Iranian EFL Learners' Beliefs about Culture and its Reflection on Teaching English Language

Document Type : Research

Authors

Al-Zahra University

Abstract

 
 
 
Iranian EFL Learners' Beliefs about Culture and its Reflection on Teaching English Language
 
 
Parisa Mehran[1]
 
Elaheh Sotoudehnama[2]
 
Seyyedeh Susan Marandi[3]
 
 
 
Received: 2012/06/21
Accepted: 2012/12/01
 
 
 
 
Culture has always  been of utmost importance in English language teaching (ELT) and there are arguments for and against its teaching. This study was an attempt to explore Iranian EFL learners' beliefs about teaching/learning the target (i.e., American or British) culture in the realm of ELT; it also tried to arrive at a definition of culture based on the interpretations of Iranian EFL learners. To achieve this goal, eighty-nine undergraduate students from Alzahra University participated in the present study. In this study, a qualitative research method was used. To achieve triangulation, the data were collected from three main sources: Questionnaires, interviews, and observations. The findings revealed that the learners of this study mainly perceived culture in terms of beliefs, traditions, customs, and way of living. In general, the results of this study demonstrated that the learners supported teaching/learning the target culture in ELT but they believed some criteria should be taken into consideration.
 
 
Keywords: culture, culture teaching, culture learning, learners' beliefs.



[1] Doctoral Candidatet, English Language Dept; AlzahraUniversity,  parisa_mehran@alzahra.ac.ir


[2] Associate Professor,English Language Dept; AlzahraUniversity, (corresponding author),   esotoude@alzahra.ac.ir              


[3]  Associate Professor, English Language Dept; Alzaha University, susanmarandi@alzahra.ac.ir        

