Teachers’ and students’ perceptions of integrating culture in an english language classroom at nguyen thai binh secondary school (master’s thesis)

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
BA RIA VUNG TAU UNIVERSITY

VO THI MINH NGOC

TEACHERS’ AND STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF
INTEGRATING CULTURE IN AN ENGLISH
LANGUAGE CLASSROOM AT NGUYEN THAI BINH
SECONDARY SCHOOL
MASTER’S THESIS

Ba Ria – Vung Tau, March 2023


MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
BA RIA VUNG TAU UNIVERSITY

VO THI MINH NGOC

TEACHERS’ AND STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF
INTEGRATING CULTURE IN AN ENGLISH
LANGUAGE CLASSROOM AT NGUYEN THAI BINH
SECONDARY SCHOOL
MASTER’S THESIS
Submitted to the Postgraduate Institute in partial fulfillment
of the Master’s degree in TESOL
Course code: 8140111

SUPERVISED BY
ASSOC. PROF. PHAM HUU DUC, PH.D.

Ba Ria – Vung Tau, March 2023

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STATEMENT OF ORIGINAL AUTHORSHIP
I certify that this thesis entitled “Teachers’ and Students’ perceptions of
integrating culture in an English language classroom at Nguyen Thai Binh Secondary
school” is my own work. Except where reference is made in the text of the thesis, this
thesis does not contain material published elsewhere or extracted in whole or in part
from a thesis by which I have qualified for or been awarded another degree or diploma.
No other person’s work has been used without due acknowledgement in the main
text of the thesis.
This thesis has not been submitted for the award of any degree or diploma in any
other tertiary institution.
Vung Tau, February 2022
Signature

Vo Thi Minh Ngọc

iii


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Firstly, I would like to express my deep sense of gratitude to my supervisor for
his helpful guidance, insightful comments and especially her enthusiastic
encouragements. Without her my thesis would not have been completed.
Secondly, I am also grateful to all the participants who were enthusiastic and
cooperative in completing the online surveys and interviews. Without their cooperation,
this thesis could not have such precious and reliable data for analysis.

Especially, I am thankful to all of my students and colleagues for their great
encouragement and support whenever I felt exhausted and dealt with the difficulties
during the progress of conducting the research.
Lastly, I would like to express my profound gratitude to my family, especially
my parents who have constantly supported me both spiritually and materially during the
completion of the thesis.

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ABSTRACT
Integrating culture into the teaching and learning of English in the classroom
implies not only the transmission of intercultural knowledge but also the learners’
enthusiasm in the language. On that basis, this thesis was carried out with the main aim
at exploring the secondary school teachers’ and students’ perceptions of integrating
culture in an English language classroom at Nguyen Thai Binh Secondary school to find
out the challenges the secondary teachers and students may encounter to provide some
recommendations for secondary school teachers and students to teach and learn English
effectively.
This study used a mixed-methods approach, but the quantitative data collection
method was commonly used. In my school, there were 15 English teachers at Nguyen
Thai Binh Secondary school, 5 teachers from other schools and 120 students from four
grades who took part in the survey. In terms of data analysis, quantitative data was
analyzed using descriptive statistics (e.g., mean, standard deviation, and frequencies/
percentages), whereas qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis.
Teachers are typically aware of the necessity of teaching and integrating culture
in the foreign language classroom, according to the findings of the data analysis. It was
also shown that while all teachers have some awareness of parts of the target culture,
how they deal with the target culture is heavily influenced by curricular considerations
and limits. Students, on the other hand, have had a lot of trouble understanding the

cultural aspect of learning a new language. The study's findings have various
implications for the integration of culture in foreign language classes, as well as
suggestions for further research.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
STATEMENT OF ORIGINAL AUTHORSHIP ........................................... iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..............................................................................iv
ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................ v
LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................ix
LIST OF TABLES .........................................................................................xi
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................... xiii
CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................... 1
1.1. Rationale for the study ............................................................................ 1
1.2. Aims and objectives of the study ............................................................ 4
1.2.1 Aims ....................................................................................................4
1.2.2 Objectives ............................................................................................4
1.3. Scope of research ..................................................................................... 4
1.4. Research questions .................................................................................. 4
1.5. Significance of the Study ......................................................................... 5
1.6. Organization of the Study ....................................................................... 6
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................... 7
2.1. Overview of culture and language ......................................................... 7
2.1.1. The definition of culture .....................................................................7
2.1.2. The definition of language .................................................................8
2.1.3. The role of culture in teaching and learning English language ..........9
2.2 Teachers’ perceptions ............................................................................ 10
2.3 Students’ perceptions ............................................................................. 13

