A STUDY OF TEACHER’S BELIEFS OF WHICH CULTURE
SHOULD BE TAUGHT IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASSROOM
THESIS
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Sarjana Pendidikan
Sukma Dessy Untari
112008156
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
SATYA WACANA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
SALATIGA
i
A STUDY OF TEACHER’S BELIEFS OF WHICH CULTURE
SHOULD BE TAUGHT IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASSROOM
THESIS
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Sarjana Pendidikan
Sukma Dessy Untari
112008156
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
SATYA WACANA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
SALATIGA
iii
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Name : Sukma Dessy Untari
Student ID Number : 112008156
Study Program : English Department
Faculty : Faculty of Language and Literature Kind of Work : Undergraduate Thesis
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A Study of Teacher’s Beliefs of which Culture should be Taught in English Language Classroom
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COPYRIGHT STATEMENT
This thesis contains no such material as has been submitted for examination in any course or accepted for the fulfillment of any degree or diploma in any university. To the best of my knowledge and my belief, this contains no material previously published or written by any other person except where due reference is made in the text.
Copyright@ 2013. Sukma Dessy Untari and Danielle D. Sims, M.A
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A Study of Teacher’s Beliefs of which Culture should be Taught in English Language Classroom
Sukma Dessy Untari
Abstract
The focus of this study is to understand the English teachers’ beliefs of which culture should be taught in English language classroom. This study aimed to understand English teachers’ beliefs of which culture should be taught in English language classroom and understand the English teachers’ experiences of whose culture should be taught in English language classroom to help the teachers aware that their beliefs of which culture should be taught in English language classroom is important to improve their students’ English skills. This research is qualitative. This research used in-depth interviews of ED lecturers Satya Wacana Christian University in gathering the data. The teachers believe that teaching the target language culture in English classroom is not only help the target language learners could use the language properly but also can understand others cultures and avoid judging other’s cultures. The researcher suggests that the future researches may not only use teachers’ opinion, but also engage the English learners’ experiences or opinion in collecting the data so that the data will more complete by knowing the learners’ felling in learning English by inaccurate and incomplete” (p. 73). In addition, Thompson (1990) also said that
Culture is the patterns of meanings embodied in symbols term, including actions, utterances and meaningful objects of various kinds, by virture of which individuals communicate with one another and share their experiences, conceptions and belief (p.132 ).
From Thompson’s explanation about the culture, it can be said that culture is a key to learn a language. It can carry message or meaning about what people say, how people act or what people say when they communicate with others.
Like what Thanasoulas (2001) said that,
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may or may not be sent, noticed, or interpreted... Culture...is the foundation of communication.
From Thanasoulas (2001), it can be learnt that culture cannot be separated with communication. Culture becomes a foundation in a communication. Culture can help people explore their message of their communication to make their conversation easy to be understood.
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Indonesian who learns English and wants to be an English teacher, the researcher wonders, because if the target language culture is taught in English classroom, will the English students be familiar with the topic related to the target culture?Can they follow the lesson?
The questions can be answered by viewing the English teachers’ experiences in teaching English in English classroom. Therefore, the researcher would like to explore their belief of whose culture should be taught in English language classroom.
Why teacher’s belief? Belief plays a role in education. As Pajares (1992, cited in Zacharias 2003) stated that beliefs play a key role in defining tasks and selecting the cognitive tools with which to interpret, plan, and make decisions regarding such tasks; therefore they play a critical role in defining behavior and organizing knowledge and information. As a result, “the teachers’ belief is the information, attitudes, values, expectations, theories, and assumptions about teaching and learning that teachers build up over time and bring with them to the classroom” (Richards 1998, cited in Zacharias 2003). In additions, Donaghue (2003) also pointed out:
It is generally agreed that teachers’ personal theories, beliefs, andassumptions need to be uncovered before development can occur, enabling critical reflection and then change. Beliefs about teaching,learners, or teachers’ role, for example, guide teachers in their practice, and are derived from sources such as experience and personality.
(cited in Llurda & Lasagabaster 2010, p.330 )
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Therefore, based on the brief explanation above, the general aims of this research are to understand English teachers’ belief of which cultures should be taught in English language classroom and understand English teachers’ experiences of whose culture should be taught in English language classroom. This study will help students, especially English department students who would like to become teachers as well as other writers in having critical thinking. They should think critically that their beliefs are very important to choose about which culture should be taught in English language classroom in improving their students’ English skill like speaking, listening, reading and writing. This research will open or aware the readers, especially for them who want to be a teacher. They will be aware that only their beliefs or experience can give the lesson in choosing of which culture should be taught in English language classroom in improving their students’ English skill.
