Linguistic and cultural awareness in the classroom- an

observational study of English native teachers in the English

Foreign Language (EFL) classroom in China

By Reyhan Incedal

Student I.D: 3318142801Submission date: Friday 26th April 2013Word count: 8, 091

Abstract Language learner’s linguistic and cultural awareness towards a target language (English) has a profound influence on the English language learning development and performance. It is commonly mistaken that English grammar, writing and reading is the most important factor when learning English; however in this paper I will exemplify the importance of cultural factors which could influence language learner’s ability to achieve above their acknowledgement. In this paper I show my findings with the experience with working at a Chinese university. I present my research through the process and use of interviews and observations, which were taken by me during October and November 2012, in China. The results show that cultural awareness should be imposed in EFL classrooms as it can lead to a positive outcome within the Chinese community. Keywords: linguistics and cultural awareness EFL acknowledgment process

IntroductionThis paper will challenge the political problems which arise in foreign language classrooms abroad, and draws attention to the degree of linguistic and cultural awareness in a particular province in south east China. With the impact of

globalization and the growth of technology, this makes many countries, such as China, dependent on each other and students are now able to get access to many cultural resources to explore culture themselves. China has seen many educational and economic reforms since the late1970’s in a bid to rebuild society after the ten year Cultural Revolution. During the Cultural Revolution, education was neglected and children were forced to live and work in agricultural in order to gain a better understanding of manual agrarian labour in Chinese society. As China strives to become part of the world economy in the age of globalisation and modernisation, there has been great emphasis on the value of English language learning across all ages. Teaching English as a foreign language has become very popular in the last century and it is significantly used for creating businesses, because it is seen as a ‘business language’ Sant, T (2008). This national drive is claimed to be linked to the country’s foreign policy whereby rapid education advancement is seen to achieve such goals. The Chinese government has called for a surge of native English speakers to teach in their schools and universities with a view to equipping their students with language skills desired for the world market. The need for a ‘teaching force’ is massive and more and more short (4-5 weeks) preparatory teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) certificate training programmes have been established to produce ‘qualified’ teachers’ Lee, P. L (2000). This is not to say that the area of linguistic and cultural aspects is neglected at the pre-service training stage, but it is difficult to ignore the topic of cross-cultural understanding during the discussion of TEFL, as there are always at least two countries involved. English foreign language (EFL) educators do not realise that it is not just the information about the culture that is needed, but also the sensitivity to cross-cultural differences that must be fostered. The acknowledged benefits of native English teachers in China, specifically include, improving student’s pronunciation, listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in the English language as well as imparting knowledge of a different culture, Turner-Gottschang (1987). However, as Simpson, S.T (2008) crucially points out; the Chinese class taught by a western EFL teacher is bound to experience clashes owing to ‘divergent educational philosophies meeting in and environment that is both low in mutual awareness and high in expectations’. Cultural awareness is an important component of education, as students must learn early how to not only get along with those who come from different cultures, but also how to appreciate and respect other cultures. The issue of linguistic and cultural awareness appeals to me because I believe that a foreign language teachers awareness of their students backgrounds and cultural elements ‘has a profound positive influence on any form of learning, as well as the English language learning process, practice, and performance’ Simpson (2008). I agree with Crozat, Liddicoat, and Lo Bianco (1999) as they state that ‘language teaching involves not only linguistic codes but also intercultural and interpersonal communications’. Ellis (1991) argues against this, and states that there is no hard evidence to prove that ‘learner participation is crucial for successful L.2 acquisition’. Foreign teachers attempt to develop students communicative competence through the participation discourse alone fails to take into account the cultural implications embedded in their pedagogical procedures and thus fails to communicate to Chinese students. This paper will analyse why EFL teachers need to develop language awareness and pedagogical skills, in order to remove communication barriers and bridge the teacher-student cultural rift. I will demonstrate the positive outcome when EFL teachers use a wide range of teaching methods to cater to the needs of

students, from different levels and different cultural backgrounds, and how this could impact on their learning. Moreover, in order to create a successful language learning environment, the EFL teacher has to take into consideration the cross-cultural factors of the learners’ mother tongue and the language being taught, in this case, English. The aim of this paper is to explore the common challenges that may arise in a cross-cultural language classroom from both the perspectives from the Chinese students and the western teachers in order to deduce how far these issues can be attributed to lack of mutual cultural awareness. The study focuses on the situation at Fuzhou Normal University (FNU) in the south east of China, where I have had the opportunity to conduct a small-scale ethnographic research, by means of first-hand observations, interviews and secondary data collection. During my stay in China, whilst working and observing lesson at FNU, it became clear that; linguistic and cultural awareness were not key issues in the classroom and in many educational institutes. Due to this lack of acknowledgment, I chose to focus on this topic as it interested me on how teaching English became apparent and learnt in the classrooms. Having first hand experiences as a language learner myself, I have been through the process of building up my own linguistic and cultural awareness in the EFL classroom and I understand from within what this awareness would mean to both teachers and students, when learners’ linguistic and cultural background is diverse and different to the class teacher. Participants in this essay include native English teachers and students of English major or non-major. My participant observation will take place across 2-3 classrooms where lessons are conducted by native English teachers. Data will be largely drawn from field notes, interviews and students’ diary. Through this ethnographical study, it is anticipated that I will be able to find answers to the following research questions:

• What is meant by cultural awareness and what does cultural awareness mean to EFL teachers and educators?

