A QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION OF STUDENTS' EXPERIENCES WITH ACQUIRING CULTURE DURING FOREIGN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20535/2410-8286.132163

Keywords:

higher education, language teachers, intercultural awareness, foreign language instruction, language skills

Abstract

Language teachers ought to give their students a sound grounding in what is known as the five C’s—communication, communities, cultures, connections, and comparisons—in addition to the classic four basic language skills. This study examines how first-year Turkish students currently enrolled in a culture course at Giresun University view culture-focused courses, and how much cultural training they had received (if any) in high school prior to entering university. This study is qualitative in nature, and provides information by using multiple sources of data. The fact of the matter is that their high school teachers focused more on grammar and avoided culture due to the constraints of both time and of an exam-oriented education system. Regarding the benefits, the course has pushed them to examine the relationship between language and culture, offered a reason to study the target language, and made the learning process real. It takes patience and effort in order to convince youth of the necessity of languages, as well as to make them better aware of, and to dispel their prejudices towards other cultures. The study also provides recommended practices that can encourage educators to implement during foreign language instruction.

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Author Biography

Halis Gözpınar, Giresun University, Turkey

Dr. Halis Gözpınar is currently an instructor in the Department of English Language and Literature at T.C. Giresun University. He has over 19 years of experience as teacher of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in state schools throughout Turkey, as well as a teacher of Turkish as a Foreign Language (TFL) abroad. His research interests include refugee education, international education programs, cross-cultural communication, and foreign language training.

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Published

2018-06-16

How to Cite

Gözpınar, H. (2018). A QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION OF STUDENTS’ EXPERIENCES WITH ACQUIRING CULTURE DURING FOREIGN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION. Advanced Education, 5, 114–125. https://doi.org/10.20535/2410-8286.132163

Issue

2018: Issue 9

Section

Education

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