Volume 07 Issue 07 July 2024
1Dang Thi Kim Chung, 2Nguyen Thanh Long
1,2Dai Nam University, Hanoi, Vietnam
DOI : https://doi.org/10.47191/ijsshr/v7-i07-82Google Scholar Download Pdf
ABSTRACT
This study, titled "Language Learning through a Cultural Lens: Assessing the Benefits of Cultural Understanding in Language Education," investigates the role of cultural understanding in the language acquisition process among fourth-year English majors. Utilizing a qualitative research design, data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with 12 participants. The findings reveal that cultural exposure through media, interactions with native speakers, and study materials significantly enhances motivation, contextual understanding, and language proficiency. Participants emphasized the importance of integrating cultural content into language curricula, noting that such integration makes learning more engaging and relevant. However, challenges in understanding subtle cultural nuances and idiomatic expressions highlight the need for targeted support. The practical benefits of cultural understanding were evident in students' real-world interactions, underscoring its value beyond the classroom. This study concludes that incorporating cultural understanding into language education is essential for effective language learning and real-world communication, and it recommends further exploration of specific teaching methods and materials to enhance cultural competence in language learners.
KEYWORDS:Cultural understanding, Language learning, English language education, Cultural exposure
REFERENCES1) Baker, W. (2015). Culture and identity through English as a lingua franca. De Gruyter Mouton.
2) Bialystok, E. (2009). Bilingualism: The good, the bad, and the indifferent. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 12(1), 3-11.
3) Byram, M., & Feng, A. (2004). Culture and language learning: Teaching, research and scholarship. Language Teaching, 37(3), 149-168.
4) Byram, M. (1997). Teaching and assessing intercultural communicative competence. Multilingual Matters.
5) Byram, M. (2021). Intercultural citizenship and language education. The Routledge Handbook of Language and Intercultural Communication.
6) Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
7) Crystal, D. (2012). English as a global language (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
8) Deardorff, D. K. (2006). The identification and assessment of intercultural competence as a student outcome of internationalization. Journal of Studies in International Education, 10(3), 241-266.
9) Deardorff, D. K. (2020). Manual for developing intercultural competencies: Story circles. UNESCO Publishing.
10) Duff, P. A., & Anderson, T. (2015). Academic language and literacy socialization for second language students. In The Handbook of Classroom Discourse and Interaction (pp. 337-352). Wiley Blackwell.
11) Grin, F., Sfreddo, C., & Vaillancourt, F. (2010). The economics of the multilingual workplace. Routledge.
12) Hennebry, M., Lo, Y. Y., & Macaro, E. (2012). Differential effects of cultural instruction on motivation and attainment: A study of year 8 French students. Language Learning Journal, 40(1), 7-28.
13) Kinginger, C. (2009). Language learning and study abroad: A critical reading of research. Palgrave Macmillan.
14) Kramsch, C. (2013). Theorizing translingual/transcultural competence. In The Multilingual Turn in Languages Education: Opportunities and Challenges (pp. 15-31). Multilingual Matters.
15) Kvale, S. (2007). Doing interviews. SAGE Publications.
16) Lantolf, J. P., & Thorne, S. L. (2006). Sociocultural theory and the genesis of second language development. Oxford University Press.
17) Liu, J. (2014). The effect of culture on learning motivation in Chinese students in a UK university. Studies in Higher Education, 39(9), 1669-1686.
18) Matsuda, A. (2017). Preparing teachers to teach English as an international language. Multilingual Matters.
19) Morgan, D. L. (1997). Focus groups as qualitative research. SAGE Publications.
20) Peng, S. (2015). The impact of intercultural competence training on language learning. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 44(4), 313-329.
21) Risager, K. (2018). Representations of the world in language textbooks. Multilingual Matters.
22) Schulz, R. A. (2007). The challenge of assessing cultural understanding in the context of foreign language instruction. Foreign Language Annals, 40(1), 9-26.
23) Sercu, L., et al. (2005). Foreign language teachers and intercultural competence: An international investigation. Multilingual Matters.
24) Spradley, J. P. (1980). Participant observation. Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
25) Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
26) Wilkinson, S. (2002). The omnipresent classroom during summer study abroad: American students in conversation with their French hosts. The Modern Language Journal, 86(2), 157-173.