• What does the perception that foreign teachers have about Chinese culture and Chinese students?

• What is the view of a foreign teacher from a Chinese learner?• How should cross-cultural awareness be raised at a TEFL pre-

service training stage?To answer these questions I will explore extensive first hand data I collected from my observations whilst working in FNU. My data will represent the issues which arise and will demonstrate the lack of cultural awareness the Chinese students and EFL teachers were faced with. This paper will aim to examine the difficulties I was faced with, when observing the teaching and learning in an EFL classroom. It will look closely at the role of culture and the awareness of cultural differences.

This paper is sectioned into three parts. The first part will contain the discussion of relevant literature in relation to theorists who have found similar issues arising in a foreign language classroom, in relation to linguistic and definitions of culture. The second part will explain the methodology underlying my research. Here I will look in detail at the advantages and disadvantages of the method, as well as introducing the respondents who took part in my research. The last part presents and further analyses the findings in response to the research questions and will critically highlight and compare how my data represents the absence of linguistic and cultural awareness in foreign language classrooms. This will be followed by an overall conclusion.

• Literature review This chapter provides a review of the literature and secondary data that already exists in relation to linguistic and cultural awareness in a foreign language (FL) setting. The idea of linguistic and cultural awareness in a classroom refers to the notion that the EFL educator is aware of the surroundings (by which students) and the material being taught in the classroom. Nunan (2001) defines culture as ‘norms and rules that govern the interracial and personal behaviour groups of individuals.’ It is suggested that, cultural awareness refers to the learner’s acknowledgment and acceptance of the cultural contents and features that the target language represents. Levison (2000) regards that language and the culture it represents, are in coevolution and a ‘natural language’ is learned in and through a social interaction and constitute. In a foreign language learning environment, this affects the EFL learning process in various ways and this will be presented in chapter three of this paper. In the 1960`s and 1970`s, linguists investigated the connections between language and culture and identified that both elements produced key relevant work led by Hymes (1964) “Language and Culture” Gumperz (1972) on interactional sociolinguistics, and Kapplan (1966) on rhetorical patterns accepted in different cultures and styles of writings. In the late 1980`s researchers found that the effects of body language, eye contact and communicative paradigms, were produced after the influences from culture taught in FL classrooms. Damen (1987) analysed the influence of culture on interaction and communication; and defined cultural values and beliefs. However, many psycholinguists claim that second language acquisition (SLA) is the learning of form-meaning connections, or constructions that relate form and meaning, Ellis, N, C (2004). This has led to an increasing awareness that language forms should be acquired as meaning-potential linguistic resources. Littlewood (2000) analyses the causes for differences among learners of second language, such as motivation, opportunities and abilities of the individual in the language learning process and concluded that, ‘the learner needs to understand the culture in which is spoken’, and as a result of this acknowledgment, this may help the learner and enable him or her ‘to develop an enriched, more complex personality and enhanced capacity for further language learning and greater openness to new cultural experiences’ (CEF mentioned by Camilleri-Grima 2002). Reid (2002) also studied the culture and the leaners learning style in second language learning. Reid (2002) found that the ‘students from cooperative cultures, such as Japan and China may have different learning strategies compared with the students from other cultures.’ Thus he suggested the teachers with good cultural awareness should use their own teaching styles and make ultimate use of the learner’s personalities. Furthermore, many teaching researchers study the cultural awareness of their own classroom activities and put forward practical approaches for in-classroom activities. Tavern and Cavalcanti (1996) insist that ‘pure information’ of language cannot lead the learners to a critical thought of the target language, and so, also claimed that ‘this cannot encourage the language learner in their language learning process.’ Tavern and Cavalcanti (1996) experimented with using cultural contents in EFL FL

classrooms, with the use of TV programmes and pragmatic consciousness raising (PCR) strategies, (Rose, K, R 1994) to help the learners in developing cultural awareness in English language learning. Although Tavern and Cavalcanti (1996) argue that T.V programmes are effective, Fallahkhair, S (2004) argues against this as they claim ‘learners cannot go at their own speed or repeat things when they want to. Rigid structure was perceived as a problem...’ From my own experience, I will demonstrate the positives and negatives from the use of PCR, in an EFL classroom and I will suggest how it could be effective with learning a second language.

Defining the concept of cultural awareness, could be a difficult concept to grasp on, as many theorists have different views on the idea, and this was something I encountered during my research. Tomlinson (2001) defines cultural awareness in a FL classroom as ‘inner sense of the equality of cultures, an increased understanding of your own and other students’ cultures, and a positive interest in how cultures both connect and differ’ (cited in Tomlinson & Masuhara, 2004). In addition to Tomlinson (2001) definition, he also states that an ‘increased cultural awareness helps learners broaden the mind, increase tolerance and achieve cultural empathy and sensitivity’. What is more, according to Tomalin, B & Stempleski, S (1993) ‘cultural awareness include three qualities:

• Awareness of one’s own culturally-induced behaviour• Awareness of the culturally-induced behaviour of others• Ability to explain one’s own cultural standpoint’