Keywords

References

خامنه­ای، علی (١۳۷١). فرهنگ و تهاجم فرهنگی: برگرفته از سخنان مقام معظم رهبری حضرت آیت الله خامنه­ای «مدظله العالی». قم: سازمان مدارک فرهنگی انقلاب اسلامی.
خمینی، روح­الله (١۳۶١). صحیفۀ نور. جلد­های اول، ششم و دهم. تهران: وزارت فرهنگ و ارشاد اسلامی.
سیاهپوش، امیر و علی آقاپور (١۳۹۰). فرهنگ در منظر مقام معظم رهبری. تهران: موسسۀ نشر شهر.
کتابی، سعید و محمد­رضا طالبی­نژاد (١۳۸۸). «الگوهای فرهنگی-اجتماعی ارائه‌شده در کتاب­های آموزش زبان انگلیسی دبیرستان­های ایران از نظر میزان ایجاد انگیزش روحیۀ تحقیق و تتبع». مجلۀ آموزش مهارت­های زبان دانشگاه شیراز.١. صص 69-41.
نگرشی موضوعی بر وصیت‌نامۀ سیاسی الهی امام خمینی(س). (١۳۷۲). تهران: موسسۀ تنظیم و نشر آثار امام خمینی.
Adaskou, K., D. Britten & B. Fahsi (1990). "Design Decisions on the Cultural Content of a Secondary English Course for Morocco". ELT Journal. 44. pp.3-10. doi:10.1093/elt/44.1.3.
Al Haq, F. A. & O. Smadi (1996). "Spread of English and Westernization in Saudi Arabia". World Englishes. 15. pp.307-317.
        doi:10.1111/j.1467-971X.1996.Tb00117.x
Alptekin, C. (1993). "Target-Language Culture in EFL Materials". ELT Journal. 47. pp. 136-143.
         doi:10.1093/elt/47.2.136.
………. & M. Alptekin (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.
Atkinson, D. (1999). "TESOL and Culture". TESOL Quarterly. 33. pp. 625-654.
        doi:10. 2307/3587880.
Baker, W. (2003). "Should Culture be an Overt Component of EFL Instruction outside of English Speaking Countries? The Thai Context". Asian EFL Journal. 5.
         <http://www.asia n-efljournal.com/dec_03_sub.wb.php>
………. (2012)." From Cultural Awareness to Intercultural Awareness: Culture in ELT". ELT Journal. 66. pp. 62-70.
        doi:10.1093/elt/ccr017.
Baradaran, A. (1988). The Role of Culture in ELT in Iran. Master's Thesis. Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran.
Bennett, 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.
Berg, B. L. (2001). Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Byram, M. (1997). Teaching and Assessing Intercultural Communicative Competence. Clevedon, England: Multilingual Matters.
………. & P. Grundy (2003). "Context and Culture in Language Teaching and Learning". Context and Culture in Language Teaching and Learning. M. Byram & P. Grundy (eds.). Clevedon, England: Multilingual Matters. pp. 1-3.
Canagarajah, A. S. (1999). Resisting Linguistic Imperialism in English Llanguage Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Chastain, K. (1988). Developing Second-Language Skills: Theory and Practice (3rd ed.). New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
Cheung, C. (2001). "The Use of Popular Culture as a Stimulus to Motivate Secondary Students' English Learning in Hong Kong". ELT Journal. 55. pp.55-61. doi:10.1093/elt/55.1.55.
Damen, L. (1987). Culture Learning: The Fifth Dimension in the Language Classroom. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Derenowski, M. (2011). "Strangers in Paradise: The Role of Target Language Culture in Foreign Language Teaching Materials". Aspects of Culture in Second Language Acquisition and Foreign Language Learning. J. Arabski & A. Wojtaszek (eds.).  New York: Springer. pp. 273-285.
Devrim, D. Y. & Y. Bayyurt (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. pp. 4-23.
        <http://www.tesol-journal.com/PDF /A2V2_TESOL.pdf>
Dörnyei, Z. (2007). Research Methods in Applied Linguistics: Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Methodologies. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Gałajda, D. (2011). "The Contribution of FL Learning Experiences to the Development of Multicultural Identity. Aspects of Culture in Second Language Acquisition and Foreign Language Learning. J. Arabski & A. Wojtaszek (eds.).  New York: Springer. pp. 49-62.
Genc, B., & E. Bada (2005). "Culture in Language Learning and Teaching". The Reading Matrix. 5. pp.73-84.
            <http://www.readingmatrix.com/articles/genc_bada/article.pdf>
Ho, S. T. K. (2009). "Addressing Culture in EFL Classrooms: The Challenge of Shifting from a Traditional to an Intercultural Stance". Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching. 6. pp. 63-76.
           <http://e-flt.nus.edu.sg/v6n12009/ho.pdf>
Holliday, A. (1994). Appropriate Methodology and Social Context. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Jabeen, F., & S. Kazim Shah (2011). "The Role of Culture in ELT: Learners' Attitude towards the Teaching of Target Language Culture". European Journal of Social Sciences. 23. pp. 604-613.
        <http://www.eurojournals.com/EJ SS_23_4_10.pdf>
