The influence of outside foreign language and culture exposure in EFL classroom collaborative writing tasks

This study examines whether the students with higher levels of language and cultural awareness relating to the L2 share this knowledge with their peers in collaborative writing tasks when participating in the Knowledge Building International Project (KBIP). The study was conducted in two Spanish classrooms, where the participants were bilingual in both Catalan and Spanish. A pre-questionnaire was used to determine the level of exposure to English language and English culture and the students were scored on their responses and then divided into three groups: low-, medium-, and high-level exposure to English. A one-way ANOVA was used to determine whether exposure to English language and culture outside of the classroom would influence pre-test scores. There is an interaction effect between language and cultural exposure and the pre-test scores (F = 5.17). Upon the conclusion of the collaborative writing task, a one-way ANOVA was used to determine whether there was an interaction effect between language and cultural exposure and the post-test scores (F = 4.47). The student scores increased at the same rate across the groups. This indicates that the students did not share their knowledge of the English language and culture with their peers in this online writing task.

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DEVELOPING INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION AND INTERCULTURAL AWARENESS IN THE EFL CLASSROOM

Estudos Linguísticos e Literários ◽

10.9771/ell.v1i65.36467 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 1 (65) ◽

pp. 30

Author(s):

Lili Cavalheiro

Keyword(s):

Student Teachers ◽

Intercultural Communication ◽

Cultural Awareness ◽

English Language ◽

English Language Teaching ◽

Safe Place ◽

Language And Culture ◽

Intercultural Awareness ◽

The World ◽

International Role

Throughout multiples regions around the world, waves of migrants and refugees search for better and safer living conditions. As a result, classrooms are becoming increasingly multicultural and multilingual, with many teachers feeling challenged when faced with this ‘new’ reality. Being English the most commonly shared language around the world, the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom can be a ‘safe’ place where dialogue and intercultural communication are fomented. Not only can it facilitate the integration of migrant/refugee students, but it can also contribute to expanding learners’ (inter)cultural awareness and knowledge of how English may be used by multiple speakers (native and non-native) in diverse settings. In light of this, it is imperative that educators develop more inclusive English-language lessons that help break down barriers and taboos, in terms of language and culture. In order to achieve this, however, it is vital that these issues be developed at the beginning of any teacher training. Bearing this in mind, this paper begins by presenting the concept of English as a Lingua Franca and intercultural communication and follows up by reflecting upon how the traditional EFL classroom should to be reconsidered in light of today’s international role of English. Taking into account the specific growing multicultural/multilingual Portuguese context, the last section of this paper presents how these issues are developed in two pre-service MA programs in English Language Teaching at the University of Lisbon, and also how student teachers have integrated ELF-related activities/resources in their practicum, along with a commentary on their learners’ reactions.

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Second language learning in knowledge forums: an analysis of L2 acquisition of students participating in the knowledge building international project

CALL and complexity – short papers from EUROCALL 2019 ◽

10.14705/rpnet.2019.38.1021 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 270-274

Author(s):

Marni Manegre ◽

Mar Gutiérrez-Colón

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Language Learning ◽

Knowledge Building ◽

Collaborative Writing ◽

International Project ◽

Computer Assisted ◽

L2 Acquisition ◽

Foreign Language Acquisition ◽

Post Test ◽

Working Together

This study presents the results of an experiment designed to determine whether knowledge building can facilitate foreign language acquisition. We examined how groups of Catalan students in secondary schools worked together on collaborative writing tasks in English, their foreign language. The students were participating in the Knowledge Building International Project (KBIP), which is based on the concept that students can learn while working together in computer-assisted learning environments. The quantitative data was collected through a pre-test and post-test. The pre- and post-tests were divided into four sections, which were grammar, vocabulary, long answer, and multiple-choice. The results show an increase overall in the performance of the foreign language, English. In particular, the analysis determined that the comprehension of the subject matter and writing abilities in the L2 showed an increase at high confidence levels, however, there are challenges in determining whether the students have acquired new vocabulary or developed a better understanding of grammatical rules, since it is difficult to predict which words and sentence structures they will use when participating in this project.