Conversely, Knutson (2006) argues that there is only one main aspect when it comes to the development of students’ cultural awareness. He argues it ‘starts by educating the students to recognize their cultural identity in relation to other cultures.’ As a result of this, Knuston (2006) suggests that, ‘teachers should analyse students’ current world and educational needs in terms of academic cultural knowledge, awareness or ability to behave in appropriate ways towards one another,’ (cited in Beaudrie, et al 2009). Equally, Tannen (1992) believes that, ‘cultural identity is likely to diverge based not only on learners national and linguistic background but also on their ethnic heritage, religious beliefs, class, age, gender, and sexual orientation’ (cited in Kumaravadivelu, 2003). Referring back to Knutson (2006), Ho (2009) also agrees with the development of the cultural awareness in a FL class that may be inclined by a number of restraints. These limitations include the simplicity of the FL teacher’s cultural knowledge, the availability of native English speakers or even the time given for culture teaching in each lesson. Kramsch & Sullivan (1996) claim that ‘an EFL teacher is in a position and could be considered the expert knower of the language and his/her own cultural knowledge thus seems to be the main source for students to learn about’, so it is suggested that the, cultural teaching is highly down to the EFL educator.

Moving on, according Lev Vygotsky (1962, 1978) cultural development occurs as the ‘result of meaningful verbal interaction that is of dialogic relationship between novices and experts in the environment, be the parents, older peers or teachers.’ Vygotsky theory evidently suggests that the non-changing nature of neither development; where learners do not progress nor regress is hugely influenced by peers. Vygotsky (1978) famously quoted, ‘every function in the child’s cultural development appears twice: first on the social and later on the individual level…’ In

this view, it is essential that the development is the notion that both thought and language are not ‘inner and out manifestations of the same mental phenomenon but really two distinct cognitive operations that grow together’, Fredericks (1974). The sociocultural theory argues that social interaction with one another is the main influence to the mediated process that is ‘organised by the cultural artefacts, activities and concepts’, Ratner (2002).

In addition to the above, the idea of ‘intercultural’ reflects on the view that EFL learners have to ‘gain insight both into their own culture and the foreign culture, Kramsch, C (1993). Intercultural communicative competence refers to the ‘ability to ensure a shared understanding by people of different social identities, and the ability to interact with people as complex human beings with multiple identities and their own individuality’ Byram, Gribkova and Starkey (2002). This ability emphasizes the mediation between different cultures, the ability to look at oneself from an ‘external’ perspective, analyse and adapt one’s own behaviours, values and beliefs’, Byram and Zarate, (1997). Kramsch, C (2006) redefines communicative competence by arguing that ‘to understand others, we have to understand what they remember from the past, what they imagine and project onto the future, and how they position themselves in the present’. Such ability demands not just the knowledge of vocabulary of the second language but the ‘symbolic forms’ that are ‘embodied experiences, emotional resonances, and moral imaginings’ Kramsch, C (2006). Kramsch, C (1991) recent view on culture and language indicates the teaching of culture implicitly or explicitly draws that ‘the teaching of social interaction and the spoken and written language.’ He stated that the way in which a second and foreign learners to become learners of the second culture due to the fact that a language cannot be learned without an understanding of the cultural context in which it is used. For effective intercultural competence, Kramsch (1996) found that if the students express themselves after reading a story, this allows them to use their own words and highlights what each individual understood from the story. Furthermore, when highlighting linguistic and cultural awareness in a foreign language institute, Stern, H, H (1983, 1992) theoretical framework for foreign language teaching theory includes ‘a foundational level (one) based in the social sciences, an inter level (two) where theory and research come together in applied or educational linguistics, and a practical level (three) where the methodology and organization of L2/FL learning and teaching meet in the educational context.’ Additionally to Stern’s (1983) framework, in relation to society, he relates his model to the cultural aspect of L2 and FL teaching, ‘with anthropology, sociology, and sociolinguistics providing the foundations at level one’, studies and ethnographic description of the FL culture lead into the language teaching context at level two, which is supported by the sociocultural component of the L2 or FL curriculum at level three. In spite of Sterns stages, Ho, S, T, K (2009) argues that if teachers know how to incorporate language and culture in language teaching in an effective manner, they can solve the problem and even make the lesson more interesting. Developing cultural sensitivity does not mean that we need to lose our cultural identities but rather that we recognize cultural influences. Patrikis (1988) recognizes the dangers of ethnocentrisms (judging a specific ethnicity based on their culture) and bias in the presentation of cultural materials, and highlights the dangers this could cause to L2 learners, in terms of motivation and attitude to FL learning in the classroom.

