Intercultural competence of ELF teachers at university of economic and technical industries when teaching the course book “New headway, pre-intermediate, third edition”

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HA NOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES ************************ LƯƠNG THỊ THANH THẢO INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE OF EFL TEACHERS AT UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMIC AND TECHNICAL INDUSTRIES WHEN TEACHING THE COURSE BOOK “ NEW HEADWAY, PREINTERMEDIATE, THIRD EDITION” Năng lực liên văn hóa giáo viên Tiếng Anh Trường Đại học Kinh Tế Kỹ Thuật Cơng Nghiệp việc giảng dạy giáo trình “ New Headway, Pre-intermediate, Third edition” M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60140111 HANOI – 2016 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HA NOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES ************************ LƯƠNG THỊ THANH THẢO INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE OF EFL TEACHERS AT UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMIC AND TECHNICAL INDUSTRIES WHEN TEACHING THE COURSE BOOK “ NEW HEADWAY, PREINTERMEDIATE, THIRD EDITION” Năng lực liên văn hóa giáo viên Tiếng Anh Trường Đại học Kinh Tế Kỹ Thuật Công Nghiệp việc giảng dạy giáo trình “ New Headway, Pre-intermediate, Third edition” M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60140111 Supervisor: Prof Nguyen Quang HANOI – 2016 DECLARATION I, Lương Thị Thanh Thảo, hereby certify that the thesis “Intercultural Competence of EFL teachers at University of Economic and Technical Industries whenteaching the course book “New Headway, Pre-intermediate, Third Edition” ” is submitted for the partial fulfillment of the Degree of Master of Arts at the Faculty of Post Graduate Studies – University of Languages and International Studies – Vietnam National University, Hanoi I also declare that this thesis is result of my own research and efforts and that it has not been submitted for any other purposes Hanoi, 2016 Signature Lương Thị Thanh Thảo i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First of all, I would like to express my indebtedness and sincere gratitude to my supervisor Prof Assoc Nguyen Quang for his invaluable guidance and great support without which this thesis would not have been completed Besides, I am heartily thankful to all the lecturers and teachers of the Faculty of Post Graduate Studies – University of Languages and International Studies – Vietnam National University, Hanoi for their valuable and interesting lectures and assistance during my study at the university Many thanks would go to all the teachers of English at University of Economic and Technical Industries whose active participation and cooperation helped me to fulfill this study Last but not least, I send my special thanks to my family and my friends who provided abundant assistance and encouragement while this work was in progress ii ABSTRACT This study examines the intercultural competence of ELF teachers at University of Economic and Technical Industries, their self-report in teaching practice and the reflection of their intercultural competence on their teaching This study adopts a mixed methods research design Quantitative data are collected through a survey questionnaire from seventeen EFL teachers at University of Economic and Technical Industries Among them, four teachers participate in the follow-up interviews The findings of this study suggest that participating teachers’ perceive cultural teaching objectives reflect various aspects of an intercultural perspective toward culture teaching They are aware of the importance of intercultural competence in teaching however they have not applied frequently in teaching practice yet English language teachers concentrated on the factual knowledge and skills parts of teaching the language most of the time, which could be categorized within the pedagogy of information and the pedagogy of preparation respectively; either when they were presenting culture; when they were representing their teaching objectives; when they perceived the teaching of the ICC; or when they were using activities in their classrooms Less concentration was paid to actual teaching of culture, which could be categorized within the pedagogy of encounter; despite their realization of the importance of it to their students and their openness to other cultures iii TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT iii TABLE OF CONTENTS iv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS vii LIST OF TABLES viii LIST OF FIGURES ix LIST OF APPENDIXES x PART A: INTRODUCTION 1 Rationale of the study Aims and objectives of the study 2.1 Aims of the study 2.2 Objectives of the study Scope of the study Significance of the study Research Methodology 5.1 Research Questions 5.2 Research methods Design of the study PART B: DEVELOPMENT Chapter 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 Language and culture correlation 1.2 Intercultural competence 1.3 Byram’s