2.4. Some different views on culture in language learning ....................... 14
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2.5. Previous Studies ..................................................................................... 17
2.6 Theoretical framework of the study ..................................................... 19
2.6.1 Teachers’ cultural cognition ..............................................................19
2.6.2 Teachers’ professional teaching skills...............................................21
2.6.3 Teachers’ emotions............................................................................22
2.6.4 Students’ motivations ........................................................................23
2.7 Summary ................................................................................................. 24
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY .................................................................. 25
3.1 Research questions ................................................................................. 25
3.2 Research design ...................................................................................... 25
3.3 Research setting and participants ......................................................... 26
3.3.1 Research setting .................................................................................26
3.3.2 Participants ........................................................................................27
3.4 Research instruments ............................................................................. 30
3.4.1 Questionnaire ..................................................................................30
3.4.2 Validity and Reliability of the Instruments .......................................30
3.4.3 Pilot study .......................................................................................31
3.5 Data collection and analysis procedures .............................................. 32
3.6 Ethical issues ........................................................................................... 33
3.7 Summary ................................................................................................. 33
CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH RESULTS .......................................................... 34
4.1 Findings ................................................................................................... 34
4.1.1 Findings from students' survey (See APPENDIX B)........................34
4.1.2 Findings from teachers' survey (See APPENDIX C) ........................39
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4.2. Results for the research questions ....................................................... 51
4.2.1 Research question 1 ...........................................................................51
4.2.2 Research question 2 ...........................................................................53
4.3. Discussion ............................................................................................... 53
4.4 Summary ................................................................................................. 55
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS ............................. 56
5.1 Conclusions ............................................................................................. 56
5.2 Pedagogical Implications for teachers and students .............................58
5.2.1 Teachers .............................................................................................58
5.2.2 Students .............................................................................................59
5.2.3 Limitations .........................................................................................60
5.3 Summary ................................................................................................. 60
REFERENCES ................................................................................................. 61
APPENDIXES................................................................................................... 65
APPENDIX A: GROUP DISCUSSION OUTLINE .................................. 65
APPENDIX B: STUDENT SURVEY QUESTIONS FOR STUDENTS . 68
APPENDIX C: SURVEY QUESTIONS FOR TEACHERS .................... 70

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2. 1 What constitutes culture? .............................................................................. 8
Figure 2. 2 Theoretical framework of the study ............................................................ 19
Figure 3. 1 Data collection and analysis procedures of the study ................................. 32
Figure 4. 1 Results of student’ the choice of studying English was my own................ 35
Figure 4. 2Results of student’studying English because it is a worldwide language.... 36
Figure 4. 3 Results of student’ studying English because it enables me to make friends

through social media ...................................................................................................... 37
Figure 4. 4Results of student’ studying English because it is the language to
communicate with all people abroad ............................................................................. 38
Figure 4. 5 Results of student’ studying English because I want to know about the
English culture ............................................................................................................... 39
Figure 4. 6 Results of teacher’ the importance of integrating culture in teaching English
....................................................................................................................................... 40
Figure 4. 7 Results of teacher’ providing my students with appropriate language to be
used in different communication situations ................................................................... 41
Figure 4. 8 Results of teacher’ helping my students learn about how to do things and
behave in different social interactions ........................................................................... 42
Figure 4. 9 Results of teacher’ asking my students to share aspects of their own culture
in English ....................................................................................................................... 43
Figure 4. 10 Results of teacher’ asking my students to do all kinds of projects to
introduce their own or local culture to foreigners ......................................................... 44
Figure 4. 11 Results of teacher’ asking my students to discover an aspect of a foreign
culture and recommend it to their friends...................................................................... 45

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Figure 4. 12 Results of teacher’ using videos, CD-ROMs or the Internet to illustrate
aspects of foreign cultures ............................................................................................. 46
Figure 4. 13 Results of teacher’ encouraging students to explore the causes of
differences between domestic and foreign cultures ...................................................... 47
Figure 4. 14 Results of teacher’ relating cultural content to what I have learned and
experienced about foreign cultures or countries............................................................ 48
Figure 4. 15 Results of teacher’ finding it easy to combine the language and the culture
....................................................................................................................................... 49
Figure 4. 16 Results of teacher’ introducing culture before or after lesson. ................. 50

Figure 4. 17 Results of teacher’ using multi-method to teach cultures. ........................ 51

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LIST OF TABLES
Table 3. 1 Research students’ information about gender .............................................. 28
Table 3. 2 Research students’ information about educational level. ............................. 28
Table 3. 3 Research teachers’ information about gender .............................................. 28
Table 3. 4 Research teachers’ information about working experience ......................... 29

Table 4. 1 Results of student’ the choice of studying English was my own ................. 35
Table 4. 2 Results of students’ studying English because it is a worldwide language . 35
Table 4. 3 Results of student’ studying English because it enables me to make friends
through social media ...................................................................................................... 36
Table 4. 4 Results of student’ studying English because it is the language to
communicate with all people abroad ............................................................................. 37
Table 4. 5 Results of students’ studying English because I want to know about the
English culture ............................................................................................................... 38
Table 4. 6 Results of teacher’ the importance of integrating culture in teaching English
....................................................................................................................................... 39
Table 4. 7 Results of teacher’ providing my students with appropriate language to be
used in different communication situations ................................................................... 41
Table 4. 8 Results of teacher’ helping my students learn about how to do things and
behave in different social interactions ........................................................................... 42
Table 4. 9 Results of teacher’ asking my students to share aspects of their own culture
in English ....................................................................................................................... 43
Table 4. 10 Results of teacher’ asking my students to do all kinds of projects to introduce
their own or local culture to foreigners ......................................................................... 44
Table 4.11 Results of teacher’ asking my students to discover an aspect of a foreign

culture and recommend it to their friends...................................................................... 45
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Table 4. 12 Results of teacher’ using videos, CD-ROMs or the Internet to illustrate
aspects of foreign cultures ............................................................................................. 46
Table 4.13 Results of teacher’ encouraging students to explore the causes of differences
between domestic and foreign cultures ......................................................................... 47
Table 4.14 Results of teacher’ relating cultural content to what I have learned and
experienced about foreign cultures or countries ............................................................ 48
Table 4.15 Results of teacher’ finding it easy to combine the language and the culture
....................................................................................................................................... 49
Table 4.16 Results of teacher’ introducing culture before or after lesson. ................... 49
Table 4. 17 Results of teacher’ using multi-method to teach cultures .......................... 50

xii


LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

EFL

English as a Foreign Language

L2

Second Language

MOET

Ministry of Education and Training

xiii


CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION
This chapter first provides the background of the research including a brief
introduction to the teaching and learning of culture in English in middle schools in
Vietnam in general and Nguyen Thai Binh Secondary School in particular. Then, the
Research Problem Statement is presented. Next, Purpose of the study is introduced,
followed by the research objectives and research questions. In addition, the importance
of research and definition of key terms is also considered to indicate some of the
contributions that have been made to address specific issues, research aims and pertinent
topics. Finally, the organization of the thesis is included, and definitions of terminology
are supplied to assist the research's logicality and intelligibility.
1.1. Rationale for the study
Although it is not a recent topic, the integration of cultural influences into language
has received extensive research as mobility has become an integral component of every
student's life in today’s world. Most students these days have the opportunity to travel
to other countries for educational purposes and to learn about different cultures. As a
result, in today’s globalized society, studying a foreign language has become the norm.
To be able to live in different cultures and educational situations, students must have a
certain level of intercultural awareness and competency. In this regard, one's knowledge
of new cultures, as well as one's own culture, is critical to being a global citizen. It is the
most often favored and learned second language (L2) and foreign language (FL)
(Graddol (2006); Le (2004)). Speakers of English as a second or foreign language (FL)
outnumber native English speakers (Crystal, 2004). Communication is culturally linked
to individuals and communities, according to Philipsen (2002). As a result, in addition
to strengthening communicative skill, teaching English should also focus on growing
intercultural competence (IC).

Culture and language learning have long been thought to be tightly intertwined
(Dai, 2011; Zhao, 2011); nonetheless, why and to what extent we should teach and learn
culture while teaching and learning a foreign language has been a point of contention.

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Teaching language is erroneous and insufficient without a cultural study.
Understanding the cultural contents linked with a language is important when it is taught
for educational purposes (Lado, 1964). As a result, there has been a significant amount
of culture-related study in language teaching and learning. However, these studies have
only looked at a few levels of learner outcomes in learning culture, which is typically
not their major focus (e.g., Byrd, Cummings Hlas, Watzke, and Montes Valencia, 2011;
Chen, 2013; Georgiou, 2011; Gomez Rodriguez, 2012; Pitkowska, 2015; Salem, 2013).
According to Rivers (1981), cultural training should contain at least seven
objectives. These include making students aware of how people act; the effects of social
variables such as age, sex, and social class on the way they speak; how people in the
target culture traditionally act in various situations; culture in the most commonly used
words and phrases; being critical of the target language culture; developing skills
necessary for locating and organizing materials about the target culture; and developing
intellectual curiosities. Despite the fact that different studies have acknowledged these
goals, whether culture can be taught in the language classroom remains a contentious
question.
According to Krashen (1982), the classroom is not an acceptable venue for
learning either language or culture. In his opinion, the classroom should solely be used
to teach linguistic norms. In support with Krashen, Damen (1987) points out that
classroom-based learning is overly reliant on rule-based pedagogy, and that teaching
culture can only reflect and incorporate cultural facts rather than the dynamic view of
culture. Robinson and Nocon (1996) emphasize the significance of immersing oneself
in the target culture, claiming that culture learning in the classroom is merely “cognitive

border crossing”, leaving learners’ prior experiences unquestioned. In other words,
because the foreign language classroom undervalues what the students already know
and believe, it cannot be an effective teaching environment.
Following to the modern perceptions on culture education in the foreign language
classroom, culture does not need to be taught separately from language because learning
a language directly increases awareness of the target culture and people's behavior in
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that culture. Pulverness (2003) emphasizes the importance of studying culture by saying
that language seems meaningless to foreign language learners if they know nothing
about the people who speak the target language or the country in which it is spoken.
McDevitt (2004) goes on to say that because learning a foreign language requires
figuring out what other people are like, it is impossible to envisage language acquisition
independent of culture. Because language represents human nature, learning a language
exposes students to the society they are studying.
Teachers must reflect on their own ideas of culture, as well as how culture
influences student and teacher behavior, in order to be culturally responsive.
Furthermore, such teachers must assess if they are aware of the cultural diversity in their
classrooms and whether they should consider or dismiss this diversity. They should also
look for methods to make use of cultural variety. Culturally responsive classrooms, from
this perception, acknowledge culturally varied students and provide the road for them
to build the required connections between themselves and the target language culture
(Montgomery, 2001).
Even though culturally responsive teacher preparation is considered a part of
foreign language teacher training, teachers have their own reasons for not adopting
culture teaching in general English classrooms.
For a young teacher working at Nguyen Thai Binh Secondary School, from the
urgent practice, the topic “Perceptions of students and teachers in integrating culture
into an English classroom in Nguyen Thai Binh School" is chosen. By analyzing the

current situation of students’ and teachers’ perception or perception of cultural
integration in English classes at Nguyen Thai Binh school, the research study will
propose suggestions to improve the effectiveness of the teaching and learning process
of cultural integration into English classes at school. Additionally, it is imperative that
students understand the significance of cultural variables. The role of the teacher is
essential in assisting students in understanding the contrasts and parallels between the
source and target cultures. The learner will find the lessons boring if they lack
consciousness, passion, or engagement. So that students may readily absorb cultural and
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civilized aspects naturally and utilize them appropriately in certain language settings,
teachers must conduct study and develop the best possible suggestions. Teachers can
also choose the best strategies, make necessary adjustments, and include cultural
teaching into their English teaching processes based on the age and proficiency level of
their students.
1.2. Aims and objectives of the study
1.2.1 Aims
This research aims to find out the current situation of the perceptions of students
and teachers in integrating culture into an English class at Nguyen Thai Binh school
through surveys.
1.2.2 Objectives
The research’s objectives are to analyze, evaluate the reality of the perception of
students and teachers in integrating culture into an English class at Nguyen Thai Binh
school and to determine whether English teachers incorporate culture into an English
class at Nguyen Thai Binh school.
1.3. Scope of research
The scope of the study is limited to understanding the perception of students and
teachers in integrating culture into an English class at Nguyen Thai Binh school with
the participation of 20 teachers and 120 students in four grades at Nguyen Thai Binh

Secondary School. This study was done within 6 months and data for the study were
collected in the period of 2019 - 2022.
1.4. Research questions
In order to achieve the above objectives, the following research questions are
sought:
1. What are teachers and students’ perceptions towards the integration of culture
in learning and teaching English?
2. Have Nguyen Thai Binh Secondary School English teachers integrated
culture in EFL classes?
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1.5. Significance of the Study
In the context of Vietnam, English language curricula have undergone a
significant overhaul to satisfy the stringent criteria of English education (Tran, 2016).
Additionally, the shift from a seven to a ten-year foreign language curriculum has
undoubtedly presented challenges for both teachers and students in Vung Tau City. The
English textbooks for this new foreign language curriculum were created with cultural
components that were included in every unit to strengthen students' understanding of
the outside world, according to Decision No. 01/Q-BGDT, 2012 published by the
MOET on January 3rd. Because the meaning of a word and the content of discourse in
any language can alter depending on context, understanding these cultural variables is
helpful for communicators as well as teachers and students who wish to learn other
languages effectively. The perception of language does not stop at knowing the
meaning, knowing the content contained in the words, but more importantly, grasping
the profound meaning of those information contents. No matter how well a person
masters grammar and has rich vocabulary, if they lack understanding of the native
culture, when communicating, they only stop at the level of knowing how to express
their thoughts clumsily in their language and by imposing Vietnamese culture in that
language only. In other words, language ability alone is not enough for foreign language

learners to master that language.
As a result, the study’s initial goal was to paint a broad picture of secondary
teachers' and students' perceptions about the integration of cultural elements into EFL
classes. Despite the fact that bringing culture into English lessons is not a novel concept,
it is fundamental for both teachers and students to comprehend this component in each
circumstance.
In addition, the research results of the thesis will be a useful reference source for
Nguyen Thai Binh Secondary School and secondary schools in Ba Ria - Vung Tau
province to have a more comprehensive view of cultural integration into a culture.
English classes, thereby making appropriate adjustments in improving the effectiveness
of secondary school English teaching.
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1.6. Organization of the Study
This current study is structured into 5 chapters as follows:
Chapter 1 presents the introduction of the study which comprises the
background of the study, the statement of the problem, purposes of the study, research
objectives and questions, and significance of the study.
Chapter 2 focuses on theoretical foundations of culture, language learning, the
role of cultural integration in an English classroom and teachers and students’
perceptions.
Chapter 3 provides a detailed description of the research methodology of this
study which consists of research setting, research design, data collection and analysis
procedures, pilot study and ethical considerations.
Chapter 4 deals with results of the collected data from questionnaire and semistructured interview and then analysis and discussions take place.
Chapter 5 concentrates on some main issues in the research, conclusions,
limitations and suggestions for further research.

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CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
The theoretical framework for the investigation is established in this chapter. It
starts off with defining culture and language. The relevance of culture in learning
English is then discussed. Then, a presentation of instructors’ and students’ perceptions
on cultural integration in English instruction follows. Furthermore, many perceptions
on that problem from around the nation and the world are also provided. The following
section also presents a thorough analysis of earlier research on the difficulties in
adopting cultural mainstreaming in English schools. The last section highlights the
framework of the study which depicts the issues discussed in this chapter.
2.1. Overview of culture and language
2.1.1. The definition of culture
One of the well-known definitions of culture is a society’s culture consists of
whatever it is one has to know or believe in order to operate in a manner acceptable to
its members, and to do so in any role that they accept for any one of themselves
(Goodenoughs, 1957, p. 167).
Brown (2007), however, defined culture as a way of life, as the context within
which people exist, think, feel, and relate to others, as the “glue” (p. 188) that binds
groups of people together. Moreover, culture, as Brown (2007) suggested, can also be
defined as the ideas, customs, skills, arts, and tools that characterize a certain group of
people in a given period of time. Sowden (2007) indicated that “culture tended to mean
that body of social, artistic, and intellectual traditions associated historically with a
particular social, ethnic or national group” (pp. 304-305). Additionally, Mead (1961)
postulated that culture can be learned, whereas Fox (1999) noted that “culture is relative
and changeable in space and time” (p. 90). Like language, culture may seem to be
another concept that is not easy to define. In fact, Tang (2006) rightly observed that
despite the continued efforts in various disciplinary fields to find a definition for the
term culture, at the present time there is no single definition that satisfies everyone.
According to the National Standards for Foreign Language Learning (1996), culture is

typically understood to include philosophical perceptions, behavioral practices, and both
7


tangible and intangible products of a society. The relationship between perceptions,
practices, and products within culture is illustrated below.

Perspectives
(Meanings, attitudes, values, ideas)

Products

Practices

(Patterns of social interactions) (Books, tools, foods, laws, music, games,)
Figure 2. 1 What constitutes culture?
(Source: The National Standards for Foreign Language Learning, 1996, p.43)
2.1.2. The definition of language
Language has been around since human beings started to communicate with one
another for their daily life needs. The term language is so familiar that few people would
ever try to define it. It is superficially not hard to define it, but in fact to have a
comprehensive definition of language is an extremely daunting task. Definitions for
language run the gamut from very simple to extremely complex. Patrikis (1988) simply
defined language as signs that convey meanings. Language is also “a system of signs
that is seen as having itself a cultural value” (Kramsch, 1998, p.3). From a linguistic
perception, Sapir (1968), a renowned linguist, defined language as an entirely human
and non-intrinsic method of communicating ideas, emotions, and desires by means of a
system of voluntarily produced symbols. Generally speaking, language can be regarded
as a system of verbal and nonverbal signs used to express meanings. Besides language,
another closely related concept that is sometimes mentioned in the literature of language

teaching is culture.
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2.1.3. The role of culture in teaching and learning English language
Any interaction with a person who speaks a different language is a cultural act,
claims Claire Kramsch in Context and Culture in Language Education (1993).
Consequently, learning a language is essentially learning a culture. Teaching symbols
that are either meaningless or unclear enough for students to get it completely wrong if
we merely teach the language and not the culture. Because of this, "language teaching"
has now been frequently referred to as "intercultural language teaching," in which the
idea of "communicative competence" is seen through a cross-cultural or intercultural
lens: Communication is no longer an act of using pure language but instead becomes an
attempt to approach another.
It is not uncommon for Vietnamese learners to learn English at a decent standard,
but they struggle to communicate with native speakers for one simple reason: everyone
inquiries about one’s age, profession, and salary; in addition, they start debating religion
and politics, which are frowned upon in western communication etiquette.
On the contrary, it is not uncommon for Westerners when learning Vietnamese
also complain about many things, for example, Vietnamese people rarely greet but often
ask about age and family. They say, every time they hear such questions, they stop and
feel like their privacy is being violated. From there, the impression that Vietnamese
people lack courtesy. The story, therefore, was interrupted immediately.
In both cases, the problem is not in the category of linguistic skills but in the
intercultural communicative competence: Vietnamese people are not acquainted with
Western culture, and Westerners who learn Vietnamese are not familiar with
Vietnamese culture. Therefore, studying any foreign language can benefit greatly from
an understanding of culture.
Based on this perception, "cross-cultural communication," from the standpoint
of foreign language teaching and learning, is a process of conflict between two systems:

the first system is about the national knowledge, which has been shaped and stabilized,
and the other is the knowledge system that is forming through the capacity to grasp a
second language (i.e., foreign language).
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Therefore, in teaching and learning a foreign language, teachers and learners
need to understand well the culture of the language learning country, because culture is
the national way of thinking, lifestyle, customs, and behavior. community, is a collection
of behavioral patterns and contractual norms of the native speaker community. The
cross-cultural approach is aimed at achieving mutual understanding, which is extremely
important because only when mutual understanding occurs can the message delivered
be properly understood for a corresponding response. Mastering the culture of the
language learning country helps us to reach mutual understanding in communication.
According to a comprehensive study based on collected data, covering more than
70 countries, two different types of cultures are analyzed, namely, culture based on
collective relations, or culture based on collective relations. centralism, including
Vietnam and Asian countries, and individualist cultures such as Australia, the United
States and some European countries. In centralized societies, group interests prevail
over individual concerns; In an individualist society like Australia, the opposite is true
(Hofstede and Hofstede 2005: p.74 – p.75). Furthermore, according to Brislin (2000:
p.53), in an individualist culture the goal in all human actions is towards self-interest;
but in a centralized culture, people disregarding individual interests and targeting the
interests of groups such as family is the best example. According to this view, people in
a centralized culture, such as Vietnam, tend to be more closely interdependent than in
individualist cultures such as Australia and Western countries. Bayraktaroglu and
Sifianou (2001: p.6) argue that in a centralized society people have a more tolerant or
caring way of thinking than in an individualist society. For example, in a comparison of
relationships between different roles, the relationship between students and professors
in China (social centralization) is not egalitarian, but cordial and respectful, whereas in

England or Australia (individualism) the relationship between students and professors
is equal and aloof.
2.2 Teachers’ perceptions
The relationship between the culture of the target language and the language itself
has long been a major subject of discussion in ELT. Similar to this, language teachers
10


embrace the trend of teaching languages and cultures in their classes and make an effort
to incorporate relevant components into their teaching methods. While doing this, they
work to create novel approaches and an environment that supports the integration and
growth of intercultural competency. The use of appropriate teaching methods and
pedagogical materials would allow the instructor to promote the integration of the term
“culture” in their courses.
After carefully examining the classroom environment and student profiles, the
resources utilized to address cultural challenges in their teaching practices have to be
chosen. The pupils would feel distinctly inadequate to engage in the classes if this were
not the case. On the other hand, because they frequently concentrate on ordinary speech
patterns and the practical side of communication, another set of language teachers
frequently treats culture as supplemental or incidental to the "true task" (Fantini, 1997).
Moreover, Reid (1995/1996, p. 3) showed that barely one-third of language teaching
programs provide a course in culture. Language teachers are aware of the value of
introducing cultural components of a foreign language, but there are several issues that
arise in reality.
It is essential that teachers in ELT programs are familiar with the target language
culture since a language instructor's prior experience immediately influences the course
materials and teaching techniques. The current national English projects are insufficient
to give the students the required communication skills in a cultural context. To put more
emphasis on the integration of cultural features in teaching methods, new programs and
curricula have to be created. On the other hand, as Holme (2003) pointed out, the degree

to which the teachers include these topics relies on their own views.
According to Bayyurt, "each teacher's background determines their attitude
toward incorporating culture into their language education" (2006, p. 243). Faas (2008)
also stated that social views result in the development of patriotic identities, which
unavoidably lead to participation in various ethnic divides, because they have less access
to possibilities associated with the European way of life, such as traveling and
sightseeing. The learners of that foreign language should be introduced to the cultural
11


aspects of the language while experiencing it by direct interaction in order to eliminate
any negative thoughts they may have regarding TLC. It would be simpler to develop a
mutual understanding between these two communities and cultures if they had sufficient
knowledge of both their native language and their target language, as well as their
respective cultural backgrounds.
On the other hand, neither the course instructor nor the foreign language student
can be familiar with every aspect of the target language community's culture. By
describing and linking it to his own experiences, the instructor's job is to help students
develop good attitudes and perceptions toward TLC in order to build a bridge between
two cultures. When a student successfully compares new forms with what they already
know by drawing parallels with their own cultural forms, it indicates that they are really
considering the views and implicit components of society.
Most researchers in that field agree that language and culture are inextricably
intertwined and that this is true (Kramsch, 1988; Seelye, 1984). Some language
instructors are highly aware of the ongoing interaction between a foreign language's
linguistic and cultural components. On the other hand, other academics support the idea
that English should be taught in a situation that is devoid of cultural influences. Certain
aspects and stages of language teachers' teaching procedures undoubtedly reflect how
they view TLC. The method in which cultural awareness and other relevant words are
described and decided upon in foreign and second language schools is also influenced

by the instructor's personal viewpoint.
Kramsch (1993) contends that EFL learners have to gain insight into their own
culture if they want to have an intercultural understanding. The term "intercultural" is
used to describe the reality that if mutual understanding is to be formed, the learner must
function as a mediator between these two cultures. The ability to establish a shared
understanding by people of different social identities as well as the capacity to
communicate with individuals as complex human beings with numerous identities and
their own individuality are then meaningful definitions of the term intercultural
communicative competence (Byram, Gribkova and Starkey, 2002, p. 10).
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