Theoretical Framework
This research will use literature review about culture and its relationship with language teaching and teachers’ belief. First it will discus about the culture and its relationship with Language Teaching. In addition, this chapter also discusses about the previous research that is conducted in other countries.
The Definition of Culture
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gestures, time, and so forth (Hinkel, 2007, p.1). It shows that the great achievement of a people as reflected in their history, social institution, work of art, architecture, music and literature which is the nation as the nation as the frame of reference for culture (Moran, 2001, p.4). The culture is a way of people’s life which will help people to determine their meaning when they speak. It may be said that language reflects culture which the culture will help people to understand a language which cannot be learned like a folk song, celebration, etc of their area in which the language is spoken. Based on the explanation above, it can be seen that each experts has their own assumption about culture in people’s life. Therefore, if the meaning of culture is understood by English language teachers, they may help their students to learn English properly by engage the culture in their teaching. Next, the researcher uses the experts’ opinion above to analyze about the ED teacher’s opinion about culture in their life, especially in their English teaching.
The connection between culture and language
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and other factors it plays an important role in functions, but for the moment it can be concentrate on written and spoken language (Moran, 2001). In addition, Peterson and Coltrano (2003, p.1) said, ‘When teaching subject pronouns and verbal inflections in French, a teacher could help students understand when in French it is appropriate to use an informal form of address (tu) rather than a formal form of address (vous)—a distinction that English does not have. An English as a second language teacher could help students understand socially appropriate communication, such as making requests that show respect; for example, “Hey you, come here” may be a linguistically correct request, but it is not a culturally appropriate way for a student to address a teacher.’
Based on all explanation above, it can be seen that culture and language are interconnected, especially in a conversation. From statement which is stated by Holliday (2011) above, culture is not only included religion or ethnicity but also can carry meaning in a conversation. In addition, Moran (2001) also has a view that culture can help people to understand about people’s identity and people speak. When people speak, they bring their identity. They use gesture, facial expression, and other body movement to explore their meaning. Next, Peterson and Coltrano (2003) show that culture can help people to understand and respect what people say, therefore people will respect each other or other culture. That is why, the explanation from the experts above are used to analyze the teacher’s belief about the importance of culture in a conversation.
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meaning. Next, Peterson and Coltrano (2003) show that culture can help people to understand and respect what people say, therefore people will respect each other or other cultures. That is why, the explanation from the experts above are used to analyze the teacher’s belief about the importance of culture in a conversation.
Teaching a language and culture are interconnected
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Being viewed from this perspective above, ‘teaching a language without teaching its culture in which it operates, is similar to teaching meaningless symbols or symbols to which student attaches the wrong meaning…’ (Politzer, 1959 cited in Thanasoulas 2001). Therefore, it is often considered that learning a language is also learning culture. However, Kramsch (1993, cited in Thanasoulas 2001) said that learning a foreign language does not only learn how to communicate but also how the learners could manipulate grammatical forms, sounds, and meanings, and to reflect abrupt, or even flout, socially accepted norms at work both in their own or the target culture. In addition, Zohrabi & Syah (2012) categorize the teaching of language and culture into two: culture-bond & culture-free English language teaching. In addition, based on Hermawan (2012), culture free is often happen in Indonesian classroom. based on his research, most of 50% English teachers did not presented culture in English language classroom well. They just focused on helping their learners to pass the English exam and to find a job in their country.
The way of teaching culture in a language classroom depends on the learners’ needs or purposes in learning English. It can be seen in the Zohrabi & Syah’s writing. According to Zohrabi & Shah (2012), English should be taught with the norm and standards of the native speakers so that language learners will have awareness about people and culture of the language they have learned which is called culture-bound in English language teaching. Culture-free English language teaching does not view English language as exclusively
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and activities. It means that the material should be related to their background knowledge that is related to their daily life in their own country. As a result, it will be easier for them in learning English if their material or topic is related to their daily life, such as topics that tell about the learners’ country or local culture. It is different from the culture bound which believes the learners will have problems in learning English if they are not familiar with the topic of their material.