However Liddicoat (2002) mentions that there are two views towards cultural

awareness in a FL classroom: the static versus the dynamic. The static view looks at culture as a variable that can be distinguished through one or two variables, Alvesson, M (1989). The static view purely transmits cultural information to learners and ignores the constantly developing nature of culture. On the contrast, the dynamic view portrays culture as a process which adapts to the environment and assimilates within. The dynamic view of culture also requires learners to have knowledge of their own culture and an understanding of their own culturally-shaped behaviours. Weaver’s (1993) cultural iceberg shows that a large proportion of our own culturally-shaped knowledge is invisible and mostly subconsciously applied in our everyday interactions (cited in Kiet Ho, 2009). Similarly, as Englebert (2004) describes: ‘…to teach a foreign language is also to teach a foreign culture…and it is important to be sensitive to the fact that our students, our colleges, our administrators, and, if we live abroad, our neighbours do not share all of our cultural paradigms’ (cited in Leveridge, 2008). Jasmine, C, M (2010) ‘Students need to experience culture; they need to extrapolate from and build upon those experiences to develop…of how one interacts linguistically in the target culture’, James, E, A (1993) Finally, while developing cultural awareness in the EFL classroom it should be kept in mind that, the native language is learned along with the ways and attitudes of the social group, and these ways and attitudes find expression through the social group, Cakir, I (2006). Not only is culture part and parcel of the process, but the educational value of it within L2/FL education is great, as Byram (1988) argues. As Nemni (1992) has outlined, ‘we should include culture in our curriculum in an intentional manner in order to avoid the stereotyping and pitfalls.’ Studies have conducted on both first and second language learners, that overregulation on the part of teachers engaged in joint cognitive activities precludes the achievement of self-regulation for the learners, Schinke-Llano (1996, 1994). But Brooks (1968) ‘emphasized the importance of culture not for the study of literature but for language learning’. Language teachers cannot avoid conveying impressions of another culture whether they realize it or not (Rivers, 1981). The issues of culture and learning have been inseparable for centuries, and ‘majority of the educators were oblivious of this cultural element until confronted with it in the reality of the multicultural classroom,’ Kozulin, A (2003)

• Methodology In conducting my research, ethnographic research was used to explore cultural

phenomena with the use of observations and interviews. According to Bickman, L and Rog, D, J (1998) ethnographers assume a ‘holistic outlook in research to gain a comprehensive and complete picture of a social group’. As Eberle and Maeder (2011) put it ‘doing ethnography means using multiple methods of data gathering like observation’s, interviews, collection of documents…as well as representations of artefacts’ (cited in Silverman, D 2001) According to Fetterman, D, M (1989) ‘culture is the broadest ethnographic concept’ and Denscombe, M (2010) would agree with this as they claim ‘ethnographic research has the potential to produce an array of ‘pictures’ which coexist…with poor reliability and little prospect of generalizing of ethnographic account of the culture or event’. Referring back to Patrikis (1988) recognizes the setbacks of ethnocentrisms, as it can be bias in the ‘presentation of cultural materials, and highlights the dangers this could cause to L2 learners, in terms of motivation and attitude to FL learning in the classroom.’

In my research, I chose to use informal interviews and observations. The reason why I chose interviews was because; it gave me an in-depth insight on the interviewee’s opinions and feelings around the topic in an informal setting. As Fetterman, D, M (1989) state ‘informal interviews are the most common in ethnographic work…informal interviews are useful throughout an ethnographic study in discovering what people think…compared with others’. By using an informal interview, this meant the student felt comfortable in the informal setting as there was not a specific set of questions being asked. During the interviews, I achieved a high response rate from the respondents with their own words noted (see appendix). Bateman (2004) argues, learners engaging in ethnographic interviews enhance not only their attitudes towards the speakers and the target culture, but also their communication competence with people from other cultures and awareness of the influence of their own culture in their lives. However, if we set aside the advantages of using an informal based interview, one disadvantage I came across whilst interviewing the students, was that some unrelated data was produced, and Fetterman, D, M (1989) would agree as highlighted in the textbook that ‘some degree of contamination is always present’. On the other hand, I will now discuss the outcome from using ethnographic observations whilst collecting my data. I chose to use observations as it gave me direct access to the fieldwork I was looking for and gave me ‘immersion in a culture’ Fetterman, D, M (1989) in a Chinese society. According to Jackon, S, L (2010) observations produce ‘natural or true behaviours’ and I found this was present during my observations. However noting this, it is important to say state that, observations could also lead to a subjective bias response. Qualitative research is ‘an inquiry process of understanding’ where the researcher develops a ‘complex, holistic picture analyses words, reports detailed views of informants, and conducts the study in a natural setting’ Creswell, J, W (1998) in this approach, the researcher makes knowledge claims based on the constructivist, Guba & Lincoln (1982). The proposed cultural components involved the target groups of 60 English-majoring and non-majoring students in a Chinese university in South East China. The traditional EFL textbook units exemplified in this paper include of Kramsch, C (1993, 1996, 1998 and 2006) and the second textbook used was of Fetterman, D, M (1989) Ethnography: step by step. The underlying assumptions about culture from these resources are first critically analysed. A cultural component of each unit is then developed according to a set of standards for intercultural language learning to reflect an intercultural stance on language and culture, in a foreign language

classroom. Both textbooks concluded the developments of the cultural components are based on the learners’ construction of their own knowledge through cultural exploration and an understanding of their own and the target culture’s values and beliefs. My respondents include 60 English majoring and on-English majoring Chinese students aged between 17-22 years of age and 4 foreign language teachers who taught at the Chinese university. My interviews and observations took place between October 2012 to December 2012, at Fuzhou Normal University, Fujian province of south east China. In my appendix, I give examples of the relevant interviews which took place and in order to ensure confidentiality, my respondents are named anonymously and I used chosen pseudonyms for each interviewee. From my appendix, I can conclude that most students were very enthusiastic about discussing their experiences in the FL classroom, in relation to their opinion of linguistic and cultural awareness’s. I draw to conclude that, the Chinese student’s general view of the EFL teachers ranged from ‘hard working, disciplined and enthusiastic’ to ‘unclear, ‘unmotivated and sometimes intimidating’ (see appendix 2).

