Adult Learners' Perceptions of the Significance of Culture in Foreign Language Teaching and Learning

Autor/in	Brooks-Lewis, Kimberly Anne
Titel	Adult Learners' Perceptions of the Significance of Culture in Foreign Language Teaching and Learning
Quelle	In: Journal of Education and Training Studies, 2 (2014) 2, S.9-19 (11 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	2324-805X
Schlagwörter	Adult Learning; English (Second Language); Second Language Learning; Second Language Instruction; Introductory Courses; Intercultural Communication; Student Attitudes; Cultural Awareness; Qualitative Research; Action Research; Language Teachers; College Faculty; Foreign Countries; Questionnaires; Diaries; Essays; Mexico + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Adulte education; Adult training; Erwachsenenbildung; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Fremdsprachenunterricht; Einführungskurs; Interkulturelle Kommunikation; Schülerverhalten; Cultural identity; Kulturelle Identität; Qualitative Forschung; Projektforschung; Language teacher; Sprachunterricht; Fakultät; Ausland; Fragebogen; Diary; Tagebuch; Essay; Aufsatzunterricht; Mexiko
Abstract	Is learning about culture important when learning a foreign language? One would think that after its long history in the field of foreign language teaching this question had been answered with a resounding "yes". However, I saw little evidence of this in the classroom when I returned to the university to learn a foreign language or when I began teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL). I decided to investigate, and found that while much has been published about the theory of the need for inclusion of culture in foreign language teaching, I was struck by the absence of reports on the study of "learners'" opinions on the issue and resolved to do such a study. Since I had encountered no teaching materials that I felt encompassed the teaching of culture sufficiently, I designed an introductory EFL course specifically for the adult learners I was working. The course centered on intercultural communication and awareness, and I employed it as the "medium" for qualitative action research to learn about the learners' perceptions of the experience. In this paper I report on their responses to the focus on culture. The research reveals that while the inclusion of culture and the concept of "learner centering" in foreign language education are recognized in theory, these considerations have not been effectively incorporated into practice. It is hoped that the definitive insights from learners' assessments of the significance of explicitly learning about culture when learning a foreign language will instigate its further inclusion and promote conscious learner centering. (As Provided).
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Update	2020/1/01