The English language teaching should be easy to be understood by learners. Then, Zohrabi & Syah (2012) further emphasize that it is important that “English language courses should be designed based on international and multicultural trends” (p.276). It means that teachers need to teach both the target language culture and the learners’ own culture in English classroom. The need of using the leaner’s own culture in English classroom can help them to learn and use English contextually with the familiar topics that is related to their daily life and their needs of English, for example the topics that tell about their country and local culture. Therefore, the learners can read and produce text in English by using the topics (Zohrabi & Syah, 2012).
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language group. The sociocultural knowledge means social meaning, value, or utterances, such as greeting, formulas, and other utterances that are found in a dialogue (Canale, 1979 and Swain, 1983 as cited in Fleet, 2012).
However, teaching of which culture should be taught in a language teaching, it may see, learn or hold on the teacher’s belief. The teacher’s beliefs are important in English language teaching classroom because the sources of teachers’ beliefs are teachers’ experiences as language learners, experience from teaching, teachers’ own personality, expectations from the school, parents, the government and the local society and education-based or research-education-based principles (Kindsvatter, Willen, and Ishler, 1988 cited in Richards and Lockhart, 1996: 30 as cited in Zacharias 2003). Based on the previous explanation above, the beliefs are experiences which are important to be learned or used in teaching something. That is why, this research uses the teacher’s belief in a hope the beliefs or experiences will give a picture for the teacher to choose which culture in English language classroom, therefore they may improve their target language learners’ ability in using the target language properly. Next, two previous studies about teaching culture in English language classroom which were done by researchers will be discussed bellow. The previous studies will be discussed to give a picture about how far teaching target language culture or target learners’ culture in English classroom were conducted before.
Previous Research
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English text book. His study is descriptive qualitative in nature. The data for this study are collected from three English textbooks for primary schools entitled “Grow with English”, book four to six published by Erlangga. He categorized and analyzed the data which are in the form of written texts and illustrations that may accompany the reading passages. His study shows that culture is not introduced well in English classroom although local or learners’ culture is more presented in the material or text books, because the English teachers just focus on preparing learners in passing the examination. From his research, he hoped that culture should be factually applied in textbook or English class, because culture is a perfect topic to be taught. However, Hermawan (2012) did not include teachers’ experiences or feeling of the advantages of teaching target or local culture in English classroom. That is why, the researcher was interacted to find or to know about teachers’ beliefs of which culture should be taught in their English classroom and to find the advantages of teaching target language culture or students’ culture in English classroom, in a hope to help the English learners can use the target language properly.
In addition, Yilmaz (2005) also had a research about teaching in English classroom which had different focus with the researcher’s research focus. His research entitled Culture in English Language Classroom: What Do Students Think? which focused on target language
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However, his research did not include English teachers’ beliefs in gathering the data. Over viewing from the theoretical framework which was discussed above, based on Zacharias (2003), belief is an experience which may become a good teacher in a teaching. That is why, viewing from the Yilmaz (2005), the researcher’s research focuses on teachers’ beliefs of which culture in English language culture in order to get more real information based on the teachers’ experiences.
Over viewing from the previous researches above, between Hermawan (2012) and Yilmaz (2005) did not included teachers’ opinion or experiences of teaching culture in English language classroom. However, based on an expert opinion which was discussed above, teacher’s belief is important to be used in a teaching to improve the quality of a teaching. That is why, the researcher are interested to do include the teachers beliefs in order to understand of which culture should be taught in English language classroom and to find the advantages of teaching target language culture or learners’ culture in English language classroom based on their beliefs. Then, how to get or gathering data for the researcher’s research is discussed in research methodology bellow.
Research Methodology Context of the study
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Participant
The participants are ten lecturers in an English Department at the Faculty of Language and Literature of Satya Wacana Christian University. The reason why the researcher chooses 10 out of 30 teachers are because 30 participants are too much and 10 participants are enough to give information that is needed by the researcher. The researcher also has easy access to the lecturers in the English Department. The researcher also believes that the lecturers have many experiences that may help her to answer my research question. This study will use purposive sampling strategies. Purposive sampling is popular qualitative research (Patton,
1990). Purposive sampling is choosing some subjects with specific purpose because a researcher thinks that the subjects who are selected have information which is needed by the researcher (Mustafa, 2000).
Instrument of Data Collection
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taught in English language classroom. The second part focused on English teachers’ experiences in using a specific culture in English language classroom.
