An investigation into tesol postgraduate learners intercultural awareness and their intercultural practices in efl teaching

BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC CẦN THƠ NGUYỄN THỊ XUÂN HUỆ AN INVESTIGATION INTO TESOL POSTGRADUATE LEARNERS’ INTERCULTURAL AWARENESS AND THEIR INTERCULTURAL PRACTICES IN EFL TEACHING LUẬN VĂN THẠC SĨ Chuyên ngành: Lí luận Phương pháp giảng dạy môn tiếng Anh Giáo viên hướng dẫn: TS THÁI CƠNG DÂN Cần Thơ, 2013 TĨM LƯỢC Khơi dậy nhận thức văn hóa khác phát triển lực giao tiếp liên văn hóa cho người học ngoại ngữ gần trở thành mục tiêu quan trọng việc giảng dạy ngoại ngữ Người ta tin giáo viên có lực giao tiếp liên văn hóa hướng dẫn học viên họ tốt trình phát triển nhận thức văn hóa khác lực giao tiếp liên văn hóa Nghiên cứu tiến hành nhằm đánh giá trình độ nhận thức văn hóa khác học viên sau đại học chuyên ngành giảng dạy tiếng Anh, để xem xét có hay khơng tương quan trình độ với hồi tưởng việc giảng dạy văn hóa khác họ Cụ thể nghiên cứu này, mục tiêu giảng dạy, nội dung giảng dạy cách thức giảng dạy hồi tưởng Năm mươi ba học viên sau đại học chuyên ngành giảng dạy tiếng Anh tham gia vào nghiên cứu này, hai phương pháp định lượng định tính sử dụng bao gồm bảng câu hỏi vấn Kết cho thấy trình độ nhận thức văn hóa khác đối tượng tham gia mức trung bình (M = 3.67) có mối tương quan tích cực trình độ với hồi tưởng việc giảng dạy văn hóa khác họ Tuy nhiên, nhiều lý cản trở việc ứng dụng liên quan đến văn hóa khác giảng dạy ngoại ngữ đề cập vấn Giảng dạy văn hóa khác cịn thách thức học viên sau đại học chuyên ngành giảng dạy tiếng Anh, nghiên cứu đưa đề xuất cho việc giảng dạy cho nghiên cứu tương lai ii ABSTRACT Arousing intercultural awareness and developing intercultural communication competence for foreign language learners have recently become significant objectives of foreign language teaching It is believed that teachers who are interculturally competent themselves can lead their learners better in the process of intercultural awareness and intercultural communication competence development This study was conducted to evaluate the TESOL postgraduate learners’ intercultural awareness level, and to examine whether or not that level correlates with their reflections of intercultural language teaching Particularly, teaching objectives, what they teach and how they teach in terms of intercultural teaching will be reflected Fifty-three TESOL postgraduate learners participated in this study in which both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed including questionnaires and follow-up interviews The findings revealed that intercultural awareness level of the participants is above average (M = 3.67) and there is a positive correlation between that level and each aspect of the intercultural language teaching Nevertheless, many reasons which hindered their intercultural language teaching in foreign language teaching were mentioned in the interviews Intercultural language teaching is still a challenge for TESOL postgraduate learners, so the current study was completed with pedagogical implications and suggestions for further researches iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Completion of this study was possible with the support of many kind individuals who I would like to particularly mention here My heartfelt appreciation goes to my supervisor, Dr Thai Cong Dan, who has been very supportive and patient during the time I worked on my research His outstanding knowledge and flexible thinking always set me at ease when we had discussions Despite of very tight schedule, he was always available to lend me the materials that he thought would be useful for my research, to give comments on my drafts or to suggest how I carried out my study in a better way For a novice researcher like me, he was a very dedicated guidance With indirect but persistent help, Dr Trinh Quoc Lap offered me not only useful advice in my initial step of selecting and generating the topic for my study but also useful articles for the literature review I am extremely grateful for what he has done for me as a considerate professor and experienced researcher Many thanks go to all of the participants including my fellow friends in the TESOL Postgraduate Course 18 and TESOL Postgraduate learners in Course 19 who enthusiastically took part in my study Thanks to their