• Findings The main argument of this section is based on my own research, which took place in a Chinese university during the period of October - December 2012. It is suggested from the above discussion that the participation discourse used predominantly by foreign teachers, is culturally incompatible with Chinese culture of learning with respect to its purposes to develop Chinese students oral skills, learning autonomy and creativity. This chapter will look at how this was implemented during my stay at a Chinese university. In this chapter I will present my analysis in response to my research questions with evidence from my observations and interviews. I will draw on comparisons to the literature review with the collected data. One major finding I experienced when I was teaching at Fuzhou Normal University (FNU) was that the institute did not have a curriculum for spoken English language teaching. By Yangguang Chen it has been suggested that ‘current classroom teaching in China tends to focus on linguistic competence and overlook cultural and communicative approach to construction of learners’ language competence’, Chen (2011). From the above statement, this raises awareness to me that perhaps spoken English is not seen as a key factor, however learning the English grammar and writing are. From this acknowledgement, if we apply this to FNU, it could be suggested that the Chinese institute are merely dependent on the EFL educators to teach spoken English from their background knowledge, but could it be argued that this could lead to subjective teaching according to the different background knowledge each educator holds? I agree with, Thanasoulas, D (2001) as he points out that ‘the language curriculum somehow must reflect the culture of the language being taught because this process in turns helps in the process of shaping the learner’s identity’. When considering the language learner, this is important as I found from my interview, that the students do not hold enough background knowledge to construct themselves in society, ‘because I never learn about different countries, I am shy and quiet when the foreign people speak with me’ (see appendix 2). Further to this, Nemni, M (1992) has outlined, ‘we should include culture in our curriculum in an intentional manner in order to avoid the stereotyping and pitfalls.’

With the absence of the curriculum at FNU, this fails to shape ‘the learners identity’ and this could lead to ‘stereotyping’ the British culture. This was evident in my research, as I found unconscious stereotyping during an interview with a Chinese student who asked me, ‘I think the English people eat a lot of fish and chips, do you?’ (See appendix 1). Drawing back to my argument, I believe that language and culture have an inextricable and interdependent relationship; therefore in relation to teaching in a foreign language (FL) classroom it is important that the students have an understanding and awareness to what they are learning. Mitchell and Myles (2004) argue that ‘language and culture are not separate, but are acquired together, with each providing support for the development of the other’. Liddicoat et al. (2003) agrees with this, as they claim that ‘language and culture interact with each other in a way that culture connects to all levels of language use and structures; i.e. there is no level of language which is independent of culture.’ The relationship between language and culture is made meaningful in language learning as ‘the person who learns language without learning culture risks becoming a fluent fool’ Bennett, Bennett & Allen (2003). I strongly agree with Bennett, Bennett & Allen (2003) as I noticed in my observations, that the students were learning English without any implementations of background knowledge of the English culture, and this could result in negative misinterpretations. According to Belcher, L, M (2013) online article, ‘implementing cultural awareness in the classroom can be done in myriad ways, from classroom decor to special assignments to targeted curriculum that generates discussion and bridges differences’. From my experience in a Chinese FL classroom, it did not come to my awareness that ‘classroom décor’ (see appendix 3) or ‘special assignments’ were handed to the students, however I strongly believe that this could be embedded into the FL classrooms, to give the Chinese students a general idea about the targeted culture and this could lead to a better understanding during language learning.

Foreign teacher’s impression of Chinese students and the culture Whilst interviewing the foreign language teachers at the university, I came to conclude that the foreign language teachers were unaware of the Chinese culture, as they had a negative response to the student’s ability due to misunderstandings. As Chen, Y (2011) states the danger with the current foreign language classroom in China is a utilitarian attitude (see appendix 4) towards language teaching, which results in ‘a shift from intrinsic motivation to a concern with extrinsic factors’, Brumfit, C, F (1978). During the interview stage, 3 out of the 4 teachers stated that the English majoring students were ‘polite, modest but passive,’ (see appendix 1). I agree with Lado, R (1963) as it was highlighted that the importance on ‘changing the learner’s behaviour and injecting a new way of life and new values of life into his already settled behaviour pattern’ and the newly behaviour adopted here will encourage the Chinese students to learn in a positive environment. Another key feature I found during the interviews, were that, the teachers claimed ‘besides working hard and being well disciplined in the classroom, the students lack creativity when it is most needed in language learning, for example when we are having discussions on different kinds of food, all the students were puzzled by ignorance’ (see appendix 1). Similarly to this, an article by Xueqin, J (2011) quotes ‘a Chinese School is both a stressful and stale place, forcing students to remember facts in order to excel in tests. Whatever Chinese students try to bring into the classroom, they are quickly stamped out. Chinese schools are producing a nation of students