Procedures of data collection
Before I did the interview, I met my participants one by one to get permission about their agreement to become my participant of my research. I also told them about my topic in the interview so that they would prepare themselves for the interview. During the interview, I recorded their voices, because using the recording can help me to capture all of what the participants say. The recording can also preserve the actual language use (Zacharias, 2011, p.96). In addition, I can transcribe and play the recording again and again if I don’t understand about what my participant said or I can take notes from the recording. If there is something not clear in the recording, I can take notes, then I would ask it to my participants again. In addition, during the interview I also used note-taking to complete the recording as a preparation if there were something missing in the recording.
Data Analysis
After doing the interviews, I did the transcribing. I used clean transcription (Zacharias, 2011) because I just focused on the content of interview. By using the clean transcription, I could tidy up the language by adding some words or punctuation so that the
reader would have an easier time to read this writing.
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learners’ culture in English classroom. Next, elaboration of the data analysis is explained in finding and discussion part.
Finding and Discussion
The data of this research showed that 10 lecturers that were interviewed said that they always teach culture in English courses. They usually teach culture in writing, reading, speaking and listening skill or other courses. When I asked Ibu Ine (a pseudonym), she said that in writing, reading, speaking or listening, the culture was used to understand the meaning of phrases.
In writing and speaking, we use culture to understand the meaning of something. For
example, there is a culture in the word, which word should be used, or maybe the
word is not appropriate, abrupt or impolite for them. Then, in a listening, maybe we
don’t hear what we don’t know, like ‘telling live‘, and so on. The culture will help
learners in understanding the meaning of the phrases. (Ibu Ine, a pseudonym,
08-05-2012, my translation)
In addition, what Ibu Ina (a pseudonym) said relates to Allen (1985, cited in Byrd, et al. 2012) who said that culture is a tool to understand a language. Moreover, culture was viewed as a fifth ‘modality’ of language. Culture can help the target language learners in learning a language, alongside reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Then, it can be seen that culture can help learners in understanding the meaning of phrases that are not common in learners’ vocabulary.
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Moreover, from the explanation above, it can be seen that culture is important to teach in an English language classroom. According to Ibu Ine (a pseudonym), teaching culture is important because teaching a language is always related with culture.
“English and culture are interconnected. If there are some idioms written in English,
we can’t translate into Indonesian directly, because it’s interconnected with its
culture. We need to know how the native speaker sees the idioms. There are culture
values which should be taught.” (Ibu Ine, a pseudonym, 08-05-2012, my translation)
From Ibu Ine’s explanation above, it can be seen that culture can help learners in understanding the meaning of words in sentences or what English speakers mean. It is supported by Moran (2001) that culture also focused on understanding its people’s identity, including what they speak. What Ibu Ine (a pseudonym) and Moran (2001) said is similarly with what Pak John said that,
Learning about a foreign culture is important, so the language learners can
understand how to appropriately interact with people from another country. Different
countries have different rules of conduct and etiquette, even if the same medium of
communication is used between them. Foreign language learning is related with
foreign culture learning, and culture is generally in the background at some level in
foreign language learning. (Pak John, a pseudonym, 31-05-2012, my translation.)
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about social values of another’s culture is needed to help learners in understanding its language.
In addition, based on the interview, the teachers believe that target language culture should be taught in English language classroom. However, they also give several reasons why it should be taught in English language classroom. The reasons are about politeness, prevent misunderstanding, learning critical thinking, respect beliefs and religion or culture, helping English language learners to use the language properly and preparing the target language learners to work in foreign countries. In addition, the reasons are discussed below.
Politeness
Out of 10 participants, 3 participants had a similar view with (Canale 1979 and Swain 1983 as cited in Fleet), that knowledge of a target language culture is needed to learn sociocultural knowledge. Then, the target language learners will get inferences about the social values like knowing the utterances which are polite or impolite to say. If the learners know the social values or the utterances of the target language culture, they will know that not all things that are polite in Indonesia will be polite in other countries. Here, Ibu Ine, one of the participants also said that teaching culture is needed to make the target language learners understand about the differences between Indonesian culture and other cultures.
In speaking, we give a knowledge to learners about some questions that is impolite for
people from English speaking countries; for example when we ask about ages, getting
married, or how many children they have. In Indonesia it is fine, but in English
speaking countries that is an impolite thing. (Ibu Ine, a pseudonym, 08-05-2012, my
translation)
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can be impolite if it is used in English speaking countries. It is similar with Pak Toni (a pseudonym) who expressed that how to greet someone in English speaking countries is different from Indonesia.
