The correlation between Cultural awareness and blended learning in ESP courses: a case study of a tourism class

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Le Dinh Tung

The awareness of cultural beliefs and customs seems not to have attracted adequate attention during the phase of teaching and learning in ESP courses. The requirements of effective and appropriate interaction and communication with other cultures (Wiseman, Hammer, & Nishida, 1989) bring this matter to ESP teachers and learners. That studying merely from the course book and completing the given tasks discourages students from exploring the world, which expects a more efficient way to include language acquisition and cultural awareness. This paper explores the correlation of cultural awareness and blended learning in which educator in charge of a tourism class can raise students’ cultural communicative competence together with their understanding of global culture. Some of the key issues of this pedagogical methodology also can be discussed regarding language learning, cultural awareness and self-studying in an ESP course.   Keywords-Cultural awareness, blended learning, ESP, cultural communicative competence, language acquisition, Vietnam

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 762
Author(s):  
Upul Priyantha Gamage ◽  
Wellman Kondowe

This paper presents a step by step approach of unpacking humour in joke stories from Udurawana in Sir-Lanka. The analysis has employed two theoretical models: Grice’s (1975) theory of Conversational Implicature, and Juckel, Bellman and Varan’s (2016) Taxonomy of Humour Techniques. The study has demonstrated that understanding humour involves going through different layers of language given that humour itself does not reside at the surface; but rather inside meanings of words and phrases. The paper appeals to language teachers to utilise humour as a teaching tool owing to the enormous joys it brings in facilitating the teaching and learning of the second language. We conclude that helping learners take baby-steps to decipher humour can lead them into better understanding and fluency of second language learning; an indication of advancement in language acquisition.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Mazen Ismaeel Ghareb ◽  
Saman Ali Mohammed

Although the benefits of blended learning have been well documented in educational research, relatively few studies have examined blended mobilities in education in Kurdistan region government and in Iraq. This study discusses a blended mobility approach for a teacher training program designed for in-service English language teachers (ELT) and investigates its effectiveness by comparing the latest participation of the University of Human Development for computer science and proposing the same program for training English for lecturers and students. The research involved proposes new mobility program for teaching and learning English language and using their language skills in an ongoing business project using several software for communication and management of their projects. Results will show the framework for new blended learning and blended mobilities of many different English language teaching (ELT) aspects.


2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 15
Author(s):  
Basma M. Alwazir ◽  
Nadia Shukri

<p>One of the main aims behind learning English as a foreign language (EFL) is to communicate effectively with other speakers of the English language. The justification for concentrating on the teaching and learning of English as a second language (L2), and as a foreign language, is that it is the lingua franca (Klimczak-Pawlak, 2014) and the primary language used for communication around the world (Rich, 2014). English language learners are given limited chances to practice speaking in authentic situations in class, and teaching to communicate effectively in an authentic environment is often overlooked. Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) emphasizes meaning and communication in language learning, and with CLT the goal is to improve learners’ “communicative competence” (Richards &amp; Rodgers, 2001). Nevertheless, challenges are faced when applying CLT in the EFL classrooms. Consequently, the purpose of this paper is to critically explore elements of the CLT approach and to better understand some of the cultural difficulties involved in its application. The paper will propose more application of the CLT in EFL classrooms, in place of language teaching techniques currently used in the Arab context. This paper will also examine issues dealing with the theoretical background of CLT, and focus on the implementation of activities that can encourage students' communicative competence.</p>


Author(s):  
Anita Ferreira Ferreira ◽  
Jaime García Salinas ◽  
Sandra Morales

As Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) has taken an important role in foreign language teaching and learning, not only is concrete data about the usefulness of technology- mediated environments for these purposes necessary, but also how the learning process is improved in such environments when learner training for CALL. The objective of this paper is to present an investigation which sought to explore empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of a blended learning model, and also the use of language learning strategies in this kind of learning environment in order to increase its methodological potency with language learners. Consequently, this paper shows the findings of 2 experimental studies which aimed to provide data on (1) the efficiency of a blended learning (BL) model for language teaching and learning which combined task-based instruction, cooperative learning and optimal methodological principles for online learning (Doughty & Long, 2003), and (2) the use of learner training strategies for CALL in order to support and enhance the language learning process in this blended learning environment. The results from both studies suggest that the experimental group improved their language proficiency when compared to the control group. As a result, it is possible to conclude that (1) the blended learning design that included online tasks and cooperative instruction was beneficial for the development of language skills and (2) the use of learner training strategies for the blended learning model was highly beneficial for the students' language learning experience.


