Upload
samaneh-shafeie
View
206
Download
7
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
English Language Teaching Materials and
Learners’ Cultural Identity
Dr. Baleghizadeh
Associated professor of TEFL in SBU
ABSTRACT
Culture Identity English Language Teaching
(ELT) MaterialsLocalization
globally-produced versus nationally-produced materials
generally reflect Western culture and ideology
act as a weapon against cultural and ideological
invasion of global ESL textbooks
Definition of culture and ideology
Three different versions of localization Strong version
Weak version
Moderate version more suitable for EFL
learning contexts
Teaching materials are a vital component of almost all language program
Cunningsworth (1995) roles of course books:
A resource for presentation material (spoken and written);
A source of activities for learner practice and communicative interaction
A reference source for learners on grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, etc.;
A source of stimulation and ideas for classroom language activities;
A syllabus (where they reflect learning objectives which have already been determined);
A resource for self-directed learning or self-access work;
A support for less experienced teachers who have yet to gain in confidence.
effective course books
are at the service of teachers and learners, not their masters.
textbooks, handouts, worksheets, or videotapes
Materials
Nationally produced and
locally used
Internationally produced and globally used
•They maintain high quality, •They provide a variety of learning/teaching resources •They are visually appealing
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
•They are generic and do not meet the needs of any specific group of learners•They allow very little room for personalization•They contain culturally sensitive or unfamiliar issues•Their ideological content marginalizes L native L
•They are directly relevant to students’ needs, learning experiences, and local concerns •They result in developing expertise •They bring about reputation for institutions •They are flexible
•They may not motivate students•They may do not develop pragma-linguistic skills•Producing local materials is a demanding job that needs highly skilled teachers •Time consuming
Chastain (1988) Language and culture are inseparably bound; therefore, complete comprehension during
any type of intercultural communication depends upon the participants’ awareness of
the social and cultural significance of the words and expressions employed.
Culture and language learning
The way people live A blueprint that guides the behavior of people in a community
Matsumoto (2000) Culture is dynamic system of rules, explicit and implicit, established by groups in orderto ensure their survival, involving attitudes, values, beliefs, norms, and behaviors,shared by a group but harbored differently by each specific unit within the group,communicated across generations, relatively stable but with the potential to changeacross time.
Stern (1992) Before World War I involved the study of history, geography and institutions of thecountry whose language was the object of learning.
After World War II concept of culture included dominantly way of life or life style
Culture vs. cultureGreat achievements The way of life
aesthetic sense sociological sense semantic sense Pragmatic sense
Culture with capital C,
the media, cinema,
arts, music, and
literature
culture with small c, nature
of family, home life,
interpersonal relations,
material conditions, work
and leisure
The conceptual system
embodied in the language.
e.g., food, clothes,
institutions, names
The background
knowledge, social skills,
and pragma-linguistic
skills
Necessary to the learners’ achievement of a measure of communicative competence
Foster international understanding- deep understanding of one’s own culture- facilitate learners’ visits to foreign countries- integrate
language course in an interdisciplinary curriculum- motivate learners
The issue of learners’ cultural identity is relatively unexplored in EFL settings
Adaskou, Britten, and Fahsi (1990)
Interview with Moroccan EFL teachers
Compare motivation cultural norms
Ideology and English language teaching
English language imperialism strongly affects
theories, methods of teaching English, and
instructional materials
The global expansion of English in the twentieth century
English as a lingua franca Imperialism Neo-colonialism
Imperialism holds that the dominance of English is asserted and maintained by the establishment and continuous reconstitution of structural and cultural inequalities between English and other languages.
Neo-colonialism is glorification of the English language through attempts which dates back to 19th century.
homogenizes the periphery (less developed countries) by the center (powerful western countries).
There is the bizarre claim that English has more words than any other language and therefore is a better medium for expression or thought than any other language.
Attempts in promotion of E linguistic imperialism- Makarere conference- Held in Uganda- 1962- 5 ELT tenets
Localization of ELT materials
• Heavily relies on source culture materials that reflects the learners’ own culture.
• Native characters, settings, illustrations. • Ls see culturally familiar people who are
exactly like themselves but speak English.
Example: The national EFL textbooks in Iran.
Advantage: not only reinforces the learners’ cultural identity but also enables them to talk about their country and its people to visitors from other countries.
Disadvantages: students do not find it motivating- learners will not be equipped with pragma-linguistic skills - no room for students to learn about other cultures
Depending on the depth and degree of using local culture elements three versions of localization
Strong version Week version Moderate version
• It does not involve production of national materials but adaptation of available global textbooks (adding, deleting, modifying, simplifying, reordering)
Advantages: more cost effective-more reliable as they are written by native English speakers.
Disadvantages: adapting materials is a demanding job that requires highly skilled teachers. It is a burden on busy teachers. Allowing no room for production of home-made materials
• Heavily draws on viewing English as an international language.
• Lays emphasis on both learning about one’s culture as well as other cultures.
• Like the strong version, national textbooks are produced.
• Reliance on both source culture materials and international target culture materials.
• Based on foreignized characters, settings and illustrations
Example: the ILI English Series published by Iran language Institute
Expanding and extendingAbridging and subtracting