with photographic memory…who can never be creative’. From this article it is clear to conclude that the Chinese educational institutes fail to deliver cultural aspects into a FL classroom such as creativity. This could be implemented in FL classrooms in many myriad ways, such as the use of British art, music and food. However in mentioning this, it is also important to consider the area the institute is placed in, as it was suggested in the interviews that there are sets backs into achieving creativity, as FNU is in a remote area in south east of China and the area may not have places to access western influenced food or art, for example. Additionally to this, I also found that the EFL teachers felt that the Chinese students had a prejudice view on the British culture. In my interview it was noted from an EFL educator that ‘when we discuss foreign countries, the students unconsciously bring stereotyping into it. The funniest remark was from a student of mine, who commented “all the Americans eat is burgers and chips”’ (see appendix 1). The unfamiliarity of the culture affects ones learning when it comes to language, as the level of ignorance may lead the students to fail and excel in group discussions, which plays an active role whilst learning a foreign language. More importantly, as EFL teachers we must consider how the students must feel in the classroom, as Afrin, N (2013) highlights, ‘teaching a foreign language we need to be sensitive to the fragility of students by using techniques that promote cultural understanding’, on the other hand, Zhenhui, R (2001) found in China that, ‘most teachers emphasize learning through reading and tend to pour a great deal of information on the blackboard...’ this could be one of many reasons why the Chinese culture has distanced itself from the western ways of learning (see appendix 4 image). Since culture has a great impact on language, it is natural that cultural awareness should be given enough attention. And each English teacher should realize the inevitability of culture in teaching methodology. Drawing onto my experience of teaching in a foreign culture, a comparative perspective becomes important as a pedagogical means of motivation. Not only does it allow students to understand the language and the nuances of American and British culture better, but it also helps them acquire a more conscious awareness of their own culture and encourages students to dedicate themselves to the development of China.

What is the view of a foreign teacher from a Chinese learner?Moving forward, in comparison to the perception from the EFL teacher to the Chinese students, I will now discuss the Chinese student’s perception of the EFL teachers and teaching. During my interviews the Chinese students perspectives on the foreign language teachers were generally positive. Whilst working at the university, it was apparent that the Chinese society and culture, were friendly and the students were very enthusiastic towards foreigners. The Chinese students had an overall perception of the foreign teachers as ‘laidback in marking our work, but the class structure is less planned’ (see appendix 2). According to an online interview in an article, it was apparent that the student felt passionate about learning and had a radical view on her EFL teacher, ‘"I am an introverted, analytic and reflective student. I don't know how to cope with your extroverted, global and impulsive teaching style?"’ Zhenhui, R (2001). From this interview it is clear to state that EFL educators could be described as overenthusiastic and ‘impulsive’ towards teaching and this was also exemplified in my research, as I discovered the Chinese students were behaving passively towards me, and I felt was categorized into a group of ‘extroverted western teacher’.

Referring back to Kramsch, C (1993) the idea of culturally shared meaning has been seen as both facts and as meanings, and she sees the foreign language classroom, as a site of ‘struggle between the learners’ meanings and those of native speakers.’ Through this ‘struggle’, L2 learners create their own personal meanings at the boundaries between the native speakers’ meanings and their own everyday life. Similarly to Kramsch, C (1993) idea, I found that students were more likely to ‘struggle’ with language learning, if the EFL educator was not aware of their needs, and according to Bao-he, Z (2010) ‘culture can lead to different interpretations and reaction to language, so students’ ability to comprehend and communicate in English is highly dependent on the culture background knowledge…most likely to cause their poor English.’ From my interviews with the Chinese students, it was noted that ‘when the class teacher refers back to their homeland, we all sit and imagine what it’s like, I think if he were to ask us to research the homeland it would help us a lot’ (see appendix 2).

Moving forward, as my observations were taking place, I noticed that the Chinese students were learning English, and they were accustomed to unconsciously apply the Chinese modes or patterns of thinking, which often contributes to wrong comprehension and communication in English, Bao-he, Z (2010). Therefore, I argue that it is the EFL educators responsibility to ‘train the Chinese students to build on reasonable and logical thinking of the English culture background through the patters of English thinking so that they’ll acquire the ability to communicate in English’, Bao-he, Z (2010). In this paper, we further argue that a language class cannot be imagined without involving the cultural elements of the targeted language. The role of the learners in the acquisition and use of form-meaning constructions is not only concerned with the cognitive ability of the learners to assimilate and reproduce, as a result of the teachers’ input, but also with how learners understand target language forms in relation to the body of knowledge they have accumulated over time through repeated participation in socially defined communication.

In a highly competitive and exam-oriented community such as China, Chinese teachers are given a tight school curriculum, most teachers are anxious to enable students to obtain as many right answers as possible. Kumaravadivelu, B (1991) states that: ‘...the narrower the gaps between teacher intention and learner interpretation, the greater are the chances of achieving desired learning outcomes’. If the Chinese education systems are ignoring elements of cultural teaching such as, classroom décor or research projects, then the student will result in failing to acknowledge other communities, as found in my research ‘…I don’t know about other countries. We didn’t learn in home or secondary school…China is not culturally diverse…’ (See appendix 2). Referring back to the idea that China has a teacher-centred pedagogy, I argue that it is highly doubtable that the teacher-centred style will change in the near future, my reasons behind this is clear, as China sees a huge number of growth over the years, the development of the country is a never ending cycle so therefore for them to gain a western way of teaching will take much time.

According to Rivers, W. M (1982) all languages which have been closely studied seem to possess the potentiality for expressing all kinds of ideas and making all kinds of distinctions. If language is described as a mode of human behaviour and culture as ‘patterned behaviour’, it is evident that language is a vital constituent of

culture and it is clear that there is a close relationship between the language and culture. It is also known that the students, who are in need of developing cultural awareness and cultural sensitiveness, are normally those who are least disposed toward these goals. During my observations, it was the teacher’s task to make students aware of cultural differences and according to Cakir, I (2006) ‘students who are learning a foreign language have to assimilate many new categorizations and codifications…to understand and speak the language as its native speakers do’ Cakir, I (2006) indicates the importance of not just language learning but English codifications such as slang or formal English.

