Efl high school teachers’ perceptions of using authentic materials in developing intercultural communicative competence

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING CAN THO UNIVERSITY LE BAO TRAN EFL HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF USING AUTHENTIC MATERIALS IN DEVELOPING INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE

INTRODUCTION

Rationale .1 1.2

In the era of international integration, people have more opportunities to step into other countries around the world Consequently, English – the international language with

With approximately 1.5 billion English speakers globally, either as native or second-language users, English has emerged as a vital international communication tool (Szmichiera, 2022) This shift compels English teachers to focus on developing students' communicative skills within multicultural settings, fostering global citizenship rather than merely concentrating on grammatical exercises (Tran & Duong, 2018) To achieve this, it is essential to prioritize both cultural competence and intercultural communicative competence (ICC), as language and culture are inherently intertwined (Fajriyah, Lestari, & Aswandi, 2020) Hennebry (2013) further emphasizes that culture often remains an overlooked aspect of language education Ultimately, the effective learning of a new language is deeply connected to the enhancement of cultural understanding, highlighting the inseparability of language and culture.

However, in the reality of English language teaching in Vietnamese high schools,

“cultural competence has often been ignored in EFL because language teaching has been influenced by the study of grammatical forms” (Byram, 1997, cited in Gómez,

2012) Accordingly, although The Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR

In 2001, Lázár highlighted essential competencies that language learners should develop during their school years, emphasizing that the primary focus of language education remains on enhancing grammatical and lexical skills (Gómez, 2011).

2012) As a result, most of the students are less competent in both intercultural knowledge and communicative ability.

According to Tran and Duong (2018), teachers often overlook culture and intercultural communication in their teaching due to several factors One significant reason, as noted by Onalan (2005), is that teachers prioritize practical aspects of communication, viewing culture merely as a supplementary element rather than a core focus Additionally, the constraints of a compulsory curriculum and a test-based teaching model, highlighted by Hong (2008), make it challenging for educators to allocate sufficient time to cultural instruction, as it constitutes only a minor part of the overall grading criteria.

Teachers often struggle to effectively teach culture due to insufficient training and a lack of confidence in their knowledge of the target culture (Gonen & Saglam, 2012) Additionally, many EFL textbooks provide limited cultural information (Gómez, 2012), making it difficult for educators to identify effective teaching strategies and create a comprehensive framework for cultural instruction This limitation hampers their ability to develop suitable teaching activities that explore cultural aspects Consequently, students may learn "artificial language" from textbooks, which does not prepare them for authentic communication in real-world contexts (Stryker & Leaver, 1997).

The use of authentic materials in teaching English significantly enhances intercultural communicative competence, establishing its importance as a global communication tool Theoretical insights from Gower, Philips, and Walters support this connection, highlighting the effectiveness of real-world resources in language education.

According to Gower, Phillips, and Walters (2005), authentic materials in the language classroom significantly enhance students' intrinsic motivation, interest, and confidence by providing real-life examples that facilitate language acquisition These materials encourage active involvement and foster comparisons, particularly in multicultural settings, leading students to engage in authentic tasks independently Despite these benefits, many EFL teachers remain uncertain about the true relationship between authentic materials and the development of intercultural communicative competence.

This research explores the advantages and challenges of teaching intercultural communicative competence in high schools, particularly in rural settings, from the perspective of EFL teachers It aims to assess the impact of authentic materials on enhancing students' intercultural communicative skills and identifies common obstacles teachers encounter when integrating these materials into their instruction.

Intercultural communicative competence is essential for enhancing teaching methods in this area By focusing on this key element, we can propose effective solutions to improve the process of teaching intercultural communication skills in the future.

1.2 Research aims and research questions

This research explores the perceptions of EFL high school teachers regarding the use of authentic materials to enhance students' intercultural communicative competence in the Mekong Delta's educational context Additionally, it aims to identify the common challenges these teachers face when integrating authentic materials into their ICC teaching practices.

The research attempted to answer the following two questions:

1 What are EFL high school teachers’ perceptions of using authentic materials in developing intercultural communicative competence?

2 What are the common challenges in applying authentic materials that EFL high school teachers may encounter in the process of intercultural communicative competence development?

This thesis is organized into five chapters: Chapter One introduces the study's rationale, aims, research questions, significance, and ethical considerations Chapter Two offers a critical literature review on teacher perceptions, authentic materials, and intercultural communicative competence Chapter Three details the research methodology, including design, participants, instruments, and procedures Chapter Four presents the study's findings and discussions, while Chapter Five concludes with results, pedagogical suggestions, study limitations, and recommendations for future research.

1.4 The significance of the study

This study aims to reveal high school teachers' perceptions regarding the use of authentic materials in teaching Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) By gaining insights from experienced EFL teachers, the findings will help educators enhance their teaching strategies and better tailor their lesson plans Additionally, the study provides valuable recommendations for fostering students' ICC development, ultimately boosting EFL teachers' confidence in their instructional practices.

Three high schools have adopted diverse teaching practices that enhance educational experiences and improve overall quality This study also encourages further research by inspiring other scholars to explore various dimensions of teaching Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) and the integration of authentic materials.

This chapter first presents the definitions of teachers’ perceptions.

The article discusses essential reviews of authentic materials, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages along with selection criteria It also presents a comprehensive overview of both theoretical and empirical literature related to intercultural communicative competence (ICC).

This section outlines the dimensions of Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) The concluding part of the article reviews prior studies on authentic materials, their role in enhancing intercultural communicative competence, and the effects of utilizing these materials on the development of ICC.

The current chapter ends up with summarizing the working theoretical framework applied in this research.

Teacher’s perceptions 5 2.2

The concepts of "beliefs" and "teacher's beliefs" play a significant role in psychological and pedagogical discussions Beliefs are understood as subjective, experience-based knowledge (Pehkonen & Pietilọ, 2003; Gilakjani & Sabouri, 2017), while "teacher's belief" refers to personal judgments formed through individual experiences (Raymond, 1997) The IRIS center describes teacher perceptions as mental images shaped by diverse factors, including family history, education, culture, and community According to Smith (2001), perceptions are transient events that occur at specific moments, and there is a strong link between beliefs and perceptions, where perceptions serve as the acquisition of beliefs, making the belief in one's current existence crucial for perceiving any object.