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Demotivating Factors of Indonesian College Students to Learn English as A Foreign Language

Sukma Jurnal Pendidikan ◽

10.32533/02101(2018) ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 1-24

Author(s):

Reza Anggriyashati Adara

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Foreign Language ◽

University Students ◽

Intrinsic Motivation ◽

Mixed Method ◽

English Language ◽

The Other ◽

English Speaker ◽

Language And Culture ◽

Method Approach

Investigating demotivating factors can help teachers to avoid them and provide more insights on sustaining learners’ interest in FL learning. The present study aimed to analyse demotivating factors in FL learning. To obtain the findings, the present study applied a mixed method approach. A set of questionnaires adapted from Sakai and Kikuchi’s (2009) questionnaires were distributed to thirty eight university students whereas interviews were conducted to three of them. The findings indicated teacher’s competence and lack of intrinsic motivation as the most salient factors that caused demotivation among the participants. In this consideration, teachers were perceived as incompetent by the participants when teachers have poor English pronunciation and do not provide communicative classrooms. On the other hand, lack of intrinsic motivation was indicated by the loss of students’ interest in learning and their goal to be an English speaker. Providing a communicative classroom with a fluent teacher as well as promoting students’ interest in English language and culture seem to be the solutions to reduce students’ demotivation. [Penelitian tentang faktor-faktor yang menurunkan motifasi (demotivation) dapat membantu para guru untuk menghindari factor-faktor tersebut dan memberikan wawasan untuk mempertahankan minat peserta didik dalam pembelajaran bahasa asing. Penelitian ini menganalisis faktor demotivasi dalam pembelajaran Bahasa asing. Untuk memperoleh jawaban dari beberapa pertanyaan, penelitian ini menerapkan pendekatan metode campuran. Seperangkat kuesioner yang diadaptasi dari model Sakai dan Kikuchi (2009) didistribusikan kepada tiga puluh delapan mahasiswa sedangkan wawancara dilakukan terhadap tiga dari mahasiswa tersebut. Temuan menunjukkan bahwa kompetensi guru dan kurangnya motivasi intrinsik merupakan faktor yang paling menonjol yang menyebabkan demotivasi di antara para peserta. Dalam hal ini, guru dianggap tidak kompeten oleh para peserta ketika guru memiliki pelafalan bahasa Inggris yang buruk dan tidak menyediakan ruang kelas yang komunikatif. Di sisi lain, kurangnya motivasi intrinsik ditunjukkan oleh hilangnya minat siswa dalam belajar dan tujuan mereka untuk berbicara dalam bahasa Inggris. Menyediakan ruang kelas yang komunikatif dengan guru yang fasih serta mempromosikan minat siswa dalam bahasa dan budaya Inggris tampaknya menjadi solusi untuk mengurangi demotivasi siswa]

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THE NECESSITY OF IMPROVING CULTURAL AWARENESS OF EFL LEARNERS IN STMIK HANDAYANI MAKASSAR

ETERNAL (English Teaching Learning and Research Journal) ◽

10.24252/eternal.v51.2019.a10 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 119

Author(s):

Yuliah Abdul Haris

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Cultural Difference ◽

Cultural Awareness ◽

First Language ◽

Language Education ◽

Target Language ◽

Cultural Backgrounds ◽

Language And Culture ◽

Foreign Language Learners ◽

The Relationship

This paper mainly discusses the relationship between language and culture. Language and culture are closely related. If one does not understand the cultural backgrounds, he or she cannot learn the target language really well because any language is an integral part of its culture. Moreover, misunderstanding between the speaker whose first language is English and the speaker whose first language is not English occur between them. The writer believes that there is still an important cultural element missing from foreign language education in Indonesian EFL classes in such as in STMIK Handayani Makassar. Therefore, English learning in STMIK Handayani Makassar should not only to learn the language, but also to learn its culture. To improve students’ sensitivity for cultural difference between the West and the East and to raise their cultural awareness, English teachers at schools are required not only to teach language but also to impart cultural background knowledge and further to deal with the relationship between language and culture well. This article starts with the necessity of teaching cultural awareness in English teaching at schools, and then this paper discusses some common cultural language mistakes by English Foreign Language learners in STMIK Handayani Makassar.