help, I was encouraged to complete my study Last but not least, my dearest family always plays an important role in my life Although we are in different provinces, their unconditional care and love help me have more courage to overcome all the obstacles and finish my study iv List of Abbreviations ICC Intercultural Communicative Competence ICA Intercultural Awareness Postgraduate Learner(s) PGL(s) EFL English as a Foreign Language TESOL Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages v Table of Contents Abstract iii Acknowledgements iv List of Abbreviations v Table of Contents vi List of Figures ix List of Tables x CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the study 1.2 Aims of the research 1.3 Significance of the study 1.4 Organization of the study CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Language and culture 2.1.1 Culture 2.1.2 Language and culture 2.1.3 Culture and learning a foreign language 2.2 Intercultural communication competence .9 2.2.1 Intercultural communication 2.2.2 Intercultural communication competence 11 2.2.3 Intercultural awareness 12 2.2.3.1 Definition of intercultural awareness Error! Bookmark not defin 2.2.3.2 Components of intercultural awarenessError! Bookmark not defi 2.2.3.2 Levels of intercultural awarenessError! Bookmark not defined 2.3 Intercultural language teaching 14 2.5 Studies relevant to the current research 17 2.6 Summary .19 vi CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 21 3.1 Research questions and hypothesis .21 3.1.1 Research questions 21 3.1.2 Research hypothesis 21 3.2 Research design .22 3.3 Participants 23 3.4 Research Instruments 24 3.4.1 Questionnaire 24 3.4.2 Interview 26 3.5 Data collection procedure 26 3.5.1 Administering the questionnaire 27 3.5.2 Administering the interview 27 3.6 Data analysis procedure 27 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS 29 4.1 The results from the questionnaires 29 4.1.1 Participants’ ICA level 29 4.1.2 Correlation between participants’ ICA level and their reflections of intercultural language teaching 30 4.2 Interview data 36 4.2.1 Intercultural language teaching and problems hindering participants’ intercultural language teaching 37 4.2.2 Interviewees’ self-improvement of intercultural language teaching and their expectations towards intercultural language teaching 39 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS 41 5.1 Major findings .41 5.2 Pedagogical implications .42 5.3 Limitations 44 5.4 Suggestions for further research 45 vii REFERENCES 46 APPENDICES 52 APPENDIX 52 APPENDIX 59 APPENDIX 61 viii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 3.1 Explanatory mixed methods design (Creswell, 2007) .22 Figure 3.2 Courses that TESOL PGLs have been teaching 24 Figure 4.1 TESOL PGLs’ objectives towards intercultural language teaching 31 Figure 4.2 The frequency of touching upon cultural topics 22 Figure 5.1 At which levels should each type of culture be stressed more (BBenahnia, 1992) .44 ix LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1 Reliability 26 Table 4.1 Participants' intercultural awareness level 29 Table 4.2 Frequently used activities 33 Table 4.3 Occassionally used activities 34 Table 4.4 Overall scores of ICA level, objectives, cultural topics and activities 35 Table 4.5 Correlation between ICA level and objectives, cultural topics and activities 35 Table 4.6 Interviewees’ professional information 36 x Summary Item Statistics Mean Item Means 3.083 Minimu Maximu m m 2.038 3.906 Range Maximum / Minimum Variance 1.868 1.917 N of Items 362 17 Item-Total Statistics Scale Mean Scale Corrected if Item Variance if Item-Total Deleted Item Deleted Correlation S32Topic1 S3Q2Topic2 S3Q2Topic3 S3Q2Topic4 S3Q2Topic5 S3Q2Topic6 S3Q2Topic7 S3Q2Topic8 S3Q2Topic9 S3Q2Topic10 S3Q2Topic11 S3Q2Topic12 S3Q2Topic13 S3Q2Topic14 S3Q2Topic15 S3Q2Topic16 S3Q2Topic17 50.0189 48.6226 48.5660 48.7736 49.7736 49.5283 48.6226 49.6792 49.7547 50.0566 49.0189 48.5094 48.8113 50.3774 49.7925 49.4151 49.3208 56.327 54.509 56.904 54.640 53.294 53.908 52.009 50.530 51.612 51.478 53.327 53.447 55.387 53.355 51.283 56.171 52.376 285 461 291 501 521 537 613 601 549 529 448 524 359 482 483 202 459 69 Squared Cronbach's Multiple Alpha if Correlation Item Deleted 331 426 393 503 755 744 634 572 718 559 598 594 570 674 534 528 571 848 841 848 840 838 838 