Jenkins, J. (2007). English as a Lingua Franca: Attitude and Identity. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Jiang, G. (2006). "Necessity of Teaching Culture in Foreign Language Classroom. Sino-US English Teaching. 3. pp. 55-57.
           <http://www.linguist.org.cn/doc/su200602/su20060211. pdf>  
Jiang, W. (2000). "The Relationship between Culture and Language. ELT Journal. 54. pp. 328-334.
        doi:10.1093/elt/54.4.328.
Jiang, Y. (2009). "On the Integration of Culture into EFL Teaching". Asian Culture and History.1. pp. 144-147.
           <http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ach/article/view/3080/ 2847>
Jones, S. R., V. Torres & J. Arminio (2006). Negotiating the Complexities of Qualitative Research in Higher Education: Fundamental Elements and Issues. New York: Routledge.
Kachru, B. B. (1976). "Models of English for the Third World: White Man's Linguistic Burden or Language Pragmatics?". TESOL Quarterly.10. pp. 221-239. doi:10.2307/3585643.
………. (1986). The Alchemy of English: The Spread, Functions and Models of Non-Native Englishes. Oxford, England: Pergamon.
Kayman, M. A. (2004). "The State of English as a Global Language: Communicating Culture". Textual Practice. 18. pp.1-22.
        doi:10.1080/0950236032000140131.
Kilickaya, F. (2004)."Authentic Materials and Cultural Content in EFL Classrooms". The Internet TESL Journal. 10.
        <http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Kilickaya-AutenticMaterial.html>
Kramsch, C. (1993). Context and Culture in Language Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
……….. (1998). Language and Culture. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
……….. (2004). "The Language Teacher as Go-between". Utbildning Demokrati. 13. pp. 37-60.     <http://www.oru.se/Extern/Forskning/Forskningsmiljoer/HumUS/Utbildning_ och_Demokrati/Tidskriften/2004/Nr_3/Kramsch.pdf>
……….. (2011). "Culture in Foreign Language Teaching" [Abstract]. First Annual Conference of Challenges and Necessities Regarding Culture in the Quality of Teaching Foreign Languages. Tehran. p. 1.
Kroeber, A. & C. Kluckhohn (1954). Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions. New York: Random House.
Kubota, R. (1999). "Japanese Culture Constructed by Discourses: Implications for Applied Linguistics Research and ELT". TESOL Quarterly. 33. pp. 9-35.
        doi:10.23073588189.
Lazaraton, A. (2003). "Incidental Displays of Cultural Knowledge in the Nonnative English Speaking Teacher's 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.
………. (1997). "Towards an Understanding of Culture in L2/FL Education". The Internet TESL Journal. 3. pp. 1-12.
          < http://iteslj.org/Articles/Lessard-Clouston-Culture.html>
Lincoln, Y. S. & E. G. Guba. (1985). Naturalistic Inquiry. London: Sage.
Mackey, A. &  S. M. Gass (2005). Second Language Research: Methodology and Design. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Maxwell, J. A. (2005). Qualitative Research Design: An Interactive Approach (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
McKay, S. L. (2003). "Toward an Appropriate EIL Pedagogy: Re-examining Common ELT Assumptions". International Journal of Applied Linguistics. 13. pp. 1-22. doi:10.1111/1473-4192. 00035.
Mehdipur, N. (2009). The Impact of Cultural Background and Linguistic Simplification on the Reading Comprehension of Iranian Low Proficient Learners. Master's Thesis,Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
Meier, A. J. (2003). "Posting the Banns: A Marriage of Pragmatics and Culture in Foreign and Second Language Pedagogy and Beyond". Pragmatic Competence and Foreign Language Teaching. A. M. Flor, E. U. Juan & A. F. Guerra (eds.). Castelló, Spain: Universitat Jaume. pp. 185-210.
Merrouche, S. (2006). The Place of Culture in the Teaching of English in the Algerian Middle and Secondary School. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, Mentouri University of Constantine, Algeria.
         <http://bu.umc.edu.dz/theses/anglais/MER100036.pdf>
Modiano, M. (2001). "Ideology and the ELT Practitioner". International Journal of Applied Linguistics. 11. pp. 159-173.
        doi:10.1111/1473-4192.00012.
Nizegorodcew, A. (2011). "Understanding Culture through a Lingua Franca". Aspects of Culture in Second Language Acquisition and Foreign Language Learning. J. Arabski & A. Wojtaszek (eds.). New York: Springer. pp. 7-20.
Peck, D. (1998). "Teaching Culture: Beyond Language". Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute. 3.