perception of intercultural competence 10 iv 1.4 Review of related studies 12 Chapter 2: METHODOLOGY .14 2.1 Setting and participants 14 2.1.1 Setting 14 2.1.2 Participants 14 2.2 Data collection instrument 14 2.2.1 Questionnaire 14 2.2.2 Interview 16 2.3 Data collection procedure 16 2.4 Data analysis 17 2.4.1 Questionnaire Analysis 17 2.4.2 Interviews Analysis 17 Chapter 3: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 19 3.1 From quantitative data 19 3.1.1 Teachers’ perceptions of culture and intercultural competence 19 3.1.2 EFL teachers self-report their intercultural competence in teaching practice 23 3.1.3 Teachers’ IC reflected in their practice of teaching 28 3.2 From qualitative data 30 3.2.1 Teachers’ perceptions of culture and intercultural competence 30 3.2.2 Teaching objectives 34 3.2.3 How teachers perceive the teaching of intercultural competence in their classrooms 36 3.2.4 Teacher’s intercultural competence reflected in their self-report pedagogical practice 38 PART C: CONCLUSION .40 Summary of the Research and Main Findings 40 Limitations of the study .43 v Suggestions for further studies .44 REFERNCES 45 APPENDIX A: I APPENDIX B: X vi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS CC Communicative competence CEFR EFL Common European Framework of Reference for Languages English as a foreign language ELT English language teaching FLT Foreign language teaching IC Intercultural competence ICC Intercultural communicative competence ILTLP Intercultural Language Teaching and Learning in Practice SD Standard Deviation UNETI University of Economic and Technical Industries vii LIST OF TABLES Page Table 3.1: Definition of Culture from the Respondents’ Point of 19 View Table 3.2: Definition of Culture from the Respondents’ Point of 20 View Table 3.3: Teachers’ beliefs about cultural teaching objectives 22 Table 3.4: Frequency of Dealing with Particular Cultural Aspects 23 Table 3.5: Responses about having the chance to Create a 24 Multicultural Environment in the Language Classroom Table 3.6: Frequency of applying intercultural competence teaching 26 Table 3.7: Means for items showing a positive attitude to teaching 29 about culture Table 3.8: Means for items showing a negative attitude to teaching about culture viii 30 teaching In A.J Liddicoat & C Crozet (Eds.), Teaching 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Choose one answer for each statement from to 1; is “least agree with” and is “most agree with” a Culture is The geo-political aspects of a nation (e.g history, geography, economics and political developments) b The artistic dimension (e.g literature, music, art, etc.) c Behavioral patterns of people (e.g Customs, daily life, standard of living, religion, etc.) All three of the above d Do you have another definition? Question 2: How you define “Intercultural Competence”? Choose one answer for each statement from to 1; is “least agree with” and is “most agree with” a b c Intercultural Competence is: How to communicate interculturally with others Non-judgmental communication with other cultures A field of research that studies how people understand each other across group boundaries d It is how two different cultures relate to each other in terms of differences and similarities e Analyzing and adapting ones behavior when interacting with others Do you have another definition? II Question 3: To what degree you believe the following objectives are important for cultural teaching in EFL education? “Culture teaching” is Not important Somewhat Important Very important important a Providing information about daily life (e.g social/political conditions) in English speaking countries b Promoting understanding of different process of individual and social interactions in English and Vietnamese culture c Developing a curious/ tolerant/ respectful/open attitude towards other cultures and cultural difference d Promoting the ability to acquire new cultural knowledge from documents/events from English cultures e Promoting the ability to conduct effective communication with English speaking people f Promoting the ability to understand and critically interpret documents/events from English speaking culture g Promoting awareness and understanding of different values, beliefs, and ideologies of both Vietnamese and English speaking people h Fostering students’ respect for world cultural diversity Question 4: Please rate your ability, knowledge, or willingness ［ Please circle the answer］ (0= Not at all, 1= Very low, 1=Low, 3=Average, 4=High, 5= Very high) Not Very Very at Low Average High low high all a I am familiar with the cultural norms and expectations of English culture (e.g., food, eating manner, clothing, greetings, public III behaviours, etc.) b I can describe some important historical/social/political events that have shaped English cultures c I can contrast communicative behaviours of Vietnamese and English speaking people in social setting (e.g., family, school, office, etc.) d I can describe the history of relationships between Vietnam and English speaking countries e I can describe how some events in Vietnam are perceived by people from English speaking countries f I am interested in knowing unfamiliar aspects of English culture (e.g., history, traditions, and people’s values, etc.) g I am willing to understand differences between Vietnamese and English speaking people in their behaviors, values, and beliefs h I am interested in knowing the different ways that English speaking people see a particular event in Vietnam i I am willing to question my values and beliefs which are perceived differently by people from other cultures j I am able to identify how some misunderstandings happen in interactions between Vietnamese and English speaking people k While interacting with English speaking people, I adjust my behaviour, body language, and gesture according to what is considered appropriate by them m I am able to find out unfamiliar cultural information I come across in oral or written communication situations n Before I talk or write to English speaking people, I think about how they, with different cultural backgrounds, will feel about or react to what I am going to say or write IV 5 5 5 5 5 5 o I think I should not immediately judge people from other countries, because their behaviours might just be the result of cultural differences p I can recognize when some Vietnamese people communicate inappropriately to English speaking people q I am able to understand an English document in its own cultural context r I demonstrate awareness of seeing myself as a "culturally conditioned" person with personal habits and preferences s I am aware of the diversity in English cultures (e.g., differences in race, class, gender, and profession, etc.) t I demonstrate awareness of English speaking people’s reactions to me which reflect their cultural values u I demonstrate awareness of how my values and ethics are reflected in specific situations in my interaction with people from other countries B EFL teachers self-reported Intercultural competence in teaching practice using the course book “New headway, Pre-Intermediate, Third edition” Question 5: Please, choose one answer for each statement (1= Never; 2= Occasionally; 3= Often) a b c d e f How extensively you deal with particular cultural aspects? History, geography, political system Different ethnic and social groups Daily life and routines, food and drink etc Youth culture Education, professional life Traditions, folklore, tourist attractions g h i Literature Other cultural expressions (music, drama, art) Values and beliefs V Never Occasionally Often j International relations (political, economic and cultural), with students’ own country and other countries Question 6: Please, choose one answer for each statement: a b c d Do you have the chance to create a multicultural environment in your language classroom? I use videos, CD-ROMs or the internet to illustrate an aspect of a multicultural environment I invite a person(s) originating from an English speaking country (ies) to my classroom I bring objects originating from an English speaking country to my classroom I decorate my classroom with posters illustrating particular aspects of the English speaking culture (s) Never Occasionally Often Question 7: Please, choose one answer for each statement: a b c d e f g h i What kind(s) of culture teaching activities Never you practice during classroom teaching time? I ask my students to think about the image which the media promote of the English speaking culture(s) I tell my students what I heard (or read) about the English speaking countries or their culture (s) I tell my students why I find something fascinating or strange about the English speaking culture(s) I ask my students to independently explore an aspect of the English speaking culture (s) I ask my students to think about what it would be like to live in the English speaking countries I talk to my students about my own experiences in the English speaking countries I ask my students about their experiences in English speaking countries I ask my students to describe an aspect of their own culture in the English language I ask my students to participate in role-play situations in which they meet people from English VI Occasionally Often k l m n speaking countries I comment on the way in which the English speaking culture(s) are represented in the English language materials I am using in a particular class I ask my students to compare an aspect of their own culture with that aspect in the English speaking culture(s) I touch upon an aspect of the English speaking culture(s) regarding which I feel negatively disposed I talk with my students about stereotypes regarding English speaking countries’ people Question 8: How often you apply the following cultural teaching practices in your teaching? Never Sometimes Frequently Always a b c d e f g h I ask students to discuss the way in which Vietnamese people and Vietnamese culture is perceived by English speaking people I ask students to explore connotations and implications implied in documents/events from English cultures I ask students to share what they find fascinating or strange about English cultures I ask students to explore different perspectives Vietnamese and English speaking people may have on a particular event/phenomena I ask students to explore areas of misunderstandings in communications between Vietnamese and English speaking people and explain the causes I ask students to discuss how their own values and beliefs influence the way they perceive other cultures I ask students to use their cultural knowledge and skills to explain documents/events from English cultures I ask students to explore values, beliefs, and ideological perspectives implied in VII events/documents from English culture i I ask students to discuss the origins of stereotypes that Vietnamese people have for English cultures j Besides cultures of English speaking countries, I also touch upon cultures of other countries k I encourage students to questions their own values, beliefs, and perspectives which are perceived differently by people from other cultures C Teacher’s intercultural competence reflected in their self-reported pedagogical practice in classroom Question 9: Choose one answer for each statement from to 1; is “least agree with” and is “most agree with” a b c d e f g h i j k Statements In the language classroom, teaching culture is as important as teaching the language Intercultural education is best undertaken within the curriculum A language teacher should present a positive image of the culture(s) and society Before you can teach culture(s) or anything about intercultural dimension of language teaching, students have to possess a sufficiently high level of proficiency in the language itself Intercultural skills cannot be acquired at school Intercultural education has no affect whatsoever on students’ attitudes The more students know about the target language culture(s), the more tolerant they are Language teaching should enhance students understanding of their own cultural identity All students should acquire intercultural competence When you have a limited number of teaching periods, culture teaching has to give way to language teaching Every subject, not only language teaching, should promote the acquisition of intercultural VIII l m n o p q r skills A language teacher should present a realistic image of the culture(s), and therefore, should also touch upon negative sides of this culture and the society If one wants to be able to achieve anything at all as regards intercultural understanding, one should use texts written in the mother tongue and discuss these texts in the mother tongue, even when in a language classroom Teaching intercultural competence is important only if it is necessary for the students (e.g travelling) Language and culture cannot be taught in an integrated way You have to separate the two Intercultural education reinforces students’ already existing stereotypes of other people and culture(s)” Language problems lie at the heart of misunderstandings in international contacts, not cultural differences Language teaching should not only touch upon English culture(s) It should also deepen students’ understanding of their own culture Your contribution to this research project is greatly appreciated Thank you for your participating As a follow-up, I would like to invite you to an interview If you would like to share your ideas and opinions with me, please leave your contact information below I will contact you soon to arrange a time for the interview that is most convenient for you If you have any questions or concerns, please feel thanhthaolt3@gmail.com free to contact Name: Phone: Email: Please return this questionnaire as soon as possible Thank you! IX me at APPENDIX B: INTERVIEW QUESTIONS A Introduction Presentation of the researcher, the research study, its purpose, and estimated length of the interview B Teachers’ perception of Intercultural competence, teachers’ self-report and the relationship between them Teachers Definition of Culture, and Intercultural Competence How can you define the term “culture”? How you see culture in ELT? What does “Intercultural Competence” means to you? Teachers’ Awareness of the importance of Intercultural Competence in English teaching Do you think it is an important objective to work towards?  Yes Can you tell me why?  No Can you tell me why? Do you teach intercultural competence in your classroom?  Yes How?  No Are there any obstacles preventing you from doing so? Do you think your students are interested in culture learning?  Yes Can you explain more to me?  No Why you think so? X Do you think that intercultural competence can be assessed?  Yes How can you assess it?  No Why? The relationship between teacher’s perception of Intercultural competence and their selfreport What is the relationship between teacher’s Intercultural competence and their self-report? D Conclusion  Do you have any questions or comments?  Is there a possibility to contact you in future?  Thank you for your precious time XI