If belief is an integral element in perception, it ought to relate us believingly to all the perceived features of perception’s objects equally and in the same manner.

Since the definitions of teacher’s beliefs and teacher’s perceptions share some similarities, the author decided to regard these two terms as one in this study Rokeach

In 1968, beliefs were defined as propositions, whether conscious or unconscious, that can be inferred from an individual's actions or statements, often preceded by "I believe that " (Pajares, 1992) Expanding on this, Khader (2012) describes "teachers' beliefs" as a collection of ideas deeply embedded in a teacher's psychological and mental framework, which significantly influences their teaching behavior.

“belief” is also regarded as ``a set of conceptual representations which signify to its holder a reality or given state of affairs of sufficient validity, truth or trustworthiness to warrant reliance

Beliefs serve as a framework for personal thought and action (Harvey, 1986) Peacock (2001) describes beliefs as psychological appreciations or assumptions about the world that individuals perceive as accurate Huang (1997) specifically defines beliefs in the context of language learning, referring to them as preconceptions that learners hold about the process of acquiring a new language.

(1997, as cited in Gilakjani & Sabouri, 2017) and Wang (1996, as cited in Gilakjani & Sabouri, 2017), “beliefs” can be simplified as the terms “opinions” and “ideas” or

Beliefs, as defined by various researchers over time, primarily stem from three key sources: the personal experiences of the teacher, particularly in teaching; the teacher's experiences as a student; and the teacher's knowledge of the school curriculum.

1996) Thus, when the teachers’ life experiences expand due to variable authentic situations they coped with, their own beliefs could be changed, to be better or worse.

Beliefs in teaching evolve gradually, shaped by the cumulative experiences educators gain throughout their careers As teachers deepen their professional knowledge, they cultivate a unique belief system that can restrict their understanding, judgment, and behavior in the classroom (Kagan, 1992, as cited in Gilakjani and Sabouri, 2017).

Researchers have emphasized the need to distinguish between "beliefs" and "knowledge," highlighting four key features: existential presumption, alternativity, affective and evaluative loading, and episodic structure (Nespor, 1987) Griffin and Ohlsson (2001) argued that knowledge represents a proposition, while belief reflects the truth value associated with that proposition Quine and Ullian (1970) noted that individuals can possess knowledge of a proposition but may believe it to be true or false Nespor further asserted that knowledge is semantically stored, whereas beliefs are rooted in episodic memory, often derived from personal experiences or cultural narratives, sometimes referred to as "folklore" (Buchmann & Schwille, 1983) Ernest (1989) suggested that knowledge results from cognitive processes, while belief is primarily an affective outcome, though it also contains a cognitive element Understanding the distinctions between knowledge and beliefs is crucial for developing effective assessment measures to evaluate changes in each area (Griffin & Ohlsson, 2001) For example, when assessing knowledge change, participants should focus on demonstrating their understanding of new concepts rather than expressing their personal beliefs.

6 influential than knowledge in determining how individuals organize and define tasks and problems and are stronger predictors of behavior”.

In the field of education, teachers’ beliefs take significant responsibility for “guiding our goals, emotions, decisions, actions, and reactions” (Bandura, 1997) Fives and Buehl

In 2016, a framework was proposed that categorizes teachers' beliefs into six key groups: (a) beliefs about self, encompassing teachers' sense of efficacy, identity, and their role; (b) beliefs about context, which includes the school climate, culture, and relationships with colleagues, parents, and administration; (c) beliefs about content, focusing on teachers' knowledge of subjects such as mathematics, science, literacy, and social studies; (d) beliefs about specific teaching practices, including methods like cooperative learning and inquiry-based strategies; (e) beliefs about teaching approaches, covering philosophies such as constructivism and developmentally appropriate practices; and (f) beliefs about students, addressing diversity, exceptionalities, language differences, and learning development.

Teachers' beliefs are essential in understanding their thought processes, teaching methods, and learning to teach (2009) These beliefs significantly influence teacher education, guiding educators in developing their thoughts and principles According to Century (2023), teachers' beliefs about their students can impact their willingness to change practices Li (2012) emphasized that beliefs play a crucial role in language teaching, shaping how individuals interpret new information and influencing acceptance or rejection Consequently, understanding "teachers' beliefs" is vital for educational development, as it affects and directs teachers' behaviors and practices in their teaching activities.

2.2.1 The definition of authentic material

Authentic material in language learning refers to real-life texts created for native speakers, encompassing various resources such as newspapers, videos, and novels that are not specifically designed for educational purposes According to Berardo (2006), these materials contain genuine language and serve social purposes within the language community They encourage learners to focus on meaning and content, making them feel as though they are engaging with the target language as it is used in real-world contexts (Marzban & Davaji, 2015) This approach enhances the learning experience by connecting classroom knowledge with authentic language use outside of academic settings (Nunan, 1989, as cited in Assiddiq, 2019).

Authentic materials refer to spoken or written content that is not specifically created for educational purposes, making it applicable in real-life situations According to Wallace (1992), these materials consist of genuine texts that serve a communicative purpose, primarily intended for native speakers.

Authentic materials are prevalent in various aspects of our daily lives, including newspaper and magazine articles, TV and radio broadcasts, conversations, meetings, documents, speeches, and films Gebhard (1996) categorized these authentic materials into three primary groups.

Authentic listening and viewing materials encompass a diverse range of media, including TV commercials, quiz shows, cartoons, news clips, comedy shows, movies, soap operas, professionally recorded audio, short stories, novels, radio advertisements, songs, documentaries, and sales pitches These resources provide valuable content for enhancing language skills and cultural understanding.

*Authentic Visual Materials: Slides, photographs, paintings, children’s artwork, stick figure drawings, wordless street signs, silhouettes, pictures from a magazine, ink blots, postcard pictures, wordless picture books, stamps, and X-rays.

Authentic printed materials encompass a diverse range of items, including newspaper articles, movie advertisements, astrology columns, sports reports, and obituary columns They also feature advice columns, song lyrics, restaurant menus, street signs, and cereal boxes Additional examples include candy wrappers, tourist information brochures, university catalogs, telephone books, maps, TV guides, comic books, greeting cards, grocery coupons, message pins, and bus schedules These materials serve as valuable resources for information and entertainment in everyday life.

The growing criticism of "interrogation-style" dialogues in textbooks, the use of artificially created teaching materials, and the gap between textbook grammar and actual spoken language has led to increased concerns about the authenticity of teaching resources Cheng (2023) emphasizes that language authenticity is intrinsically linked to teaching methods, pedagogical concepts, and our perceptions of language itself Since Sweet (1899), discussions on the authenticity of foreign language teaching materials have broadened to encompass aspects such as learner authenticity and classroom practices (Breen 1985; Lee et al., 1995; Guariento & Morley, 2001) Despite this, the authenticity of instructional materials remains a pivotal issue (Gilmore, 2007; Rings, 1986) Therefore, ongoing theoretical research and practical initiatives that utilize real materials are essential for developing effective instructional resources.

2.2.2 Advantages of authentic materials in the classroom

Numerous studies have explored the effects of authentic materials in the educational process, highlighting their significant advantages Fitriana, Hadijah, and Lestari (2019) emphasize that authentic materials allow teachers to present students with factual data from real-world contexts, equipping them with relevant information applicable to real-life situations Widdowson (1990) argues that the language taught in classrooms should reflect authenticity, while Underwood (1989) notes that authentic materials enable learners to engage in genuine communication, incorporating interactional features absent in scripted materials.

Research aims, research questions

This study aims to explore the perceptions of EFL high school teachers regarding the use of authentic materials to enhance students' intercultural communicative competence within the Mekong Delta's educational framework Additionally, the research seeks to identify the common challenges that these teachers face when integrating authentic materials into their ICC teaching practices.

The research attempted to deal with two questions:

1 What are EFL high school teachers’ perceptions of using authentic materials in developing intercultural communicative competence?

2 What are the common challenges in applying authentic materials that EFL high school teachers may encounter in the process of intercultural communicative competence development?

Research design

This research employs a descriptive mixed-methods approach, deemed practical for examining specific phenomena and proposing solutions (Han, 2010; Isaac & Michael, 1997) It effectively addresses the study's goal of exploring the relationship between authentic materials and intercultural communicative competence (ICC).

Descriptive research is a powerful tool for gathering information from large population samples, making it valuable across various fields, including education This research approach utilizes validated models and offers multiple methods for data collection, such as observational methods, case studies, and surveys, enabling researchers to choose the most suitable options for their studies.

Participants

The study involved fifty-two English teachers from high schools in the Mekong Delta, specifically those teaching grade 10 students affected by the new upper secondary curriculum aimed at enhancing language skills and communicative competence Participants' ages ranged from 28 to 48, and all had over three years of teaching experience at their respective schools, providing them with valuable insights into the curriculum and the teaching process Their willingness to participate actively in the research facilitated the collection of relevant data and the execution of further experiments.

A total of thirty-two out of fifty teachers participated in the piloting stage of the questionnaire, while three additional teachers were involved in piloting the interview instrument To ensure accurate understanding and to foster self-confidence, the interviews were conducted in Vietnamese To protect participant confidentiality, names were replaced with pseudonyms, and all interview content was transcribed and shared with volunteers for member checking The participants' basic characteristics are detailed in Table 3.3.

Table 3.3 Demographic characteristics of participants (N = 52)

The mixed-methods approach was applied to collect the data, in which both quantitative and qualitative techniques were employed.

To investigate EFL high school teachers' perceptions of using authentic materials in teaching culture, a questionnaire was distributed to fifty-two participants The survey included a background information section, gathering details such as email addresses, teaching experience, grade levels taught, and key aspects of the Communication and Culture curriculum they emphasized The descriptive study section evaluated four key areas: knowledge, attitude, skills, and awareness, using a five-point Likert scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree, based on the frameworks established by Fantini and Tirmizi (2006).

The researcher selected a specific set of questionnaires deemed appropriate for the study's context, which is centered around high schools Both studies share a similar objective: to evaluate the regular use of authentic materials in English language teaching Given the researcher's primary focus on teachers' perceptions of teaching Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) through authentic materials, it is essential to modify certain questions from the original questionnaire.

The questionnaire comprised 32 items, focusing on teachers' evaluations of how authentic materials enhance students' understanding of cultural norms and taboos Teachers assessed students' abilities to identify similarities and differences between Vietnamese culture and the target culture, as well as their knowledge of historical and socio-political factors present in authentic materials The evaluation also included students' comprehension of behavioral patterns across cultures, their grasp of cultural definitions and complexities, and the impact of authentic materials on recognizing and managing cultural shock Additionally, teachers considered whether students were exposed to language and culture learning methods through these materials, culminating in an assessment of the cross-cultural adjustment stages experienced by students as observed by teachers.

The second part of the questionnaire assessed teachers' perceptions of how authentic materials influence their students' attitudes It began with item 1, which gauged students' enthusiasm for engaging with individuals from English-speaking countries Item 2 focused on evaluating students' communication appropriateness and behaviors In item 3, teachers reflected on their students' responses to cultural shocks Item 4 examined students' ability to adopt different roles in various contexts Item 5 explored students' interest in new cultural elements introduced by authentic materials, while item 6 assessed changes in students' attitudes, values, and styles related to the target culture.

Teachers evaluated their students' behavioral and attitudinal adaptation to using English, focusing specifically on the opportunities for maturity and decision-making that authentic materials provide.

The impact of authentic materials on students' skills was evaluated through a questionnaire, focusing on various aspects of cultural interaction and adaptation Teachers assessed students' flexibility in engaging with members of the target culture, their ability to employ appropriate language and cultural learning strategies, and their capacity to navigate different social situations They also rated students' methods for managing stress and adapting to the target culture, as well as the adequacy of authentic materials in enhancing students' personal interaction styles Additionally, the questionnaire measured the influence of these materials on resolving cross-cultural conflicts and misunderstandings, students' adjustment skills regarding cultural behaviors and attire, and their ability to compare their own culture with the host culture based on insights gained from authentic materials.

The final section of the questionnaire explored teachers' views on the impact of authentic materials on students' cultural awareness Teachers were asked to comment on students' understanding of the similarities and differences between their own culture and the target culture, as well as the influence of authentic materials on students' interactions in various cultural contexts They also evaluated students' awareness of how members of the host culture perceive them and assessed the effectiveness of authentic materials in fostering recognition of the target culture's diversity Additionally, teachers used a self-assessment tool to gauge students' personal values through their responses to ethical dilemmas.

Thirty teachers assessed their students' abilities to understand different cultural styles and language usage, as well as their impact on social and professional contexts Item 7 enabled educators to evaluate the extent to which students could identify their own intercultural development levels The final item focused on students' ability to recognize the intercultural development levels of their colleagues.

To explore teachers' perspectives on teaching culture, semi-structured interviews were conducted, each lasting approximately fifteen minutes An interview guide featuring primary open-ended questions and relevant themes was utilized, which is crucial for the semi-structured format (Arksey and Knight, 1999; Edwards and Holland, 2013) This guide aids the researcher by providing a structured list of topics while allowing for additional questions that encourage clarification and deeper insights, thus enabling spontaneous and comprehensive responses (McCracken, 1988; Grindsted, 2005).

Edwards and Holland (2013) highlight that an interview guide in semi-structured interviews facilitates the exploration of unexpected issues while maintaining a clear agenda for comparability This approach offers interviewers increased flexibility, making it particularly beneficial for investigating under-researched topics (Kvale, 1996; Wengraf, 2001; Diefenbach, 2009; Creswell, 2013) The study aims not only to evaluate the effectiveness of authentic materials in cultural teaching from teachers' perspectives but also to uncover the techniques and strategies they employ to navigate challenges and achieve success in teaching culture based on their personal experiences.

Procedures 31 3.6

Before conducting the research, a preparation stage was essential, during which the original questionnaire was distributed to 32 out of 52 English teachers to assess its reliability This preliminary version contained 32 items organized into four clusters: knowledge, attitudes, skills, and awareness The final questionnaire maintained the same number of clusters and items, but the content of each item was slightly revised before being provided to participants in both English and Vietnamese The reliability of this official version was deemed acceptable, with a coefficient of α=0.91.

The Vietnamese version of the informal interview questions was tested with three English teachers who did not participate in the main interview, aiming to assess the clarity and potential issues related to wording, meaning, and question order The pilot interviews revealed that the questions were sufficiently clear, requiring no significant modifications in the final version, with each interview lasting approximately fifteen minutes.

After the piloting stage, the procedure of conducting the research continues being presented in Table 3.5.

Table 3.5 The procedure of the research

Week 1 – 3 -Adjusting and adapting the questionnaire -Designing questions for the interview -Correcting the questionnaire and interview questions after the supervisor’s feedback -Piloting the questionnaire

Week 4 -Delivering the pilot questionnaire to the participants -Analyzing the pilot data

Week 5 – 7 -Implementing delivering questionnaire to the participants -Conducting the informal interview

Week 8 – 10 -Analyzing the data from the questionnaire

Week 11 – 12 -Analyzing the data from the interview

After the pilot phase, on the basis of the feedback and piloting results, the instruments were redesigned and then officially implemented in the main participants group of the study.

The researcher distributed questionnaires with clear instructions to all participants through Google links and printed copies To facilitate understanding, a five-level scale was utilized, and detailed explanations of each section were provided in both English and Vietnamese This approach ensured that participants were well-prepared for the questions Once completed, the questionnaires were collected for subsequent data analysis using SPSS software.

32 was employed to analyze the data collected from the questionnaire Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the responses of the participants.

Following the completion of the pilot phase, five EFL high school teachers participated in a Vietnamese version interview The interview content was meticulously recorded, transcribed, and translated into English, ensuring accuracy through thorough checks Subsequently, the collected data underwent a systematic analysis using a thematic framework adapted from Braun and Clarke.

The process outlined in 2006 consists of six key phases: becoming familiar with the data, generating initial codes, searching for themes, reviewing themes, defining themes, and writing up the findings This framework was applied to analyze teachers' perceptions regarding the influence of authentic materials on the development of intercultural communicative competence, leading to a thorough decoding of the data.

Successful research adheres to ethical values, requiring researchers to evaluate the morality of their studies (Fraenkel, Wallen, & Hyun, 2012) Protecting participants' physical and psychological safety is paramount, along with maintaining confidentiality by using pseudonyms and securing permission for any personal information used Participants must be informed about the research purpose, voluntarily consent to participate, and retain the right to withdraw at any time Additionally, researchers must ensure that their findings do not harm individuals or organizations before publication Respecting the work of previous authors is also essential, which is upheld through proper citations and references of adapted or adopted materials.

The quality of a study is primarily assessed through its reliability and validity Reliability indicates the consistency of a measurement or experimental procedure in interpreting the intended construct (Norris & Ortega, 2003, as cited in Rogers & Révész, 2020) In contrast, validity pertains to the study's overall soundness, reflecting how well the measurements fulfill their intended purpose (Loewen & Plonsky, 2016, as cited in Rogers & Révész, 2020; Simon & Goes, 2018) According to Kilani and Kobziev (2016), both reliability and validity are essential for evaluating research quality.

To effectively develop 33 important factors, it is essential to focus on several key elements: meticulously designing individual questions, creating a clear and visually appealing layout for the questionnaire, providing a straightforward explanation of its purpose, conducting pilot testing, and ensuring a well-planned and executed administration process.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS

Teachers’ perception on the most common dimension in teaching ICC

To determine the priority dimension for developing the Communication and Culture section of the new textbook, a frequency test was conducted analyzing responses to the question, “Which aspect of Communication and Culture do you mainly focus on?” The findings reveal that EFL teachers primarily emphasize teaching skills within the four dimensions of Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) The distribution of these focused ICC dimensions is summarized in Table 4.1.

Table 4.1 Most focused dimensions of ICC when using authentic materials (NR)

The analysis reveals that "skills" is the predominant focus in the teaching and learning process, accounting for 75% of responses (39 total), while "knowledge" follows with 13.5% (7 responses) The dimensions of "awareness" and "attitude" are less emphasized, representing 7.7% (4 responses) and 3.8% (2 responses) respectively This data underscores the significance of skills in education, aligning with the findings of Byram, Gribkova, and Starkey (2002), which highlight the necessity for teachers to prioritize skill development.

The impact of authentic materials on skills practice

The first and foremost dimension of ICC that needs to be taken into consideration is the

EFL teachers highlighted the importance of "skills" in their teaching of intercultural communicative competence (ICC) As noted by Reid (2014), essential skills include cultural awareness, recognizing contrasts between one's own culture and the target culture, and the ability to challenge stereotypes In this study, teachers indicated their agreement regarding the influence of authentic materials on various skills related to ICC, with an average mean score of 3.99, as shown in Table 4.2 This suggests that EFL teachers believe authentic materials significantly enhance the skills dimension of students' intercultural communicative competence.

Table 4.2 Descriptive results of authentic materials impact on skills practice (NR)

Authentic materials provide culture-specific information for my high school students to improve their style and personal interaction

Learning with authentic materials helps my high school students to be able to contrast the host culture with their own

Learning with authentic materials trains my high school students the ability to resolve cross cultural conflicts and misunderstandings when they arose

Authentic materials teach my high school students how to use suitable strategies for learning the target language and culture

When learning with authentic materials, my high school students demonstrate a capacity to interact appropriately in a variety of different social situations

Authentic materials teach my high school students how to adjust their behavior, dress, etc as appropriate to avoid offending the host

Authentic materials teach my high school students to use appropriate strategies for adapting to the target culture and reducing stress

Learning with authentic materials helps my high school students demonstrate flexibility when interacting with persons from the target culture

Table 4.2 indicates that the eight items within the "skills" dimension demonstrate no significant differences, all falling within an acceptable range Notably, the item related to the influence of authentic materials on students' style and personal interaction received the highest approval, with a mean score of 4.10 (SD = 634) This preference is understandable, as learners exhibit a strong inclination to adopt the expressions and speech styles of native speakers, which can be effectively illustrated through authentic materials from the target language (Almajali, 2022).

The next two characteristics which are “Learning with authentic materials helps my high school students to be able to contrast the host culture with their own” and

“Learning with authentic materials trains my high school students the ability to resolve cross cultural conflicts and misunderstandings when they arose” also reach a relatively high

The study yielded a mean score of 4.04, indicating an acceptable level of understanding regarding cross-cultural contact, as outlined in Robinson’s “Color Purple” theory This theory posits that individuals become aware of their own cultural perspectives (e.g., blue) when they recognize that others possess different cultural lenses (e.g., red) By choosing to overlap these lenses (e.g., purple), individuals can enhance their understanding of diverse perspectives and achieve a shared meaning.

A recent study indicates that the connection between authentic materials and students' interaction flexibility is weak, as evidenced by a mean score of only 3.81 This aligns with the findings of Castillo Losada, Insuasty, and Jaime Osorio (2017), which revealed that while students could access information about their own culture and utilize the target language to discuss various topics, many felt confused and overwhelmed by the input and tasks assigned to them.

The impact of authentic materials on knowledge acquirement

The second dimension of intercultural communicative competence (ICC) influenced by authentic materials is knowledge, which is essential for language learners In a study, participants evaluated their agreement on various knowledge aspects related to ICC, revealing an average mean score of 4.06, indicating an acceptable level of agreement This suggests that, according to EFL teachers, authentic materials positively impact students' understanding of interculturality and enhance their knowledge of ICC (Pinzón, 2020).

Table 4.3 Descriptive results of authentic materials impact on knowledge acquirement (NR)

Using authentic materials helps my high school students know the essential norms and taboos of the host culture and

Using authentic materials helps my high

38 school students have a chance to experience cross-cultural adjustment stages

Authentic materials allow my high school students to discuss and contrast various behavioral patterns in their own culture with those in English- speaking countries’ cultures

Authentic materials provide my high school students with some methods to aid their learning of the host language and culture

Learning with authentic materials helps my high school students recognize signs of culture shock and some strategies for overcoming it

Authentic materials provide my high school students with a definition of culture and describe its elements and complexities

When studying with authentic materials, my high school students can contrast important aspects

(differences and similarities) of the

Vietnamese language and culture with their target countries

Authentic materials help my high school

39 students to comprehend important historical and socio-political factors that shape their own and target countries' cultures

The study reveals that while "knowledge" is primarily influenced by authentic materials, there are notable variations among the eight evaluated items Specifically, "norms and taboos of English-speaking countries" received the highest mean score of 4.21, suggesting it is prioritized for teaching over other knowledge aspects This finding aligns with Vallejo’s (2018) research, which highlighted students' interest in learning about the customs of English-speaking countries, enhancing their overall understanding of the language.

Using authentic materials significantly aids high school students in experiencing cross-cultural adjustment stages, with a high mean score of 4.13 These materials also facilitate discussions that allow students to compare their own cultural behavioral patterns with those of English-speaking countries, reflected in a mean score of 4.12 This understanding highlights the interconnectedness of language and culture, enabling learners to gain new perspectives on their cultural features and make meaningful comparisons with global cultures (Caicedo, 2022).

The lowest high score (M = 3.92) indicates a weak interaction between authentic materials and students' understanding of crucial historical and socio-political aspects of target cultures, highlighting less supported ideas This finding aligns with Nguyen and Thai (2022), which revealed that British-American literature motivated EFL students to engage more with research sources relevant to the topic, enhancing their comprehension of historical development.

The impact of authentic materials on students’ awareness enhancement

The study highlights the significance of "awareness" in enhancing intercultural communicative competence among students through the use of authentic materials Participants ranked their agreement on various aspects of awareness improvement, resulting in an average mean score of 4.04, which indicates an acceptable level of awareness development.

40 concluded that developing cultural awareness was considered a natural and positive impact of using authentic material (Bérešová, 2015).

Table 4.4 Descriptive results of authentic materials impact on students’ awareness enhancement (NR)

Authentic materials help my high school students recognize the diversity in the host culture (such as differences in race, gender, and age)

Authentic materials train my high school students to recognize varying cultural styles and language use, and their effect on social and working situations

Learning with authentic materials helps my high school students recognize differences and similarities across their own culture and the host language & culture

Learning with authentic materials helps my high school students recognize their own level of intercultural development

Learning with authentic materials helps my high school students recognize how host culture members viewed and evaluated them and why

Authentic materials give an impact on my high school students’

41 modify their interactions in different situations of the host culture

Authentic materials give my high school students an opportunity to recognize their personal values through their approach to ethical dilemmas and their resolution

Learning with authentic materials helps my high school students recognize the level of intercultural development of those they worked with

Table 4.4 highlights distinctions among eight items, with the statement “Authentic materials help my high school students recognize the diversity in the host culture (such as differences in race, gender, and age)” achieving the highest mean score of 4.31 (SD = 544) This finding aligns with Khaniya (2006), who emphasized that authentic materials showcase a variety of cultures while cautioning EFL teachers to present all cultures positively, avoiding the portrayal of any single culture as superior to prevent misleading students from different backgrounds.

Participants largely agree that authentic materials help high school students understand different cultural styles and language usage, as well as their impact on social and professional contexts, with a mean score of 4.13.

The study revealed a standard deviation of 687, aligning with Kozhevnikova's (2013) findings that learners benefit from authentic materials This approach enhances their understanding and provides a genuine sense of accomplishment when they comprehend real-life interactions in English as used by native speakers.

Using authentic materials in education significantly aids high school students in identifying the similarities and differences between their own culture and the host language and culture, as evidenced by a mean score of 4.12 This finding aligns with Barrios' (2013) research, which suggests that such learning experiences increase students' openness to embracing foreign cultures.

Students identify their personal values by navigating various ethical dilemmas and assess the intercultural development of their peers through authentic materials Both areas reflect less supported ideas, as evidenced by their equal mean scores of 3.90.

The impact of authentic materials towards students’ attitudes

The final aspect of intercultural communicative competence emphasized in this research is learners' "attitude." Despite being the least prioritized compared to the other three dimensions of teaching ICC, the incorporation of authentic materials significantly enhanced specific intercultural attitudes, as indicated by an acceptable mean score of 3.95 This improvement is illustrated in the statistics presented in Table 4.5.

Table 4.5 Descriptive results of authentic materials impact on students’ attitude (NR)

After acquiring knowledge from authentic materials, my high school students adapt their attitudes to communicate confidently in English

Learning with authentic materials trains my high school students to face and deal with their cultural shocks of the target culture

Authentic materials provide my high school students with the opportunities to be more mature and adult when making their decisions and choices

When learning with authentic materials, my high school students gradually understand the

43 differences in behaviors, values, attitudes, and styles of the target cultures

When learning with authentic materials, my high school students have more opportunities to approach and show their interest in new cultural aspects

Learning with authentic materials helps my high school students take on various roles that are appropriate to different situations

When learning with authentic materials, my high school students are eager to interact with target culture members

Learning with authentic materials helps my high school students to behave in appropriate ways when communicating in

The analysis of the “attitude” dimension reveals that high school students exhibit a significant positive shift in their communication confidence in English after engaging with authentic materials, as indicated by a mean score of 4.25 (SD = 480) This finding underscores the positive impact of real-life materials on learners' attitudes and self-assurance (Hoang, 2022).

The statement with the second highest mean score, “Learning with authentic materials trains my high school students to face and deal with their cultural shocks of the target culture” (M = 4.06, SD = 608), highlights the importance of using real-life materials in language learning Participants noted that engaging with authentic resources enhances their comprehension of the target culture, allowing them to better understand and navigate cultural differences.

44 holidays, people, and events that are part of the target culture, which then avoided or reduced the consequences of culture shock (Albiladi, 2018).

Whereas, the item sharing the connection of authentic materials and the appropriateness in students’ behaviours, exposes the less supported ideas as its mean score is only 3,83.

The integration of diverse authentic materials within a structured pedagogical framework allows teachers to enhance communicative practice opportunities, fostering students' ability to produce both grammatically correct and contextually appropriate statements.

The difficulties EFL teachers encounter and their overcoming methods

4.6.1 The obstacles that EFL teachers usually encounter

The analysis of the interview data showed that all five participants recognized a positive impact from using authentic materials in teaching intercultural communication competence (ICC) to their students.

While the initiative has not achieved full success, there are encouraging signs of improvement, as noted by Teacher 1 Teacher 2 adds that although the lesson may not be entirely effective, it still provides valuable benefits to students in various aspects.

It does bring some effectiveness (teacher 3)

I find that applying authentic materials in the classroom is effective(teacher 4)

Here is the rewritten paragraph:Consistent with previous studies by Bojanić (2020), Castillo Losada, Insuasty, and Jaime Osorio (2017), and Reid (2014), our findings suggest that using authentic materials in ICC teaching can be effective However, despite this potential, educators often face unavoidable challenges that hinder their ability to achieve complete success in this approach These challenges can be broadly categorized into two groups: difficulties stemming from students and difficulties arising from the study materials themselves.

According to a recent study, only 20% of participants attributed student-related problems to a lack of multicultural knowledge, suggesting that this factor may not be a significant barrier to information absorption.

Students are not familiar with many different cultures around the world, so sometimes they struggle and feel unsure(teacher 1)

This result seems explainable as some students find real-life discourses between native speakers challenging and quite time-consuming to decode (Mudra, 2014; Refai, 2018)

Meanwhile, the study results did prove that material-related problems mainly derived from time investment and management, unreliable sources of information, and pedagogical language – authentic language gap.

In particular, in terms of time investment and management, three out of five participants revealed that using authentic materials in teaching intercultural communication consumes their huge amount of time in comparison to applying textbook-based materials Two teachers admitted that they have to spend hours per day finding, choosing, and adapting suitable sources of teaching materials for their students They said:

Compiling and collecting authentic materials can be a time-consuming task for teachers, often requiring hours of research to find relevant articles or videos that align with the topic at hand.

When giving a presentation on a topic, it is easier because I can highlight the interesting parts for students But if I have to make a video, it is more challenging because it takes time to edit and combine the clips(teacher 3)

Obviously, when working with authentic materials, what is required by any teacher is a high sense of commitment with what they are doing, and a carefully planned set of actions They also need to be alert to any changes because these tasks need to be done on time This may require more preparation time from the teacher (Castillo Losada, Insuasty, & Jaime Osorio, 2017) Miller’s (2005) also agreed that authentic materials are “too difficult and time consuming to select, edit, and prepare”

In addition, he/she also has to deal with time management during his/her teaching period He/ she told the researcher that it is hard to balance teaching both intercultural communication aspects using authentic materials and grammar structures – which is the top priority of the examination schedule – within 45 minutes He/she confided:

If I show a movie, it only focuses on certain skills, and I don't have time to teach grammar However, in Vietnam, the exams still heavily emphasize grammar over skills

The time limitation problem once mentioned in Castillo Losada, Insuasty, and JaimeOsorio’s (2017) study in which they presented that the teacher believes it is quite difficult to take in extra activities due to the brief class time/period provided by the institution.

Thanks to the invention of the internet, humans are free to connect with other people from all over the world, access different fields of knowledge, and share their own thoughts and ideas in this virtual world Unfortunately, in addition to a huge range of

While the freedom of information brings numerous benefits, it also has an unintended consequence - the proliferation of unreliable sources, which is cited by three out of five participants as the biggest hurdle in accessing authentic materials.

The sources of information I find on the internet I have no basis to determine whether they are reliable or not(teacher 2)

There is an abundance of misinformation and fake news on the internet, making it difficult to control(teacher 4)

There is too much information on the internet, and I don't know which source provides accurate information and which source provides inaccurate information(teacher 5) This leads to a remarkably challenging and time-consuming issue they face when teaching with authentic materials - to verify a variety of information sources on the internet They complained that:

When teaching a specific topic, students often bring in various research materials that may differ from the prepared resources, forcing educators to compare and verify the credibility of each source, highlighting the challenge of identifying reliable information in the classroom.

Teachers have to spend a lot of effort verifying the information they want to use in their teaching(teacher 4)

Teachers have to verify them(teacher 5)

Here is a rewritten paragraph that maintains the original meaning while complying with SEO rules:"Accessing authentic materials can be a daunting task, as Rehman and Perveen's 2021 study highlights The challenge lies not only in identifying reliable sources but also in making informed decisions to harness the true benefits of these materials A single misstep in choosing sources can undermine the effectiveness of authentic materials, emphasizing the need for careful consideration in resource selection."

Discussions of the findings

This study aims to investigate EFL high school teachers’ perceptions of fostering students’ intercultural communicative competence by authentic materials application as well as unraveling teaching barriers of applying authentic materials that EFL high school teachers often encounter in their ICC teaching process and their ways of overcoming The rejection and the acceptance of the research hypotheses are also explained.

5.1.1 EFL high school teachers’ perceptions of using authentic materials in ICC development

The analysis of the questionnaire data resulted in evidence to suggest that from the teachers’ viewpoint, authentic materials have a positive impact on students’ intercultural communicative competence and at the acceptable level (M= 4.009, SD 37) It can be said that this finding supports the first hypothesis of the study. Therefore, hypothesis numbered 1 is confirmed This finding is also in line with the result of Pinzón’s (2020) research, in which she concluded that the implementation of authentic materials on cultural aspects promoted the development of interculturality.

Additionally, it was indicated from the current study that EFL teachers focused more on teaching the “skills” component of ICC rather than the other three Particularly, 75% of participants agreed that they paid more attention to the “skills” dimension while teaching ICC, whereas the other 13.5% of EFL teachers expressed their precedence to the “knowledge” element of ICC teaching The “awareness” and “attitude” dimensions were in turn to receive 7.7% and 3.8% of priority from the participants.

When it came to teachers’ perceptions of authentic materials application toward the specific component of ICC, the mean score of teachers’ perceptions to four dimensions of ICC knowledge, skills, attitudes, and awareness were respectively Mk=4.06, Ms=3.99, Mat=3.95, and Maw=4.04 even though the effects toward each component are all at the acceptable level It can be concluded that EFL teachers believed that authentic

51 materials first affect the way students absorb knowledge related to intercultural communicative competence Then, this type of materials in turn contribute to raise EFL learners’ ICC awareness, reinforce their ICC skills, and finally change learners’ attitude towards developing their intercultural communicative competence.

The findings reveal a discrepancy between the priority impact of authentic materials and the order of ICC dimensions emphasized by EFL teachers Notably, EFL teachers prioritize the "skills" aspect when teaching the Communication and Culture section, driven by the Vietnamese educational system's requirement to assess English proficiency in reading, speaking, listening, and writing As a result, teachers allocate more time to skills development, believing that mastering these skills enables students to better absorb other learning aspects, including knowledge comprehension, awareness improvement, and attitude adjustment, ultimately leading to greater success.

Meanwhile, the statistics of authentic materials impact on ICC reflected that the

“knowledge” is the most affected dimension This finding is understandable as authentic material used in this research is, most of all, a type of teaching - learning material Teaching learning materials, also known as instructional aids, facilitate a teacher in achieving the learning objectives formulated by her/him before teaching-learning activities start This process aids in the learning process by allowing the learner to explore the knowledge independently As a result, when being engaged with authentic materials, students are provided with more opportunities to improve their multicultural knowledge first Then, the “awareness” dimension places at the second prior dimension, as along with providing knowledge, authentic materials also encourage target language acquisition naturally in its most current form and topical information will broaden students’ horizons of cultural awareness (Bérešová, 2015). This result satisfied Fantini’s (2000) theory who declaimed that the development of awareness is crucial for those aiming to promote ICC.

Both findings from teachers’ perceptions on the most common dimension to authentic materials’ most impact dimension in teaching all agreed that the “attitude” aspect occupied the lowest position It is, according to EFL teachers, the most difficult dimension to teach as it predominantly relies on students’ inner change It can be inferred that once students gain enough skills and knowledge of intercultural communication, and be aware of the importance of ICC, they are able to change their attitude toward it.

5.1.2 The common challenges in applying authentic materials that EFL high school teachers may encounter in the process of ICC development

The analysis drawn from the interview data revealed two main groups of difficulties that EFL high school teachers usually face during their intercultural communicative competence teaching process with the attendance of authentic materials They are student-related obstacles and learning materials-related obstacles.

In terms of challenges that arise from students, the study indicated that EFL learners often got into trouble while trying to absorb the intercultural information provided from authentic materials It was considered due to a lack of vocabulary, background knowledge, and common communication structures of the target countries' cultures.Meanwhile, when it came to challenges arising from learning materials, the research concluded that time investment and management, unreliable sources of information, and pedagogical language – authentic language gap were the three core factors that needed to be taken into consideration Firstly, it was because of the variety of different sources of authentic materials that teachers found it hard to decide which one was suitable for being taught, and which one was not This idea gained two-fifths of the participants’ agreement as they confided that hours could be spent on preparing each lesson with authentic materials What were time-consuming matters, as they mentioned, were editing videos from foreign films or lecture-like talks on Youtube channels, cutting articles or short news from international websites, and choosing pictures that had to be strictly relevant to the lesson topic and meet the teachers’ teaching and learning requirements Besides, EFL teachers were also concerned about the difficulty to cover both intercultural communication components utilizing authentic materials and grammar structures - which is the exam schedule's main emphasis – within just 45 minutes This can be understood because in order for students to be able to carry out learning activities with real-life materials, they need more time than regular lessons because they have to familiarize and access a brand-new type of knowledge, then practice and draw lessons for themselves, rather than just the process of receiving information from the teacher However, this also raises a thought-provoking issue, that perhaps this is one of the reasons why EFL teachers are still hesitant to incorporate authentic materials into intercultural communicative competence teaching Secondly, there is tons of information that people can find on the internet just with a click It brings human huge advantages but also leads to several drawbacks such as information overload, misunderstood news and, as EFL teachers in this study mentioned – unreliable sources of information 60% of the participants shared the same opinion that they were annoyed by verifying information sources once they prepared for their lesson, otherwise,

53 they could get into trouble with their students asking something like “Why what I found is different from yours?”

Thanks to many years of experience, a detailed list of solutions was exposed by the participants in order to deal with each kind of problem raised in the study They believed that widening learners’ background knowledge and training their skills are two vital ways that teachers can do with their students to improve their intercultural communicative competence Moreover, as an EFL teacher, they have to accept scarifying and investing their more time for lesson plan preparation as well as verifying each source of information carefully before bringing it to the classroom.

Suggestions for pedagogical practice 54 5.3

Several suggestions for intercultural communicative competence development in EFL classrooms can be drawn out from the findings of this study.

Firstly, it can be seen that students benefit from the application of real-life materials inICC lessons, according to the EFL teachers’ perceptions - those who can be said to have the best understanding of their students' potential talents and abilities Therefore, teachers should not be afraid of using authentic materials because they are full of fun to work with, as well as motivating and instructional, especially in fostering students’ multicultural awareness There is no doubt that authentic materials must be carefully selected and prepared, which engenders teachers with a number of challenges, but they are truly worth the effort.

Secondly, it is true to say that authentic materials preparation is not an easy mission for every EFL teacher In fact, a material considered usable requires not only topic relevance, but also the appropriate length and knowledge level that matchesthe students’ ability to comprehend and their proficiency level As a result, teachers need to invest more time to search, analyse, synthesise, and finally decide every piece of authentic materials they intend to bring to their classes, basing strictly on the criteria for authentic materials selection The more attentive and careful teachers are in selecting materials, the more useful and accurate sources of information the students access to will be.

Thirdly, it can be inferred from the results of this study that the order of ICC dimensions that EFL teachers prioritized did not completely go along with the priority impact of authentic materials This leaves a considerable issue about the appropriate way of authentic materials application on ICC development It’s likely to be more a question of balance, as Nunan (2004) summarizes: “it is not a matter of whether or not authentic materials should be used, but what combination of authentic, simulated and specially

54 written materials provide learners with optimal learning opportunities” Thus, the criteria of choosing suitable authentic materials for a specific teaching process needs to be carefully taken into consideration Teachers have to make sure what they tend to bring for their students can adapt perfectly with the learning objectives of each particular lesson.

Finally, teachers’ professional development in teaching intercultural communicative competence should be taken into account Along with having helpful sources of teaching materials, teachers also need to be able to comprehend them thoroughly and find ways to fully utilize all the functions of those materials In order to achieve this, EFL teachers should be systematically trained in teaching ICC: the definition of ICC, the four dimensions of ICC, ICC teaching methods, the importance of ICC, and the nature of English as an international language Thanks to the development of technology, EFL teachers nowadays can easily approach different intercultural communication train courses, both online and offline For example, they can read several books written by Brislin and Yoshida (1994), Jordan (1994), Byram (2002), Corbett (2003), Neuliep (2006), etc about ICC training approaches Besides, they can take part in various online ICC train workshops or programs and even lecture courses on different media channels Once the teachers become masters in significant aspects of ICC, they will be able to introduce and instruct them to their students in English classes smoothly and successfully.

This study still states two considerable limitations The first one is that the number of participants, EFL high school teachers, is relatively small: fifty-two English language teachers, and only five of whom were interviewed face-to-face It can be seen that the sample of teachers who answered the survey and those who were interviewed was small considering the total number of high school English teachers in Mekong Delta. Consequently, the study may not generalize the results of larger groups Another limitation of this research is the relatively short time frame to collect data, and possibly the data analysis approach.

The current study has contributed to exploring EFL high school teachers’ perceptions of authentic materials application on developing intercultural communicative competence, as well as pointing out some common challenges during their teaching process To achieve a deeper understanding of authentic materials impact on teaching ICC, the possible barriers, and effective solutions as well, further research is definitely important

55 to be administered Based on the discussion and limitations of the current study, several recommendations for further study are made First and foremost, it is suggested that further research should be employed in both EFL teachers and students to gain a more inclusive comprehension of the effect of teaching intercultural communicative using authentic materials Moreover, further study in the future should be conducted on a greater number of participants and investigated in a wider context Lastly, researchers in the future should invest more intervention time on their study, and carefully consider unexpected factors that can negatively affect the results of the study (For example,some public and private schools are very strict in allowing outsiders to interact with their students, which can be a major obstacle in the data collection process and requires more time than expected).

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QUESTIONNAIRE (English version)

My name is Le Bao Tran I am currently an MA student majoring in Principles and Methods in English Language Education - cohort 28 at Can Tho University.

I am going to conduct the research on"EFL HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS’

PERCEPTIONS OF USING AUTHENTIC MATERIALS IN DEVELOPING

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE".Therefore, I would like to invite you to participate in the research by spending some valuable time answering this questionnaire.

I confirm that your responses will be confidential and be used for research purposes only. Thank you very much for your participation!

1 What is your email address?