2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Andrew Martin

The issue of cultural awareness is inherent in every expression of social science. This paper addresses this topic in a Counselling Psychology context by presenting and discussing two separate questionnaires. Both were sent out to UK Counselling Psychologists between March and May 2013. The first on cultural awareness provision in training was sent to all 14 UK Counselling Psychology training institutions. The second questionnaire related to the experience of supervising or being supervised in the context of “cultural awareness”. This was sent to all 3000 BPS Division members. The purpose of the questionnaires was to find out about current practice, opinions, attitudes and perceived problems as they relate to cultural awareness. The questions in each case were usually multi-choice but responses that are outside of the categories offered were all included in the full results. The results of the training questionnaire indicated a varied coverage of the syllabi from being inherent in the philosophy of a training course, to being a specifically targeted area of teaching and learning. The chief problem in offering such teaching is lack of time on the syllabus. Experience of supervision was also very varied, and ranged from cultural issues being dealt with in great depth, to the experience of such issues being ignored. The discussion raises the key issues the responses pose and asks some of the questions that need answers from the whole psychological and wider community.


2019 ◽  
pp. 267-275
Author(s):  
Jerzy Zybert ◽  
Iga Lehman

Semiotic links exist among communication, culture, teaching, and learning and this has important implications for implementing culturally responsive teaching. The present paper provides some arguments in favour of creating culturally sensitive classrooms where students have an opportunity to acquire a broader cultural awareness which helps them to develop their intercultural communicative competence.


Author(s):  
Oleg Tarnopolsky

The growing use of English as the language of global communication leads to the growing demand for learning it among adult population of non-English-speaking countries. If such people did not have a chance of acquiring English during their school or university years but urgently need it for professional or personal purposes, they learn it in courses offered by numerous commercial language schools and centers. This article deals with the experience of teaching English at such schools and centers in Ukraine. The way of teaching and learning suggested in the article was developed to meet students’ expectations and, at the same time, to be in full accordance with the most cutting edge achievements in today’s approaches to organizing adult students’ successful language acquisition. The developed method of teaching/learning was called the communicative-analytic one since, on the one hand, it makes use of the best in communicative language learning required for optimal attainment of the final goal of language education for adults – developing their English communicative competence. On the other hand, the communicative approach is combined with learners’ analysis, practicing, and consciousness-raising as to separate language forms that students believe to be indispensable for language acquisition. Experiential learning activities and cultural orientation of the method are discussed, as well as some peculiarities of using it in courses of different levels within a commercial English language program.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander B. Mearns

This paper describes first-hand trials and experience in the development of an activity-based language learning programme to investigate and to improve Gaelic language acquisition and cultural awareness for children in Gaelic Medium Education in two areas of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. This on-going activity programme began in 2008 to help support language usage and accuracy which is often not achieved in school. Four basic design principles have emerged which have been helpful in progressing the children’s language acquisition. These are that to focus on specific language goals is helpful, repetition is necessary, that vocal guides to an activity increase participant’s learning and enjoyment and finally that it is helpful to embed the language in culture. Although the examples described in this paper are specific to Gaelic, it is hoped that these four principles will be helpful in the design and implementation of any other programme of language learning through activities.


Author(s):  
Elizabeth Stacey ◽  
Philippa Gerbic

Blended learning is now part of the learning landscape in higher education, not just for campus-based courses but for courses designed for students studying at a distance as well as for communities of professional learning and practice. The impact of this concept in university teaching and learning can be seen in the appearance of practice focused texts for example, Littlejohn and Pegler (2007) and, more recently, Garrison and Vaughan (2008). Blended learning is now constantly positioned as one of the emerging trends in higher education (e. g. Allen, Seaman and Garrett, 2007; Graham, 2006; Garrison and Kanuka, 2004) and therefore is of particular strategic importance in the future of universities, their students and teachers as well as in the widening community of professional education and training. As an introduction to this book, this chapter will review the growing literature about blended learning and will discuss some of its key issues. The authors begin by introducing the concept of blended learning and its many meanings and attempt to clarify the definitional discussion. Issues in teaching and learning in both campus based and distance settings are then described followed by a discussion of the way blended learning provides a process for establishing communities of learning and practice, particularly for professional learning. Much of the literature about professional learning and learning communities has only just begun to identify aspects of blended learning practices as significant in their field, a gap this book is helping to fill.


The 21ST century education is a revolution that encounters the use of ICT (Information Communication Technology) as a component tool of education aligned with the contexts of teaching and learning. It is widely used in every surface of education particularly in teaching and learning EFL (English as a Foreign Language). When it comes to EFL education, traditional language teaching methodologies are intensively substituted with the new technological-integrated approaches. Currently, blended learning is used as an applicable approach and EFL education is surrounded by its features. It has really restructured the educational context and has paved the way for effective EFL practices. In fact, blended learning cooperates EFL educators a variety of interactive language activities while it is double component, integration of face-to-face education and technology-generated approaches. Therefore, this article investigates the use of blended learning approach in EFL education and undertakes an in-depth review of literatures, practices, and authentic enhancements of blended learning in the context of EFL education. The study enriches creative ideas toward the use of blended learning approaches in EFL classrooms. It indicates that blended learning approach provides a flexible language learning platform, endorse academic achievements of the learners, and influences EFL education.


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