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Explication of axiological component of the Japanese folkloreme Issun-bōshi in the English versions of eponymous fairy tale

Филология научные исследования ◽

10.7256/2454-0749.2021.3.35242 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 27-37

Author(s):

Vasilina Yur'evna Krasnova

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Fairy Tale ◽

English Language ◽

Value Orientations ◽

Japanese Culture ◽

Family Ties ◽

Language Version ◽

Language And Culture ◽

Folk Tale ◽

The Subject

The subject of this research is actualization of the value component of Japanese culture on the periphery of the original Japanese folkloreme “Issun-bōshi” in the nine English-language versions of eponymous fairy tale. The article examines the methods of verbal explication on the discourse level through the dialogues, descriptions, and events of the original Japanese fairy tale and its English interpretations. The author determines seven axiological characteristics of the Japanese folkloreme, such as acceptance, dependence, modesty, service, etc. It is demonstrated how depending on the dialogues and descriptions in different versions of the Japanese folk tale, the value orientations of Japanese culture are explicated inalterably or adjusted to the perceptions of the author of English version. The conducted research reveals the specificity of one culture through another language and culture, as well as variability of presentation of the value orientations, attitudes, and preferences through the prism of mentality and values of the author of the foreign-language version. The following axiological components of Japanese folkloreme were determined: designated environment; love and acceptance; service to the emperor; family ties; modesty; spiritual beauty; and the folkloreme of magic gavel. The author carries out a comparative analysis of explication of the Japanese folkloreme in different English versions of the fairy tale; reveals the axiological components explicated in the text of Issun-bōshi and the differences in value orientations described in the English versions of the fairy tale.

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Teachers and Students’ Attitudes towards the Integration of the Target Culture in the English as a Foreign Language Class: A Case Study

International Journal of Linguistics Literature & Translation ◽

10.32996/ijllt.2021.4.4.28 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (4) ◽

pp. 253-266

Author(s):

Simon Pierre DABOU ◽

Abdelhak HAMMOUDI ◽

Romaissa CHIBANI

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

English Language ◽

Structured Interview ◽

Language Teachers ◽

Language And Culture ◽

Language Class ◽

Positive Attitudes ◽

Teachers And Students ◽

Students Attitudes ◽

Target Culture

Language and culture are like two sides of the same coin, the music on a radio or the soul in a body. The two are so interrelated that separating them is almost impossible. Therefore, teaching a foreign language implies integrating the target culture. In this context, this study aimed to investigate teachers and students’ attitudes towards the integration of the English culture in the EFL curriculum at the University of Sétif 2. A Semi-structured interview with six English language teachers and a questionnaire to 53 third-year English students were the tools used to collect the necessary data. The analysis of the data showed that all the teachers were for the integration of the target culture in the EFL classes. The study also revealed that students who had positive attitudes towards the target culture represented only 28% of the sample. Therefore, the researchers suggested that the concept of target culture be properly defined within the EFL class and appropriately approached to sustain interest. Moreover, teachers are encouraged to integrate certain aspects of the target culture, such as language, norms, and values, to avoid misunderstanding, and respect each other’s cultural rights.

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Demotivating Factors of Indonesian College Students to Learn English as A Foreign Language

Sukma Jurnal Pendidikan ◽

10.32533/02101.2018 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 1-24

Author(s):