Moving on, from my experience teaching abroad, I would point out that the EFL educators need to reduce the gap between themselves and the language learner, and one way this could be done is the cultural teaching during TEFL pre-service training. As Lee, P, L (2000) clearly points out ‘cross cultural awareness ought to be raised during TEFL pre-service preparation stage…through group discussions, feedback or reflective tasks’. This is an important factor when considering the learner and language, as this will certainly help the educators to have a better understanding to what cultural difference is really about. Despite stating this, it may be difficult to develop and define culture, and Lee, P, L (2000) also states ‘cultural awareness can be raised, but cannot possibly be taught’.

Referring to the communicative language teaching theory (CLT) I will now discuss how this theory could implement linguistic and cultural awareness in an EFL classroom. Sandra, J, S (2006) define this theory as both processes and goals in a classroom learning and the theory was born in reaction against the situation learning teaching theory (SLT), whereby according to Lave, J (1991) who suggests that, ‘Learning is a highly social; interaction that involves a great deal of collaboration and mentoring’. In relation to teaching in China, in my observations I noticed that the classes I observed were heavily based around teacher-centred teaching. This approach ignores the importance of students and trains the students to memorize what is being said. Chinese institutes use the CLT approach to learning and ignore the importance of active learning (SLT), and this is evident in Richards and Platt (1992) findings as they state, that learning strategies are ‘Intentional behaviour and thoughts used by learners during learning so as to better help them understand, learn, or remember new information’. Additionally, it was interesting to find that as young as age 4, the children were learning beginner level English (see appendix 4) and Faerch Claus and Casper (1983) stress that a learning strategy is ‘…an attempt to develop linguistic and sociolinguistic competence in the target language at any age a student may be…’

Lastly, referring back to the importance of pragmatic consciousness raising (PCR) strategies, (Rose, K, R 1994) PCR involvement in the classroom was found to be a successful method in communicating issues surrounding culture. During my time teaching at FNU, I found that the implementations of videos, such as British soaps engaged the student’s attentions as they were able to observe the cultural behaviours of people of the target language they were learning. If EFL teachers impose PCR into their lessons, learners can increase their awareness of observable features of the British culture for reflections and language production. This was

evident in Tomalin & Stempleski (1993) research as they claimed ‘students become aware of the ways in which their own cultural background influences their own behaviour, and develop a tolerance for behaviour patterns that are different from their own’.

• Conclusion

My overall argument is that cultural awareness is the key to successful foreign language teaching and effective learning in the given circumstances. Living in a multicultural world, language learners need to develop not only their linguistic competence but also their intercultural communicative competence to overcome both linguistic and cultural barriers. With reference to language learners in China, this is seen in an opposite stance, as according to the China.org.cn online report the population of foreigners living in China is ‘latest census released by the National Bureau of Statistics shows that nearly 600 thousand foreigners’ these low figures in contrast with the Chinese population of 1,354,040,000 could not motivate learners the need to learn or ‘break barriers’ in their society. In my observations and interviews I conclude that the students were energetic and hungry to learn about the EFL teacher’s cultural background. However in stating this, as it is shown in the interviews (see appendix) the EFL were not stimulated with the idea of cultural teaching, as it was noted ‘time-consuming’ (see appendix 1).

Throughout this paper, I have highlighted factors, such as learning styles and different personalities, which could also have an impact on language learning other than just cultural influences to language learning. From my interviews and observations, I come to believe that language teaching is not entirely significant to linguistic code input, as other considerations, such as culture awareness should also be involved. Referring back to TEFL pre-service, I argue that countries who heavily include language learning in English in their curriculum, should consider and focus on having a better recruitment approach when considering language teachers. This input in the service could enhance EFL educator’s awareness of the inextricable and interdependent relationship between language and culture and it could result in students having a clear idea of what they are learning about. As mentioned earlier, it is important to consider that living in China is a significant component when discussing language learning; as many of the students I interviewed came from the countryside or remote areas which meant they had minimal contact with facilities for learning English, i.e. art galleries or western food restaurants. Moreover, Oxford, R, L. & Burry-Stock, J. A. (1995) discovered that

‘Chinese learners are concrete-sequential learners, who use a variety of strategies such as memorization, planning, analysis, sequenced repetition…structured review and a search for perfection.’ Similarly to this, Reid (1987) found that ‘Korean, Chinese and Japanese students are all visual learners… for them, lectures, conversations, and oral directions without any visual backup are very confusing and can be anxiety-producing.’ From this, I assume the Chinese culture naturally embeds this way of learning from early years teaching, in order to train the students to become ‘visual learners’ (see appendix 4).

This paper involves a lot of research from Kramsch, C (1993). To sum up Kramsch idea to language and culture, she came up with “a third culture” in the FL classroom. I agree with the concept of the “third culture” as she defines tis as a conceptual space that recognizes the L2 classroom as the site of intersection of multiple world of discourse. Importantly, it is vital to highlight Kramsch, C (1993) perspective of FL teachers, as she advises teachers to ‘encourage learners to create this third culture while, at the same time, not allowing either the home culture or the target culture to hold them hostage to its particular values and beliefs’. Equally Levine and Adelman (1982) argue that cultural conflicts occur as a result of ‘misinterpretations, ethnocentrism, and stereotypes’. To Leveridge (2008) language teachers must instruct their students on the cultural background of language usage and choose culturally appropriate teaching styles and explore culturally based linguistic differences to promote understanding. In order to remove these preconceptions, it is possible with increased awareness of our own attitudes as well as sensitivity to cross-cultural differences, Shemshadsara, Z, G (2012). The entire above mentioned, are significant to language learning as it promote cultural awareness in a FL classroom. I further argue that, if more and more foreign countries implement culture into language learning this will help develop intercultural perspectives, which may impact on language teaching methods and the syllabus design. This change will certainly challenge that EFL teachers and learners to meet the goals of foreign language education, in competitive world of today.

Appendices

Appendix 1- interviewing the EFL teachers During the interviews, all four of the native foreign language teachers chose their own pseudonyms for confidentiality reasons. They will be referred to as candidate A, B, C and D. These foreign language teachers have been working at Fuzhou Normal University for 4-5 years, and share similar reactions in response to cultural

awareness. The interview took place in a classroom in the university.

Me: ‘what do you think about cultural awareness in relation to it being in a foreign language classroom?’Candidate B: ‘it’s certainly important to bring in culture into learning, but it is hard to reinforce it to the students, as they come to the class with preconceptions of foreigners.’Candidate C: ‘I think it’s got to do with the area we teach in. I mean Fuzhou has 500 foreign people in the city so trying to educate the students about our culture can be very time-consuming as they want to know about everything.’Candidate D: ‘I have showed images of America to my English class, they seem enthusiastic about coming to America one day. I think even if we try and implement culture into learning, the kids will still be passive towards this cultural change.’

Me: ‘Have you ever had negative stereotypes thrown at you from the Chinese students?’ Candidate A: ‘Yeah. I’ve had a student ask me where I was from, and after telling the student I was from London, they then laughed and commented “I think the English people eat a lot of fish and chips, do you?”’ but put aside the negativity and besides working hard and well-disciplined in the classroom, the students lack creativity when it is most needed in language learning, for example when we are having discussions on different kinds of food, all the students were puzzled by ignorance’Candidate D: ‘Ha. I get that a lot. Majority of the students refer to American T.V programs or movies, and assume we also live in big fancy houses, eat these fancy dishes, well just like the ones shown in the movies I suppose. But besides working hard and being well disciplined in the classroom, the students lack creativity when it is most needed in language learning, for example when we are having discussions on different kinds of food, all the students are puzzled by ignorance’Candidate C: ‘Well it’s understandable, because Chinese schools do not educate the students enough to know about other cultures. It’s pretty sad and ignorant but I suppose it’s their way of teaching in China. The funniest remark was from a student of mine who commented “all the Americans eat is burgers and chips”’

Appendix 2- interviewing the Chinese students During the interviewing stage, the Chinese students were happy for me to use their ‘English names’ in my research. I interviewed a selection of non-majoring and majoring English students and below I will show relevant data in reference to my study. In my appendix I will only show 5 out of the 60 students I interviewed, as these students have the strongest point in relation to my study and some interviews produced irrelevant answers.

Me: ‘What do you think about your foreign language teachers?’Sunshine: ‘sometimes I do not understand what they are saying, talk so fast I can’t understand’Catherine: ‘I really like my English teacher, he is very funny and shows us funny American video clip. He makes joke with us all, he is lovely’Flow: ‘I agree with both Sunshine and Catherine, teachers are friendly but sometime

I can’t understand the accent’David: ‘they are laidback in marking our work, but the class structure is less planned and sometime my teacher is late to classes’

Me: ‘Would you want to know more about your foreign language teacher and where they came from? For example, the country they’re from?’David: ‘I want to know about the football teams and the sports that come from London or the UK that will be fun’Hong: ‘Yeah, that will be nice. I think we need to know where our teacher is from, they will be teacher for a year so it is important right’Sunshine: ‘Yes I would. I don’t know about other countries. We didn’t learn in home or secondary school. You know, China is not culturally diverse so we never see much foreigners’Peace: ‘Because I never learn about different countries, I am shy and quiet when the foreign people speak with me. I would like to know more about westerners’Flow: ‘When the class teacher refers back to their homeland, we all sit and imagine what it’s like, I think if he were to ask us to research the homeland it would help us a lot’

Appendix 3- image of a foreign language classroom at Fuzhou Normal University This image was taken by me during the observations in November 2012. As mentioned above, the students had given consent in taking this picture and were willing to take part in conducting my research. This image shows a standard foreign language classroom and suggests no cultural influences in the classroom with the absence of décor on the walls. The students sit in pairs all facing the chalkboard and it could be suggested that, social interaction is not key in the classroom, as table settings were rigid.

(Appendix 3)

Appendix 4- image taken in a primary school in Fuzhou, China This image was taken by me during the observations in November 2012. I include this image in my appendix as I believe it highlights the Chinese school structure being rigid, from as early as primary school. This is suggested by the classroom

setting, for example tables and chairs are all faced to the front and children are paired with one child. There is no group interactions going on in this picture and this is important for the develop

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