scholarly journals A Descriptive Analysis of Cultural Content of “English for Iraq” Textbooks Used in the Intermediate Schools in Iraq

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 88
Author(s):  
Ali Abdulridha Obaid ◽  
Lilliati Ismail ◽  
Abu Bakar Mohamed Razali ◽  
Nor Shahila Mansor ◽  
Moomala Othman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Traditional Approach ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Cultural Representations ◽  
Surface Culture ◽  
Intermediate Schools ◽  
Cultural Content

Despite the abundance of the literature addressing culture incorporation in English language teaching and learning, the study of the implicit, as well as the explicit, cultural representations in EFL textbooks’ linguistic content formulates an essential part with a consensus on its significant importance. Since 2012, a new EFL textbooks series written by foreign authors has been adopted in Iraq; this series does not seem to have gained a lot of quality research about the hidden curriculum, particularly related to its cultural content. This study investigates culture integration in the content of “English for Iraq” textbook series currently used in the intermediate schools in Iraq, aiming at detecting both any potential acculturation, and the kind of culture, (surface or deep) emphasized in the written texts and the visuals of the textbooks’ content. A qualitative research method is employed based on a descriptive content analysis. Findings show that the textbooks encompass sharp difference in the frequency occurrences of the cultural representations, resulting to the dominance of both the source (Iraqi local cultural) culture, and the two cultural dimensions, products and persons. This imbalanced representation drives the textbooks to be source-culture-based textbooks with least probability of acculturation, and be prevailed with surface culture materials focusing on items like Folks, Fairs, Festivals, and Food, which turn the textbooks to look like tourist’s guide books. The textbooks then follow a traditional approach for integrating culture in their content. A pedagogical implication of the study can be the necessity of re-considering culture corporation in these textb

scholarly journals Intercultural Awareness Through English Language Teaching: The Case of Kosovo

Interchange ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonora Gashi
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Global Citizens ◽  
Teaching Culture ◽  
Language And Culture ◽  
Intercultural Awareness ◽  
Language Classrooms ◽  
Target Culture

AbstractThis study seeks to understand opportunities for teaching and learning the target culture for intercultural awareness. Utilizing Moran’s Knowing Framework (2001) and its five cultural dimensions, and reviewing curriculum documents and the English textbook in use for Grade Six in Kosovo, the study finds a misalignment among curriculum documents and the textbook regarding teaching culture for cultural understanding. It is noted that while curriculum documents share the goals and objectives for preparing students to become global citizens through language and culture learning in the English language, this vision is lost along the way and rarely makes it to the English language classrooms. It is concluded that English teachers, in Kosovo and potentially internationally, need to be more creative in utilizing more authentic cultural materials in their classes to bring to life the target culture. Lastly, it is argued that learning about another culture and comparing it with one’s own helps students examine their culture from a different perspective, which in turn potentially makes culturally-richer individuals in deeper and closer touch with their culture as well as cultures around them, near and far.

Importance of Video Aids’ Usage in Teaching and Learning Process of English Language Classes

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eriselda Vrapi ◽  
Xhevdet Zekaj
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Main Hypothesis ◽  
Communicative Skills ◽  
English Curriculum ◽  
9Th Grade ◽  
8Th Grade

This study aims to explore the use of video in English language teaching (ELT) elementary school (grades 8 to 9)... In addition, the thesis aims to find out how videos in English lessons helped to achieve the goals of English curriculum. The main hypothesis was that teaching with video would develop pupils’ communicative skills and, therefore, was appropriate for the communicative approach to ELT. The study addressed five research questions regarding the use of videos in English lessons in the case study school: why the teachers used videos in ELT, what kinds of videos were used in English lessons, how and how often videos were used, what was taught and learned through the use of videos and, finally, what the teachers’ and pupils’ attitudes to lessons with videos were. The research was performed as a case study at an Elbasan elementary school. The data for the research was obtained through the use of mixed methods: qualitative, in the form of interviews with four English teachers and observations of three of the interviewed teachers’ lessons with videos, and quantitative, in the form of a pupil questionnaire answered by 105 pupils from two 8th grade and two 9th grade classes.

Blended learning: Barriers and drawbacks for English language lecturers at Vietnamese universities

2021 ◽  
pp. 204275302110482
Author(s):  
Thi Nguyet Le ◽  
Bill Allen ◽  
Nicola F Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Blended Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Learning Barriers ◽  
Teaching Time

Although blended learning (BL) has emerged as one of the most dominant delivery modes in higher education in the 21st century, there are notable barriers and drawbacks in using BL for English language teaching and learning in Vietnamese universities. This study reports on research into the use of BL, conducted through semi-structured interviews with 30 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) lecturers from 10 different universities across the two major cities of Vietnam. The findings revealed that EFL lecturers identified eight groups of barriers and four groups of drawbacks to the successful implementation of BL. The most significant barriers included: lack of infrastructure and technology, institutional policies and support; lack of knowledge, experience and investment in using BL; lack of technological competence and information technology (IT) skills and lack of teaching time to employ web-based technologies and online resources in classrooms. Meanwhile, the most crucial drawbacks were: lecturers’ workload, ineffective use of BL, time consumption and demotivation. The authors point to the underlying factors contributing to these barriers and drawbacks and make implications for how some of these can be effectively addressed through constructive changes to policy and practice.

Investigating the Emergence of Digital Platforms for Listening Learning Proficiency

Al-Lisan ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-224
Author(s):  
Tira Nur Fitria
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
British Broadcasting Corporation ◽  
Listening Skills ◽  
Voice Of America ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
British Council ◽  
Listening Strategies ◽  
Learning English

This study investigates the use of any platforms in English language teaching and learning, especially in listening skills. This research design is qualitative. From the result, it shows that some technologies available both online or offline include applications or platforms that provide many choices for listening to English, they are. 1) Music platform. These platforms can be found in PlayStore, such as Joox and Spotify recommends songs for listening skills. 2) Youtube channel. Many YouTube channels for learning English listening skills include 1) Voice of America (VOA), BBC Learning English, Learn English with TV Series, English with Lucy, and Oxford Online English. 3) Podcasts. Both BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) and VoA (Voice of America). These Podcasts offer listening skills. The other podcasts are “The English We Speak, Podcast in English, Better at English, Luke’s English Podcast, Espresso English Podcast, Anchor FM” etc. 4) Websites that are pretty representative in practicing the listening skills such as Sound English, ESL-Lab, English listening, Ello, learn English British Council, Daily ESL, Story Nory, Story Line, which can be accessed. Learning English through several applications above can be an alternative for students in practicing and improving their English listening skills. Listening exercises can be carried out by using interesting listening strategies when learning English. It depends on the teachers/lecturers who teach listening subjects and the students who learn English materials.

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