Reza Anggriyashati Adara

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Foreign Language ◽

University Students ◽

Intrinsic Motivation ◽

Mixed Method ◽

English Language ◽

The Other ◽

English Speaker ◽

Language And Culture ◽

Method Approach

Investigating demotivating factors can help teachers to avoid them and provide more insights on sustaining learners’ interest in FL learning. The present study aimed to analyse demotivating factors in FL learning. To obtain the findings, the present study applied a mixed method approach. A set of questionnaires adapted from Sakai and Kikuchi’s (2009) questionnaires were distributed to thirty eight university students whereas interviews were conducted to three of them. The findings indicated teacher’s competence and lack of intrinsic motivation as the most salient factors that caused demotivation among the participants. In this consideration, teachers were perceived as incompetent by the participants when teachers have poor English pronunciation and do not provide communicative classrooms. On the other hand, lack of intrinsic motivation was indicated by the loss of students’ interest in learning and their goal to be an English speaker. Providing a communicative classroom with a fluent teacher as well as promoting students’ interest in English language and culture seem to be the solutions to reduce students’ demotivation. [Penelitian tentang faktor-faktor yang menurunkan motifasi (demotivation) dapat membantu para guru untuk menghindari factor-faktor tersebut dan memberikan wawasan untuk mempertahankan minat peserta didik dalam pembelajaran bahasa asing. Penelitian ini menganalisis faktor demotivasi dalam pembelajaran Bahasa asing. Untuk memperoleh jawaban dari beberapa pertanyaan, penelitian ini menerapkan pendekatan metode campuran. Seperangkat kuesioner yang diadaptasi dari model Sakai dan Kikuchi (2009) didistribusikan kepada tiga puluh delapan mahasiswa sedangkan wawancara dilakukan terhadap tiga dari mahasiswa tersebut. Temuan menunjukkan bahwa kompetensi guru dan kurangnya motivasi intrinsik merupakan faktor yang paling menonjol yang menyebabkan demotivasi di antara para peserta. Dalam hal ini, guru dianggap tidak kompeten oleh para peserta ketika guru memiliki pelafalan bahasa Inggris yang buruk dan tidak menyediakan ruang kelas yang komunikatif. Di sisi lain, kurangnya motivasi intrinsik ditunjukkan oleh hilangnya minat siswa dalam belajar dan tujuan mereka untuk berbicara dalam bahasa Inggris. Menyediakan ruang kelas yang komunikatif dengan guru yang fasih serta mempromosikan minat siswa dalam bahasa dan budaya Inggris tampaknya menjadi solusi untuk mengurangi demotivasi siswa]

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Which Cultural Aspects do The Textbooks of Teaching Turkish to Foreigners Transfer?

Advances in Language and Literary Studies ◽

10.7575/aiac.alls.v.9n.2p.131 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 131 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sami BASKIN

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Social Life ◽

Cultural Awareness ◽

Interpersonal Relations ◽

Daily Life ◽

Language Teaching ◽

Target Language ◽

Cultural Elements ◽

Language And Culture ◽

Cultural Aspects

Teaching a foreign language aims at not only teaching the language and language skills, but transferring the culture of the target language. The main reason for that is people learn the target language as a standby in addition to learning the language. It is important that the more individuals learn the cultural features of the country the more they understand the language better. It is an undeniable fact that language and culture are inseparable parts, so culture should be learned simultaneously while learning that language. Because of that relationship between language and culture, language teaching also means teaching culture. Foreign language textbooks reflect the characteristics of the language-speaking community and make it a cultural product of that language. This study is to identify the place and importance of the textbooks used in teaching Turkish to foreigners in the target language teaching and to research which cultural items these books convey. Thus, A1-A2 level textbooks of the Turkish teaching set for Gazi Foreigners were selected as a sample and done document analysis to identify what these sources include in terms of "daily life, interpersonal relations, values and education, literature-arts and music, traditions and folklore, social life, geography and space, foreign (universal) cultural elements". It was observed that the elements of Turkish culture concentrated on the relation between daily life and interpersonal relations, and there was no balanced distribution among other cultural elements. Therefore, these books need to be reviewed so that they can raise cultural awareness of the students.

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ONLINE COLLABORATIVE WRITTEN ACTIVITIES IN L2 FOR THE TEACHING OF LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

European Journal of Foreign Language Teaching ◽

10.46827/ejfl.v5i4.3744 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Ioanna Tyrou

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

New Technologies ◽

Collaborative Writing ◽

Language And Culture ◽

Final Questionnaire ◽

Alternative Culture ◽

Online Activities ◽

The University ◽

University Settings

This study investigates the potential affordances of new technologies and the opportunities offered by wikis in facilitating L2 collaborative writing in university settings for the teaching of culture. Participants were 92 undergraduate students of Italian as foreign language in the department of Italian Language and Literature of the university of Athens. They attended and participated in a laboratory course of alternative culture environments and online activities in foreign language. A task-based wiki environment managed to involve the students in a variety of online activities culturally meaningful and authentic educational activities. An initial and a final questionnaire were selected and analysed by ANOVA and POST HOC TEST (Tukey) confirming that online collaborative wikis tools are able to promote teamwork, can increase knowledge of culture and foreign language and can create positive conditions for cultivating creativity and collaborative, written expression. Article visualizations:<img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0750/a.php" alt="Hit counter" />

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