Foreign Language, Local Culture: How Familiar Contexts Impact Learning and Engagement

Autor/inn/en	Sheridan, Robert; Tanaka, Kathryn M.; Hogg, Nicholas
Titel	Foreign Language, Local Culture: How Familiar Contexts Impact Learning and Engagement
Quelle	In: TESL-EJ, 23 (2019) 1, (27 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1072-4303
Schlagwörter	Teaching Methods; English (Second Language); Second Language Learning; Second Language Instruction; Vocabulary Development; Reading Comprehension; Nouns; Cultural Awareness; Familiarity; Newspapers; Language Variation; College Students; Retention (Psychology); Language Proficiency; Pretests Posttests; Language Tests; Scores; Learner Engagement; Student Interests; Foreign Countries; Japan + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Fremdsprachenunterricht; Wortschatzarbeit; Leseverstehen; Cultural identity; Kulturelle Identität; Newspaper; Zeitung; Sprachenvielfalt; Collegestudent; Merkfähigkeit; Language skill; Language skills; Sprachkompetenz; Language test; Sprachtest; Studieninteresse; Ausland
Abstract	Analysis of the different methods of teaching English has become increasingly important as the subject of global Englishes receives greater attention. In Asia, more educators have been using textbooks that are culturally specific in their design; however, a limited number of studies have been conducted that demonstrate their practical efficacy. Building on a preliminary study into the effectiveness of culturally familiar materials in EFL education in Japan, a crossover study using both quantitative and qualitative methods was conducted to examine the influence of cultural familiarity on university students' reading comprehension, vocabulary retention, and interest in the texts. Seventy-eight lower-intermediate level EFL students from four intact classes were divided into two groups with equivalent vocabulary proficiency. Participants read four simplified newspaper articles that contained culturally familiar or unfamiliar proper nouns allocated using a crossover design. Pre- and post-lesson tests were used to gauge the effectiveness of culturally familiar proper nouns on reading comprehension, vocabulary retention, and interest of each article. The results revealed that students who read the culturally familiar version of the articles scored higher in reading comprehension and vocabulary retention, and generally reported greater interest and engagement. These findings provide important insights to EFL educators, learners and material designers. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	TESL-EJ. e-mail: editor@tesl-ej.org; Web site: http://tesl-ej.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01