied Linguistics. 11. pp. 159-173. Doi: 10.1111/14734192.00012.
    • Neuner, G. (2003). Socio-cultural interim worlds in foreign language teaching and learning. In G. Neuner, L. Parmenter, H. Starkey, & G. Zarate (Authors) & M. Byram (Ed.), Intercultural competence (pp. 15-62). Strasbourg: Council of Europe.
    • Okan, Z. &Yildirim, R. (2007).The question of global English-language teaching: A Turkish perspective. Asian EFL Journal, 9(4), 54-66.
    • Peck, D. (1998). “Teaching Culture” Beyond Language”. Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute 3. <http:// yale.edu/ynhti/cuuriculum/units/1984/3/84.03.06.x.html>.
    • Pennycook, A. (1994). The Cultural Politics of English as an International Language. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
    • Pishghadam, R. & Saboori, F. (2011). A qualitative analysis of ELT in the language institutes of Iran in the light of the theory of ‘World Englishes’. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 2(3), 569-579.
    • Pishghadam, R., & Sadeghi, M. (2011). Culture and identity change among Iranian EFL teachers. Ozean Journal of Social Sciences, 4(3), 147-162.
    • Pishghadam, R., NajiMeydani, E. & Ghazanfari, M. (2014). The Role of Indigenous Culture in English Language Classes: A Comparison of Three Different Perspectives. Language study and translation. 47(4). pp. 91-105. (In Persian)
    • Pourkarim Sara, M. (2014). The impact of media on social networks and social action in Iran. Interdisciplinary studies in media and culture. 4(2). pp. 55-7. (In Persian)
    • Prodromou, L. (1992). What culture? Which culture? Cross-cultural factors in language learning. ELT Journal, 46(1), 39-50. doi:10.1093/elt/46.1.39
    • Pulverness, A., & Tomlinson, B. (2015). Materials for Cultural Awareness. In B. Tomlinson (Ed.), Developing materials for language teaching (pp. 443-459). London: Bloomsbury.
    • Rahimi, F. (2011). The thorny issue of teacher development in Iran: An utter fiasco or an alternative function? World Applied Sciences Journal, 13(6), 1380-1386.
    • Saraceni, M. (2008). “English as a Lingua Franca: Between Form and Function”. English Today. 24. pp. 20-26. Doi: 10.1017/SO266078408000163.
    • Shahsavandi, Sh., Ghonsooly, B. & Kamyabi, A. (2010). Designing and validating home culture attachment questionnaire for students of foreign languages and its application. Ferdowsi Review, 1(1), 49-76.
    • Tang, R. (1999). “The Place of “Culture” in the Foreign Language Classroom: A Reflection”. The Internet TESL Journal. 8. <http:// iteslj.org/Articles/Tang>.
    • Thanasoulas, D. (2001). The importance of teaching culture in the foreign language classroom. Radical Pedagogy.
    • Ware, P. D., & Kramsch, C. (2005). Toward an intercultural stance: Teaching German and English through telecollaboration. The Modern Language Journal, 89(2), 190-205. doi:10.1111/j.1540-4781.2005. 00274.x
    • Yu, R. (2020). Culture in second or foreign language acquisition. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 11(6), 943-947.
    • Zacharias, N. T. (2005). Teachers’ Beliefs about Internationally-Published Materials: A Survey of Tertiary English Teachers in Indonesia. RELC Journal. 36 (1). pp. 23-37.
Society Culture Media
Volume 13, Issue 52
Autumn 2024
Pages 293-313

  • Receive Date 27 December 2023
  • Revise Date 22 September 2024
  • Accept Date 23 September 2024