If you meet someone else or strangers from native countries, they won’t say ‘how are
you’, because it is only used to greet someone who know you or familiar with you.
Then, they will say ‘how do you do’ for the first meeting with anyone. In addition, if
you meet your friend in Indonesia, you usually greet her/him by saying ‘ where are
you, but you can’t greet someone who is from English speaking country by saying
‘where are you’, because it is impolite for greeting them. Then, they will say, ‘that’s
not your businesses. (Pak Toni, a pseudonym, 20-06-2012, my translation)
From the explanation above, it can be seen that Pak Toni (a pseudonym) needs to explain to the target language learners that the way to greet someone in Indonesia and English speaking countries is different. It may be polite to Indonesian by saying ‘where are you’, but the utterance will be impolite if it is used to people from English speaking countries. Something that is polite to be said in Indonesian is not always polite to be said in English speaking countries, because of different values. That is why, language learners should know the cultural differences of politeness of the English speaking countries. Then, the learners will use the language properly in their conversation with the English speakers.
Preventing Misunderstanding
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Toni, one of the participants also has an experience as what Cakir (2009) said. He ever taught his students about greetings, how to call people from English speaking countries is different with how to call Indonesian people.
I ever taught in an English course about “greeting”, how to greet somebody else. If
we call people from English speaking country, we say “Mr.” using their last name,
Mr. Johnson for example, we can’t call him, Mr. Frank. But I heard in Indonesia, my
students called Pak Andrew as Mr. Andrew. Why? Is it true? I think, we should call
him with his behind name. (Pak Toni, a pseudonym, 20-06-2012, my translation)
Then, it can be seen that Pak Toni (a pseudonym) taught English to his learners that it is important to know how to greet people from other countries to prevent misunderstanding. How to call people in English speaking countries is different with how to call people in Indonesia. The use of last name after ‘Mr.’ is an important role to learn by the language learners. From the excerpt, it can be said that every country has different role that should be understood.
Learning critical thinking
Surprisingly, Pak John (a pseudonym), added that learning other cultures is needed to give learners knowledge or open the learners’ minds that every country has a different culture. They can learn and think critically about society in English speaking countries; for example all America cannot be depicted like the behaviors reflected in the movies.
Indonesian students are generally close-minded related to what they see in movies or
videos. If a film shows a scene with a partially nude individual they immediately
relate that with pornography without considering the reason why that scene is in the
movie and the meaning behind it. However, in movies with excessive violence or
swearing, they are generally indifferent. Indonesian students need to think beyond the
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images depicted within multimedia. Just because a certain movie or video depicts a
certain lifestyle or behavior, it does not mean that American society as a whole
reflects that kind of behavior. Students need to think more critically about what they
see or hear instead of just passing judgment based on superficial reasons.(Pak John,
a pseudonym, 31-05-2012, my translation)
In addition, from Pak John (a pseudonym) explanation, it can be seen that learning others’ culture is needed so that the language learners can think critically. People should stop judging each other. Something that is shown in a film does not always describe the societies’ behaviors in the country where the film comes.
Respecting beliefs and religion or culture
According to Kramsch (1993, as cited in Thanasoulas 2001), learning a foreign language is not only learning how to communicate but also learning how the learners could manipulate grammatical forms, sounds, or meanings. Learning an English language also helps the language learners understand something that the English speakers mean, or their beliefs. Moreover, Ibu Sandra (a pseudonym) taught her students that they need to know why the societies in English speaking countries very respect time. They always are on time in doing everything. She wanted her students to know and respect other cultures if they meet or have a meeting with someone who is from an English speaking county.
The people from English speaking countries are very disciplined and on time. It’s
their custom to manage their time to be always disciplined in doing something. So the
learners should know the differences between western culture and our culture.
Therefore, the learners will know the situation why the western people try to prepare
everything first. They are better at time management than us. (Ibu Sandra, a
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It can be seen that Ibu Sandra (a pseudonym) needs to explain the target language culture to make her students aware that they should know and respect the English speaking culture and the value of time. In addition, if the learners have a meeting of promise to meet with someone from English speaking county, they should be on time to respect them.
In addition, Ibu Sarah (a pseudonym) said that she taught the target culture in English language classroom to make the learner aware that they need to respect other beliefs or religion. It is also supported by (Peterson & Coltrane, 2003) that talking about the culture context is needed to understand the differences of other cultural norms and Indonesian culture norms.