         <http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1984/3/84.03.06.x.html>
Pennycook, A. (1994). The Cultural Politics of English as an International Language. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
……….. (1998). English and the Discourses of Colonialism. London: Routledge.
Peterson, E., & B. Coltrane (2003). "Culture in Second Language Teaching". Eric Digest. <http://www.cal.org/resources/Digest/digest_pdfs/0309 peterson.pdf>
Phillipson, R. (1992). Linguistic Imperialism. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
………. (1997). "Realities and Myths of Linguistic Imperialism". Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development. 18. pp. 238-248.
        doi:10.1080/01434639708666317.
………. (2009). Linguistic Imperialism Continued. New York: Routledge.
Phillipson, R., & T. Skutnabb-Kangas (2009). "The Politics and Policies of Language and Language Teaching". The Handbook of Language Teaching. M. H. Long & C. J. Doughty (eds.).  Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 26-41.  
Piasecka, L. (2011). "Sensitizing Foreign Language Learners to Cultural Diversity through Developing Intercultural Communicative Competence". Aspects of Culture in Second Language Acquisition and Foreign Language Learning. J. Arabski & A. Wojtaszek (eds.). New York: Springer. pp. 21-33.
Pishghadam, R. (2010). "Foreign Language Learning and World Englishes Philosophy". A Paper Presented at 2nd International Conference on Education, Economy and Society in France.
        <http://profdoc.um.ac.ir/articles/a/1019884.pdf>
………. & F. Saboori (2011a). "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. pp. 569-579.
         <http://ojs.academypublisher.com/index.php/jltr/article/ view/0203569579>
………. (2011b). "A Quantitative Survey on Iranian English Learners' Attitudes toward Varieties of English: World English or World Englishes?". English Language and Literature Studies. 1. pp. 86-95.
        <http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ ells/article/view/10724/7545>
Prodromou, L. (1992). "What Culture? Which Culture? Cross-cultural Factors in Language Learning". ELT Journal. 46. pp. 39-50.
        doi:10.1093/elt/46.1.39.
Risager, K. (2006). Language and Culture: Global Flows and Local Complexity. Clevedon, England: Multilingual Matters.
………. (2010). "The Language Teacher Facing Transnationality". Paper presented at the 1st EUNoM Symphosium, University of Udine, Italy.
         <http://in3.uoc.edu/Karen _Risager_ The_Language_Teacher_Facing.pdf>
Roberts, C., M. Byram , A. Barro,  S. Jordan,  & B. Street (2001). Language Learners as Ehnographers. Clevedon, England: Multilingual Matters.
Saluveer, E. (2004). Teaching Culture in English Classes. Master's thesis. University of Tartu, Estonia.
        <http://dspace.Utlib.ee/dspace/bitstream/10062/922/5/ Saluveer.pdf>
Saraceni, M. (2008). "English as a Lingua Franca: Between Form and Function". English Today. 24. pp. 20-26.
        doi:10.1017/S0266078408000163.
Scarino, A. (2010). "Assessing Intercultural Capability in Learning Languages: A Renewed Understanding of Language, Culture, Learning, and the Nature of Assessment. Modern Language Journal. 94. pp. 324-329.
        doi:10.1111/j.1540-4781.2010.01026.x.
Sercu, L., E. Bandura, P. Castro, L. Davcheva, C. Laskaridou, U. Lundgren, C. M. Mendez Garcia & P. Ryan (2005). Foreign Language Teachers and Intercultural Competence: An International Investigation. Clevedon, England: Multilingual Matters.
Sung, D., & P. W. Chen (2008). "University Students' Viewpoints toward Incorporating English-Speaking Cultures into English Learning". Proceedings of 2008 NUTN Conference on Innovative Approaches to the Teaching of English: A Collection of Articles on English Teaching and Learning, Tainan, Taiwan.
         <http://nutnr.lib.nutn.edu.tw/bitstream /987654321/7768/1/02.pdf>
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.
        <http://radicalpedagogy.icaap.org/content/issue3_3/7-thana soulas.html>
Tseng, Y. (2002). "A Lesson in Culture". ELT Journal. 56. pp. 11-21.
        doi:10.1093/elt/56.1.11.
Volkmann, L. (2011). "English as a Lingua Franca: Boon or Bane?" [Abstract]. First Annual Conference of Challenges and Necessities Regarding Culture in the Quality of Teaching Foreign Languages. Tehran. p. 1. 
Ziębka, J. (2011). "Pragmatic Aspects of Culture in Foreign Language Learning". Aspects of Culture in Second Language Acquisition and Foreign Language Learning. J. Arabski & A. Wojtaszek (eds.). New York: Springer. pp. 263-272.  

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics