VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY–HOCHIMINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES & HUMANITIES FACULTY OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS & LITERATURE THE PERCEPTIONS OF ENGLISH TEACHERS AT CANTHO UNIVERSITY IN THE INTEGRATION OF CULTURE INTO ENGLISH CLASSES A thesis proposal submitted to the Faculty of English Linguistics & Literature in partial fulfillment of the Master’s degree in TESOL By PHẠM THỊ MAI DUYÊN Supervised by Nguyễn Thị Kiều Thu, PhD HO CHI MINH CITY, JUNE 2016 STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP The M.A graduation thesis entitled “The perceptions of English Teachers in the Integration of Culture into English Classes” is conducted under the supervision of Dr Nguyễn Thị Kiều Thu, Faculty of English Linguistics and Literature, Univeristy of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University HoChiMinh City I hereby declare that the current graduation essay is the result of my own work, except where due to reference or citation is made Ho Chi Minh, June 2016 Researcher Pham Thị Mai Duyên ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis has been completed thanks to the supports and encouragement of many people Firstly, I would like express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Dr Nguyễn Thị Kiều Thu for her valuable instructions throughout my study I also appreciate her encouragement and valuable feedbacks Secondly, my thanks go to my colleagues who were willing to participate in the survey Without their helps, this thesis will not be completed Finally, I would like to send my sincere thanks to my family for helping and encouraging me to complete this thesis iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Statement of authorship ii Acknowledgements iii Table of content iv List of tables vii List of figures viii Abstract ix CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background to the study 1.2 Aims of the study 1.3 Research questions 1.4 Significance of the study 1.5 Scope of the study 1.6 Outline of the thesis CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Definition of “perception” 2.2 Definition of “culture” 2.3 Review of related literature 2.3.1 Culture and language 2.3.2 Teaching culture in English classes 11 2.3.2.1 Teaching culture: Cultural contents 11 2.3.2.2 Teaching culture: Language functions 11 2.3.2.3 Teaching culture: Cultural learning outcomes 12 2.3.2.4 Teaching culture: Learning activities 13 2.3.2.5 Teaching culture: Teacher roles 15 2.3.3 Barriers preventing teachers’ cultural integration 15 2.4 Review of previous studies 16 2.5 Conceptual frameworks of the study 18 iv CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1 Research questions 22 3.2 Research design 22 3.3 Context of the study 24 3.4 Participants/sample and sampling procedures 25 3.5 Research instruments 26 3.6 Data collection data 30 3.7 Data analysis procedure 31 CHAPTER 4: RESULTS 4.1 Data analysis 36 4.1.1 Data analysis from the questionnaire 36 4.1.1.1 Teachers’ perceptions about the definitions of culture 36 4.1.1.2 Teachers’ perceptions about the role of culture in English classes 37 4.1.1.3 Teachers’ perceptions about cultural materials 38 4.1.1.4 Teachers’ perceptions about cultural content 38 4.1.1.5 Teachers’ perceptions about language functions 39 4.1.1.6 Teachers’ perceptions about culture outcomes 40 4.1.1.7 Teachers’ perceptions about learning activities 40 4.1.1.8 Teachers’ perceptions about teacher roles 41 4.1.1.9 The advantages of teachers’ culture integration 42 4.1.1.10 The barriers preventing teachers’ culture integration 43 4.1.2 Data analysis from the interview 44 4.1.2.1 Teachers’ perceptions about the definitions of culture 44 4.1.2.2 Teachers’ perceptions about the role of culture in English classes 45 4.1.2.3 Teachers’ perceptions about cultural materials 47 4.1.2.4 Teachers’ perceptions about cultural content 47 4.1.2.5 Teachers’ perceptions about language functions 48 4.1.2.6 Teachers’ perceptions about culture outcomes 49 4.1.2.7 Teachers’ perceptions about learning activities 50 v 4.1.2.8 Teachers’ perceptions about teacher roles 51 4.1.2.9 The advantages and disadvantages of teachers’ culture integration 52 4.1.3 Data analysis from the classroom observation 54 4.1.3.1 Teachers’ perceptions about cultural materials 54 4.1.3.2Teachers’ perceptions about cultural content 55 4.1.3.3 Teachers’ perceptions about language functions 56 4.1.3.4 Teachers’ perceptions about culture outcomes 57 4.1.3.5 Teachers’ perceptions about learning activities 59 4.1.3.6 Teachers’ perceptions about teacher roles 60 4.1.3.7 The advantages and disadvantages of teachers’ culture integration 60 4.2 Discussions of findings 61 4.2.1 Teachers’ perceptions about the definitions of culture 61 4.2.2 Teachers’ perceptions about the role of culture in English classes 62 4.2.3 Teachers’ perceptions about cultural materials 63 4.2.4 Teachers’ perceptions about cultural content 64 4.2.5 Teachers’ perceptions about language functions 64 4.2.6 Teachers’ perceptions about culture outcomes 65 4.2.7 Teachers’ perceptions about learning activities 66 4.2.8 Teachers’ perceptions about teacher roles 67 4.2.9 The advantages and disadvantages of teachers’ culture integration 67 4.3 Summary 68 CHAPTER 5: DISSCUSSION AND CONCLUSION 5.1 Conclusions 72 5.2 Suggestions and pedagogical implications 73 5.3 Limitations of the study 75 5.4 Recommendations for further research 75 References 77 Appendix 1: Questionnaire 81 Appendix 2: Interview sample 90 vi Appendix 3: Classroom observation sample 92 Appendix 4: Raw calculations 96 vii LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1 Participants’ sex and age Table 3.2 Participants’ teaching-experience years Table 3.3 Participants’ teaching qualifications Table 4.1 Overall mean English teachers’ perceptions about the culture definitions Table 4.2 English teachers’ perceptions about culture definitions Table 4.3 English teachers’ perceptions about the role of culture in English classes Table 4.4 English teachers’ perceptions about culture materials Table 4.5 English teachers’ perceptions about culture contents Table 4.6 English teachers’ perceptions about developing language functions for students Table 4.7 English teachers’ perceptions about culture outcomes Table 4.8 English teachers’ perceptions about learning activities Table 4.9 English teachers’ perceptions about teacher roles Table 4.10 English teachers’ perceptions about the advantages of integrating culture in English classes Table 4.11 English teachers’ perceptions about the barriers preventing teachers from integrating culture in English classes viii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1 The five dimensions of culture Figure 2.2 The culture experience Figure 2.3 The experiential learning cycle Figure 2.4 The Culture knowings ix ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of English teachers at Can Tho University in the integration of Culture into English classes The data for this study were collected through questionnaires of 122 English teachers at Can Tho University, interviewing ten of them and observing ten English classes The data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively The overall findings of the study showed that the teacher participants had a strong agreement about the idea that culture plays an important role in English classes, and cultural elements can help learners improve their linguistic and communicative competence Especially, being successful in multicultural communication is the prior aim of teachers’ culture integration Secondly, teachers can use different sources of materials and different learning activities to embed culture in English classes Thirdly, teachers can play a variety of roles in culture integration, and finally the teacher participants thought classroom environment, teachers and students can be advantageous or barriers in the integration of culture in English classes From the findings of this study, useful suggestions were proposed for English teachers, teacher educators, educational local leaders, policy makers, and community so that the integration of culture into English classes would be encouraged and become more effective Key words: Culture integration, Culture and language, culture teaching and learning, and teachers’ perceptions x English classes 44 Teachers think that students can learn culture after they achieve linguistic proficiency 45 There is a lack of native-language teachers 46 Other barriers: (please specify) Barriers related to materials and policies 47 Teaching culture is not required officially in language teaching programs 48 There is not enough materials including cultural aspects 49 There is not guidance for teachers to integrate culture in their language classes 50 It is socio-cultural and religious factors 51 There is a lack of teaching technology enabling culture learning in English classes 51 Other barriers: (please specify) - 89 - Appendix Interview Sample Date: ……………… Time: ……………… Place: ……………… Room: ……………… Participant information a Name: ……………… b Gender: ……………… c Age: ……………… d Year of teaching: ……………… e Highest qualification: ……………… Researcher: Today we are going to talk about the integration of culture in English classes You can share your thoughts and not worry whether your answers are right or wrong and your personal information and your answer will be confidential and anonymous They are only used for research purposes only So let’s begin (Question 1) Researcher: In your opinion, what is culture? (What are your understandings about the term “culture”?) Participant: ……………………………………………………………………………… (Question 2) Researcher: Can you tell me some cultural sources you can use to embed cultural features in English classes? Participant: ……………………………………………………………………………… (Question 3) Researcher: What cultural contents you often focus on your English classes? Participant: ……………………………………………………………………………… - 90 - (Question 4) Researcher: What language functions you often focus in your English classes? Participant: ……………………………………………………………………………… (Question 5) Researcher: What culture learning outcomes you often focus on? Participant: ……………………………………………………………………………… (Question 6) Researcher: To embed cultural features in English classes, what you think about the teacher roles? Participant: ……………………………………………………………………………… (Question 7) Researcher: In your opinion, what are the advantages when teachers integrate culture in English classes? Participant: ……………………………………………………………………………… (Question 8) Researcher: Can you tell me any barriers preventing English teachers from integrating culture in English classes? Participant: ……………………………………………………………………………… Thank you very much for your participation this interview - 91 - Appendix The Classroom Observation Sample Session o Teacher: o Class: o Textbook: o Lesson: o Duration time: o Location Observation focuses Yes/ Evidences no Cultural Textbooks materials Teachers’ own materials Teachers’ understandings Others: Providing students cultural information Developing students’ cultural behaviors Cultural contents Improving students cultural interpretation - 92 - Developing the students’ worldview Others: Participate in the cultural experience Describe the cultural Language experience functions: focusing the on Compare the students’ language perspective students use to with others Express the students’ thoughts Others: Culture The students’ learning performance of the outcome: cultural behaviors The students’ comprehension of the information presented The students’ abilities to make cultural explanations - 93 - The students’ expressions of selfawareness Others: Learning Operations activities: artifacts (tools, or products other of culture), the rituals, dialogues, role-plays, performance, drama, simulations and field experience Authentic materials, pedagogical materials, experiences and personal accounts Cultural analyses, research, research projects and field experiences Reflection, focused- talking and focused - 94 - writing Others: A model and a coach Teachers’ roles A source, a resource, an arbiter and an elicitor A guide and a coresearcher A listener, a witness and a co-learner Others: main teacher role: a guide, a source, a elicitor The classroom The advantages The students and disadvantages The teachers Others: - 95 - Appendix RAW CALCULATIONS (QUESTIONNAIRE) DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS Part 1: Teacher’s viewpoint about the definitions of culture and the awareness of role of the culture in foreign language teaching and learning Descriptive Statistics N Minimum Maximum Mean Std Deviation P1A01 122 3.84 663 P1A02 122 3.92 714 P1A03 122 3.85 703 P1A04 122 3.87 670 P1A05 122 3.89 661 P1B07 122 4.30 937 Valid N (list wise) 122 Part 2: How teachers embed cultural element in English classes A Teaching culture: Cultural Materials Descriptive Statistics N Minimum Maximum Mean Std Deviation P2A08 122 2.79 1.156 P2A09 122 3.43 1.008 P2A10 122 4.08 714 Valid N (list wise) 122 B Teaching culture: Cultural content Descriptive Statistics N Minimum Maximum Mean Std Deviation P2B12 122 4.02 695 P2B13 122 4.02 695 - 96 - P2B14 122 3.97 730 P2B15 122 3.90 851 Valid N (list wise) 122 C Teaching culture: Language functions Descriptive Statistics N Minimum Maximum Mean Std Deviation P2C17 122 4.10 746 P2C18 122 3.95 717 P2C19 122 3.95 717 P2C20 122 4.02 741 Valid N (list wise) 122 D Teaching culture: Culture learning outcomes Descriptive Statistics N Minimum Maximum Mean Std Deviation P2D22 122 3.92 696 P2D23 122 3.72 686 P2D24 122 3.82 671 P2D25 122 3.89 635 Valid N (list wise) 122 E Teaching culture: Learning activities Descriptive Statistics N Minimum Maximum Mean Std Deviation P2E27 122 3.92 557 P2E28 122 3.89 661 P2E29 122 3.77 589 P2E30 122 3.89 608 Valid N (list wise) 122 F Teaching culture: Teacher roles Descriptive Statistics - 97 - N Minimum Maximum Mean Std Deviation P2F32 122 3.85 654 P2F33 122 3.75 745 P2F34 122 3.97 632 P2F35 122 3.95 644 Valid N (list wise) 122 Part 3: Advantages and disadvantages of teachers’ culture integration into English classes A Advantages Descriptive Statistics N Minimum Maximum Mean Std Deviation P3A37 122 2.79 1.156 P3A38 122 2.79 1.156 P3A39 122 4.02 609 Valid N (list wise) 122 A Barriers related to teachers Descriptive Statistics N Minimum Maximum Mean Std Deviation P3A37 122 3.03 948 P3A38 122 3.13 957 P3A39 122 3.36 967 P3A40 122 3.08 900 P3A41 122 3.41 990 Valid N (list wise) 122 B Barriers ralated to material and policies Descriptive Statistics N Minimum Maximum Mean Std Deviation P3B43 122 3.23 920 P3B44 122 3.51 942 P3B45 122 3.34 1.031 - 98 - P3B46 122 3.31 923 P3B47 122 3.21 933 Valid N (list wise) 122 RELIABILITY STATISTICS Part 1: Teacher’s viewpoint about the definitions of culture and the awareness of role of the culture in foreign language teaching and learning Reliability Statistics Cronbach's Alpha N of Items 808 Item-Total Statistics Corrected Item- Cronbach's Scale Mean if Scale Variance Total Alpha if Item Item Deleted if Item Deleted Correlation Deleted P1A01 19.82 6.917 709 750 P1A02 19.74 6.597 742 739 P1A03 19.80 7.127 588 774 P1A04 19.79 7.070 648 762 P1A05 19.77 7.413 550 783 P1B07 19.36 7.401 304 857 Part 2: How teachers embed cultural elements in English classes A Teaching culture: Cultural Materials Reliability Statistics Cronbach's Alpha N of Items 582 - 99 - Item-Total Statistics Corrected Item- Cronbach's Scale Mean if Scale Variance Total Alpha if Item Item Deleted if Item Deleted Correlation Deleted P2A08 7.51 1.887 457 384 P2A09 6.87 2.149 512 281 P2A10 6.21 3.504 249 657 B Teaching culture: Cutural content Reliability Statistics Cronbach's Alpha N of Items 559 Item-Total Statistics Corrected Item- Cronbach's Scale Mean if Scale Variance Total Alpha if Item Item Deleted if Item Deleted Correlation Deleted P2B12 11.89 2.370 454 399 P2B13 11.89 2.570 346 485 P2B14 11.93 2.496 345 484 P2B15 12.00 2.433 251 576 C Teaching culture: Language functions Reliability Statistics Cronbach's Alpha N of Items 922 Item-Total Statistics Corrected Item- Cronbach's Scale Mean if Scale Variance Total Alpha if Item Item Deleted if Item Deleted Correlation Deleted - 100 - P2C17 11.92 3.977 801 905 P2C18 12.07 3.962 855 886 P2C19 12.07 4.029 824 897 P2C20 12.00 4.000 798 906 D Teaching culture: Culture learning outcome Reliability Statistics Cronbach's Alpha N of Items 832 Item-Total Statistics Corrected Item- Cronbach's Scale Mean if Scale Variance Total Alpha if Item Item Deleted if Item Deleted Correlation Deleted P2D22 11.43 2.724 711 764 P2D23 11.62 2.817 676 780 P2D24 11.53 2.863 665 785 P2D25 11.47 3.101 590 817 E Teaching culture: Learning activities Reliability Statistics Cronbach's Alpha N of Items 768 Item-Total Statistics Corrected Item- Cronbach's Scale Mean if Scale Variance Total Alpha if Item Item Deleted if Item Deleted Correlation Deleted P2E27 11.54 2.219 557 721 P2E28 11.57 1.915 602 696 P2E29 11.69 2.185 529 733 P2E30 11.57 2.049 594 700 - 101 - F Teaching culture: Teacher role Reliability Statistics Cronbach's Alpha N of Items 804 Item-Total Statistics Corrected Item- Cronbach's Scale Mean if Scale Variance Total Alpha if Item Item Deleted if Item Deleted Correlation Deleted P2F32 11.67 2.757 615 756 P2F33 11.77 2.713 510 814 P2F34 11.56 2.684 694 719 P2F35 11.57 2.682 676 727 Part 2: How teachers embed cutural element in English claassroom A Teaching culture: Cultural Materials Reliability Statistics Cronbach's Alpha N of Items 879 Item-Total Statistics Corrected Item- Cronbach's Scale Mean if Scale Variance Total Alpha if Item Item Deleted if Item Deleted Correlation Deleted P3A37 12.98 9.616 811 829 P3A38 12.89 9.637 796 832 P3A39 12.66 9.663 780 836 P3A40 12.93 10.129 758 843 P3A41 12.61 11.343 444 915 B Barriers related to material and policies - 102 - Reliability Statistics Cronbach's Alpha N of Items 914 Item-Total Statistics Corrected Item- Cronbach's Scale Mean if Scale Variance Total Alpha if Item Item Deleted if Item Deleted Correlation Deleted P3B43 13.38 10.805 853 880 P3B44 13.10 10.890 809 889 P3B45 13.26 10.863 719 909 P3B46 13.30 11.678 679 915 P3B47 13.39 10.709 856 879 - 103 - ... embedment in English classes, and advantages and - 23 - disadvantages of integrating culture in English classes The interview was utilized to gain more in- depth information about the English teachers? ??... including (1) data collection and management, (2) organizing and preparing data, (3) coding and describing data, (4) classifying and identifying themes, (5) connecting and interrelating data and... follows: Main question What are the perceptions of the English teachers at Can Tho University towards the integration of culture into English classes? Sub-questions What are the English teachers? ?? perceptions