Usually, I teach the culture because the materials in teaching are related to the
culture, for example, when the material talks about “Halloween” and “thanks
giving”. So I need to know what the people do in celebrating the thanks giving or
“Halloween”. Other example is Christmas, although in Indonesia also has a
Christmas day, it is different with foreign Christmas day. They decorate everything on
Christmas day and being together with family gathering. I also ask about the cultures
to my friends, the lecturers who are from English speaking countries. (Ibu Sarah, a
pseudonym, 11-06-2012, my translation)
From Ibu Sarah (a pseudonym) above, she thinks students must know the target language culture to respect other beliefs that Indonesian people do not have. The learners need to understand that every country has their culture. They cannot judge others’ culture, because the culture is the societies’ life.
Helping English language learners to use the language properly
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(a pseudonym) also said that she taught culture in a language classroom to make learners understand utterances in English speaking countries that are not popular for them. It’s supported by Byrd, et al. (2011) who also said that, “culture was viewed as a fifth ‘modality’ of language, culture a tool to learn a language alongside reading, writing, listening, and speaking (p.6).” The culture teachings should make learners increase their knowledge of another culture in terms of people’s way of life, values, attitudes, and beliefs, and how these manifest themselves or are couched in linguistic categories and forms. In addition, Ibu Ine (a pseudonym) also explained the advantages of teaching culture.
Teaching culture will help learners in understanding the meaning of the phrases. (Ibu
Ine, a pseudonym, 08-05-2012, my translation)
In addition, Ibu Ine (a pseudonym) thought that culture will help the language learners in understanding what the English speakers say by knowing the way they speak. The excerpt is also supported by Goode, Sockalingam, Brown, & Jones (2000) as cited in Peterson and Coltrano (2003), who said that culture is “integrated pattern of human behavior that includes thoughts, communications, languages, practices, beliefs, values, customs, courtesies, rituals, manners of interacting and roles, relationships and expected behaviors of a racial, ethnic, religious or social group; and the ability to transmit the above to succeeding generations.” In addition, Ibu Sarah (pseudonym), Ibu Sandra (pseudonym) and Pak Toni (a pseudonym) also experienced sharing about the target language culture to help their learners in using the target language appropriately. In addition, Ibu Sandra (a pseudonym) explained that teaching culture will help the language learners to know how to use the language in the right way.
Better understanding is not only understanding about culture but also understanding
about the people. If someday the learners will meet the people from English speaking
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They know what they have to express in the right time to the right person.” (Ibu
Sandra, a pseudonym, 19-06-2012, my translation)
In addition, Pak Toni (a pseudonym) also explained that teaching culture will help the learners in understanding something. The learners will know how to use the language properly. Then, the learners will know the differences of how to call someone in other countries.
Teaching both cultures will help the learners in understanding the meaning of
something. For example, if in Indonesia, I speak with Sukma, and sukma is a mother, I
say “Ibu, Ibu harus seperti ini”. But in target language culture, people say “You”,
“You, have to...” the word “ You can be used to speak with the president or senior.
Indonesian people have a higher respect in speak with people who has high status,
but in target language culture, it is to the point. (Pak Toni, a pseudonym, 20-06-2012,
my translation)
In addition, Ibu sarah also explained her experiences in teaching English. She taught an IC course. She explained that she needed to discuss the culture to understand some difficult worlds.
I teach culture in reading, in the material of IC courses, there is something that is
related to culture. I need to know that, I have to ask Pak Duncan or Pak Andrew
directly, because I’m afraid if I make a mistake in understanding difficult words that
are very cultural. So I need to know their culture to understand a word. (Ibu Sarah, a
pseudonym, 11-06-2012, my translation)
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Moreover, what Ibu Sandra (a pseudonym) expressed is similar with what Pak Toni’s (a pseudonym) expressed. He experiences that learning the target language culture is needed to know the differences of the learners’ culture and the target language culture so that the learners can use the language properly. What Ibu Sandra (a pseudonym) explained is also similar with what Ibu Sarah (a pseudonym) expressed. She told that knowing the target language culture is needed, because sometimes the target language learners should know the meaning of some words which are very cultural, or difficult to be understood.
Preparation for the target language learners to work in foreign countries
In addition, teaching a target language culture is needed to prepare the target language learners to work and have a communication in foreign countries. According to Zohrabi & Syah (2012), the way of teaching culture in a language classroom depends on the learners’ needs or purposes in learning English. English should be taught with the norm and standards of the English speakers so that language learners will have awareness about the people and the culture of the language they have learned, because sometimes they want to get a job in the English speaking countries. The statement is also supported by this research that out of 10 participants, 6 lecturers believe that they need to teach the English speaking countries’ cultures to fulfill their learners’ need in learning English. They know that a lot of their learners learn English to work abroad, especially in English speaking countries. Moreover, Pak Fandy (a pseudonym) experienced teaching culture to his students based on his students’ purpose in leaning a language.
The way I teach culture in English class depends on their future purpose, what we
think about the learners’ need.
We don’t only prepare our students to work in their country, but in the future they will
go to the foreign countries. So, the culture of the English speaking countries should be
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In addition, it can be seen that Pak Fandy, a pseudonym, taught the target culture based on the target language learners’ purposes. Sometimes, in the future they want to work in foreign countries so that they need to know the English speaking culture to prepare them in the future.
Conclusion
After the data transcripts from the interviews of ED teachers’ in Satya Wacana University were analyzed, based on the participants’ beliefs, his research show that teaching target language culture in English classroom important to make English language learners learn about politeness, preventing misunderstanding, learning critical thinking, respecting beliefs and religion or culture, helping English language learners to use the language properly, and preparing the target language learners to work in foreign countries. In order to get point of this result of this research, the researcher explains the result or the conclusion of this research in a form of a table below:
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1 Pak John Learning Critical thinking Teaching target
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Next, over viewing the six categories of importance of teachers’ beliefs above, teaching the target language culture can help language learners understand about others’ cultures. Then, if English learners know about the target language culture, they also know about something that is polite or impolite to do or say when they have a communication with people from English speaking countries. The teachers also believe that teaching culture is important to prevent a misunderstanding in a conversation between the language learners and people from English speaking countries. Moreover, the teachers’ beliefs show that the teaching of target language culture can help learners have critical thinking. They have to think critically and should not judge other society by watching a movie only. The teachers believe that society’s behavior cannot be seen only by seeing a movie. The teachers also suggested the language learners to know and respect the beliefs and religion or culture of English speaking countries. They need to know that every country has a different culture. Then, the language learners can use the language properly in the right time, right person, or right situation. In addition, the teachers also believed that the teaching of target language culture in an English language classroom is important to prepare the learners when they work in a foreign country or have a dialogue with people from English speaking countries. In addition, if they know the target language culture, they will enjoy their communication with English speakers.
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also how to understand and respect other culture, because every country has its own culture. Moreover, the researcher suggests that the English teacher should make their students think critically that judging society only by seeing a movie or film is wrong, because the situation on a movie does not always reflect the society’s reality life. Therefore, the researcher hopes that teaching target language culture in English classroom may make all people life in peace without judging each other. However, the English teachers should give a knowledge to the learners to not to follow the target language culture, because every country has different culture which lives in together in their life.
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Acknowledgement
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Appendix
Interview Questions
1. Dapatkah Bapak/Ibu menceritakan latar belakang pendidikan Bapak/Ibu? 2. Berapa lama Bapak/Ibu mengajar bahasa Inggris?
3. Bagaimana kedudukan bahasa Inggris yang dulu jika dibanding sekarang (terutama untuk pelajar Indonesia)?
4. Apakah menurut Bapak/Ibu budaya dan bahasa Inggris berhubungan langsung? 5. Apakah belajar budaya itu penting dalam belajar bahasa?
6. Menurut Bapak/Ibu, budaya siapa yang seharusnya diajarkan dalam pembelajaran bahasa Inggris?
7. Apakah alasan Bapak/Ibu memilih budaya tersebut dalam mengajar bahasa Inggris? 8. Dapatkah Bapak/Ibu menceritakan pengalaman anda dalam mengajarkan budaya
tersebut dalam pelajaran bahasa Inggris?
9. Kapan Bapak/Ibu mengajarkan budaya tersebut (saat mengajar speaking, reading, listening atau writing)? Dapatkan anda memberi sedikit contoh?
10.Apakah keuntungan dari mengajarkan budaya tersebut dalam mengajar bahasa Inggris?
11.Pernahkah Bapak/Ibu menemui suatu masalah dalam mengajarkan budaya tersebut pada waktu kelas bahasa Inggris berlangsung?