834 833 836 837 842 838 846 840 841 855 841 Frequency Table S3Q2Topic1 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 7.5 7.5 7.5 27 50.9 50.9 58.5 19 35.8 35.8 94.3 5.7 5.7 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total S3Q2Topic2 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 5.7 5.7 5.7 11 20.8 20.8 26.4 33 62.3 62.3 88.7 11.3 11.3 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total S3Q2Topic3 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 2 3.8 3.8 3.8 15.1 15.1 18.9 39 73.6 73.6 92.5 7.5 7.5 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total 70 S3Q2Topic4 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 2 3.8 3.8 3.8 18 34.0 34.0 37.7 30 56.6 56.6 94.3 5.7 5.7 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total S3Q2Topic5 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 7.5 7.5 7.5 17 32.1 32.1 39.6 26 49.1 49.1 88.7 11.3 11.3 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total S3Q2Topic6 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 1 1.9 1.9 1.9 13 24.5 24.5 26.4 30 56.6 56.6 83.0 17.0 17.0 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total 71 S3Q2Topic7 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 1 1.9 1.9 1.9 2 3.8 3.8 5.7 12 22.6 22.6 28.3 30 56.6 56.6 84.9 15.1 15.1 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total S3Q2Topic8 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 9.4 9.4 9.4 16 30.2 30.2 39.6 23 43.4 43.4 83.0 11.3 11.3 94.3 5.7 5.7 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total S3Q2Topic9 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 15.1 15.1 15.1 11 20.8 20.8 35.8 25 47.2 47.2 83.0 17.0 17.0 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total 72 S3Q2Topic10 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 10 18.9 18.9 18.9 22 41.5 41.5 60.4 14 26.4 26.4 86.8 11.3 11.3 98.1 1.9 1.9 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total S3Q2Topic11 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 3.8 3.8 3.8 9.4 9.4 13.2 19 35.8 35.8 49.1 24 45.3 45.3 94.3 5.7 5.7 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total S3Q2Topic12 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 2 3.8 3.8 3.8 12 22.6 22.6 26.4 28 52.8 52.8 79.2 11 20.8 20.8 100.0 Total 53 100.0 100.0 73 S3Q2Topic13 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 5.7 5.7 5.7 20 37.7 37.7 43.4 25 47.2 47.2 90.6 5 9.4 9.4 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total S3Q2Topic14 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 14 26.4 26.4 26.4 26 49.1 49.1 75.5 10 18.9 18.9 94.3 5.7 5.7 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total S3Q2Topic15 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 13.2 13.2 13.2 20 37.7 37.7 50.9 15 28.3 28.3 79.2 15.1 15.1 94.3 5.7 5.7 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total 74 S3Q2Topic16 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 5.7 5.7 5.7 13 24.5 24.5 30.2 19 35.8 35.8 66.0 17 32.1 32.1 98.1 1.9 1.9 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total S3Q2Topic17 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 5.7 5.7 5.7 10 18.9 18.9 24.5 23 43.4 43.4 67.9 13 24.5 24.5 92.5 7.5 7.5 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total Question Reliability Statistics Cronbach's Alpha Based on Standardized Items Cronbach's Alpha 941 941 75 N of Items 18 Item-Total Statistics Scale Mean if Scale Variance Item Deleted if Item Deleted Corrected Item-Total Correlation Squared Multiple Correlation Cronbach's Alpha if Item Deleted S3Q3S1 48.8868 154.372 489 811 941 S3Q3S2 48.6981 152.330 581 824 940 S3Q3S3 48.9057 154.049 510 611 941 S3Q3S4 48.2830 149.784 716 659 937 S3Q3S5 48.3774 150.047 704 715 937 S3Q3S6 48.5472 152.829 612 644 939 S3Q3S7 49.0000 148.192 693 797 937 S3Q3S8 49.0377 148.614 708 767 937 S3Q3S9 49.0566 149.978 675 760 938 S3Q3S10 49.2830 149.091 699 760 937 S3Q3S11 48.9434 148.208 707 717 937 S3Q3S12 49.0755 148.456 721 818 937 S3Q3S13 49.3585 146.927 761 755 936 S3Q3S14 49.5283 149.985 647 605 938 S3Q3S15 48.9057 153.049 507 542 941 S3Q3S16 49.0566 146.593 696 859 937 S3Q3S17 49.1321 146.732 801 814 935 S3Q3S18 49.0377 147.345 747 800 936 76 Summary Item Statistics Mean Item Means Maximum / Minimum Variance Minimum Maximum Range 2.879 2.302 3.547 1.245 1.541 N of Items 100 18 Frequency Table S3Q5S1 Cumulative Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent 3.8 3.8 3.8 17 32.1 32.1 35.8 20 37.7 37.7 73.6 10 18.9 18.9 92.5 7.5 7.5 100.0 Total 53 100.0 100.0 Valid S3Q3S2 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 1 1.9 1.9 1.9 16 30.2 30.2 32.1 14 26.4 26.4 58.5 19 35.8 35.8 94.3 5.7 5.7 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total 77 S3Q3S3 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 11.3 11.3 11.3 15.1 15.1 26.4 24 45.3 45.3 71.7 14 26.4 26.4 98.1 1.9 1.9 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total S3Q3S4 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 15.1 15.1 15.1 17 32.1 32.1 47.2 19 35.8 35.8 83.0 17.0 17.0 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total S3Q3S5 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 1 1.9 1.9 1.9 11.3 11.3 13.2 22 41.5 41.5 54.7 16 30.2 30.2 84.9 15.1 15.1 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total 78 S3Q3S6 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 12 22.6 22.6 22.6 18 34.0 34.0 56.6 19 35.8 35.8 92.5 7.5 7.5 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total S3Q3S7 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 11.3 11.3 11.3 14 26.4 26.4 37.7 19 35.8 35.8 73.6 11 20.8 20.8 94.3 5.7 5.7 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total S3Q3S8 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 9.4 9.4 9.4 17 32.1 32.1 41.5 17 32.1 32.1 73.6 12 22.6 22.6 96.2 3.8 3.8 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total 79 S3Q3S9 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 9.4 9.4 9.4 15 28.3 28.3 37.7 23 43.4 43.4 81.1 13.2 13.2 94.3 5.7 5.7 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total S3Q3S10 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 13.2 13.2 13.2 21 39.6 39.6 52.8 16 30.2 30.2 83.0 13.2 13.2 96.2 3.8 3.8 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total S3Q3S11 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 13.2 13.2 13.2 17.0 17.0 30.2 22 41.5 41.5 71.7 13 24.5 24.5 96.2 3.8 3.8 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total 80 S3Q3S12 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 11.3 11.3 11.3 15 28.3 28.3 39.6 20 37.7 37.7 77.4 10 18.9 18.9 96.2 3.8 3.8 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total S3Q3S13 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 11 20.8 20.8 20.8 16 30.2 30.2 50.9 17 32.1 32.1 83.0 15.1 15.1 98.1 1.9 1.9 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total S3Q3S14 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 11 20.8 20.8 20.8 24 45.3 45.3 66.0 11 20.8 20.8 86.8 9.4 9.4 96.2 3.8 3.8 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total 81 S3Q3S15 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 9.4 9.4 9.4 13 24.5 24.5 34.0 19 35.8 35.8 69.8 13 24.5 24.5 94.3 5.7 5.7 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total S3Q3S16 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 9.4 9.4 9.4 23 43.4 43.4 52.8 15.1 15.1 67.9 13 24.5 24.5 92.5 7.5 7.5 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total S3Q3S17 Frequency Valid Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent 7.5 7.5 7.5 23 43.4 43.4 50.9 13 24.5 24.5 75.5 11 20.8 20.8 96.2 3.8 3.8 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total 82 S3Q3S18 Frequency Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid Percent 5.7 5.7 5.7 22 41.5 41.5 47.2 15 28.3 28.3 75.5 17.0 17.0 92.5 7.5 7.5 100.0 53 100.0 100.0 Total Descriptive Statistics Mean S2 S3.1 S3.2 S3.3 Std Deviation 3.6726 4.1014 3.0832 2.8795 39742 52581 45527 71874 S2 S2 N S3.1 Pearson Correlation S3.2 S3.3 493** 655** 636** 000 000 000 53 53 53 Sig (2-tailed) N 53 ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) 83 53 53 53 53 ... reflections of intercultural language teaching Data were then analyzed and synthesized to gain an insight into their teaching practices including their activities, 27 their challenges and what they... the intercultural language teaching Nevertheless, many reasons which hindered their intercultural language teaching in foreign language teaching were mentioned in the interviews Intercultural language... the intercultural awareness level of TESOL PGLs alongside their reflections of intercultural language teaching Hopefully, the study can significantly notify and enhance their intercultural awareness