This document summarizes a journal article that examines the extent to which principles of intercultural language learning (IcLL) have been integrated into English as a second language (ESL) classrooms in the Philippines. The study surveyed 40 language teachers from two universities about their use of IcLL principles. Results showed that teachers perceived the principles of active construction and social interaction were integrated to a very high extent, while principles of making connections, reflection, and responsibility were perceived to be integrated to a high extent. Common classroom activities used were discussions, lectures, writing tasks, oral reports, role plays, and collaborative learning.
The Importance of Culture in Second and Foreign Language Learning.Bahram Kazemian
English has been designated as a source of intercultural communication among the people from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. A range of linguistic and cultural theories contribute meaningful insights on the development of competence in intercultural communication. The speculations suggest the use of communicative strategies focusing on the development of learners’ efficiency in communicating language through cultural context. However, the teaching of culture in communication has not been paid due importance in a number of academic and language settings of Pakistan and Iran. This assignment study indicates problems in view of teaching English as a medium of instruction in public sector colleges of interior Sindh, Pakistan and prescribed textbooks in Iranian schools. It also aims to identify drawbacks and shortcoming in prescribed textbooks for intermediate students at college level and schools. Therefore, the assignment study recommends integration of cultural awareness into a language teaching programme for an overall achievement of competence in intercultural communication.
This study explores the sociocultural integration of bilingualism and biliteracy practices of a group of Emirati fifth-grade students, who were learning English and Arabic and using English as the medium of instruction for math and science. The explanatory, mixed methodology study examines how sociocultural aspects of language learning are integrated in the learners’ bilingualism and biliteracy practices by using both quantitative and qualitative means. In the first phase, a group of fifth-grade students (n = 350), selected for the transitional nature of their grade cycle, and their Arabic and English teachers (n = 350) were surveyed on their bilingualism and biliteracy practices, with a particular focus on sociocultural factors. The second qualitative phase featured a more in-depth investigation of these practices through interviews with two English teachers, two Arabic teachers, and three students. The results revealed that the fifth-grade students did not possess adequate bilingualism and biliteracy abilities in English or, to a lesser degree, in Arabic, for their expected grade level. The reasons included lack of continuous bilingual/biliteracy interactions, lack of parental involvement and absence of a rich school context. Further, there have been no orchestrated efforts to engage the students with the sociocultural aspect of language learning. Thus, integrating the multifaceted aspects of bilingualism and biliteracy contexts and practices is strongly recommended in order to enrich these linguistic approaches to enable fifth graders excel in both languages, and to improve cross-linguistic transfer.
The aim of this study is to explore the Islamic culture in English for Islamic Studies (EIS) classroom. In the course of EIS, the priority should not only be given to increase international understanding by enabling the students to speak another language but also understanding the cultural values. The study conducted an exploratory approach in which data were collected through in-depth interviews with English lecturers, and a questionnaire was distributed to the Islamic education students. The findings identified Islamic education has included EIS as part of its curriculum in its current advancement. In this regards, the study showed that how EIS in Indonesia has developed, what challenges it experiences and what opportunities it possesses in the context of Islamic higher education in Indonesia. The implications of the study provide a number of valuable insights into the expectations of EIS classroom. It is expected that the Muslim students could both achieve the foreign language skills and, the same time, become more aware filtering the culture, which is irrelevant with theirs, contained in the foreign language they are learning. The results of this study also indicated that EIS in Indonesia needs to incorporate Islamic values and show that EIS learning put no threats and negative influences on Indonesian culture in general and Islamic religious values in particular
The Importance of Culture in Second and Foreign Language Learning.Bahram Kazemian
English has been designated as a source of intercultural communication among the people from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. A range of linguistic and cultural theories contribute meaningful insights on the development of competence in intercultural communication. The speculations suggest the use of communicative strategies focusing on the development of learners’ efficiency in communicating language through cultural context. However, the teaching of culture in communication has not been paid due importance in a number of academic and language settings of Pakistan and Iran. This assignment study indicates problems in view of teaching English as a medium of instruction in public sector colleges of interior Sindh, Pakistan and prescribed textbooks in Iranian schools. It also aims to identify drawbacks and shortcoming in prescribed textbooks for intermediate students at college level and schools. Therefore, the assignment study recommends integration of cultural awareness into a language teaching programme for an overall achievement of competence in intercultural communication.
This study explores the sociocultural integration of bilingualism and biliteracy practices of a group of Emirati fifth-grade students, who were learning English and Arabic and using English as the medium of instruction for math and science. The explanatory, mixed methodology study examines how sociocultural aspects of language learning are integrated in the learners’ bilingualism and biliteracy practices by using both quantitative and qualitative means. In the first phase, a group of fifth-grade students (n = 350), selected for the transitional nature of their grade cycle, and their Arabic and English teachers (n = 350) were surveyed on their bilingualism and biliteracy practices, with a particular focus on sociocultural factors. The second qualitative phase featured a more in-depth investigation of these practices through interviews with two English teachers, two Arabic teachers, and three students. The results revealed that the fifth-grade students did not possess adequate bilingualism and biliteracy abilities in English or, to a lesser degree, in Arabic, for their expected grade level. The reasons included lack of continuous bilingual/biliteracy interactions, lack of parental involvement and absence of a rich school context. Further, there have been no orchestrated efforts to engage the students with the sociocultural aspect of language learning. Thus, integrating the multifaceted aspects of bilingualism and biliteracy contexts and practices is strongly recommended in order to enrich these linguistic approaches to enable fifth graders excel in both languages, and to improve cross-linguistic transfer.
The aim of this study is to explore the Islamic culture in English for Islamic Studies (EIS) classroom. In the course of EIS, the priority should not only be given to increase international understanding by enabling the students to speak another language but also understanding the cultural values. The study conducted an exploratory approach in which data were collected through in-depth interviews with English lecturers, and a questionnaire was distributed to the Islamic education students. The findings identified Islamic education has included EIS as part of its curriculum in its current advancement. In this regards, the study showed that how EIS in Indonesia has developed, what challenges it experiences and what opportunities it possesses in the context of Islamic higher education in Indonesia. The implications of the study provide a number of valuable insights into the expectations of EIS classroom. It is expected that the Muslim students could both achieve the foreign language skills and, the same time, become more aware filtering the culture, which is irrelevant with theirs, contained in the foreign language they are learning. The results of this study also indicated that EIS in Indonesia needs to incorporate Islamic values and show that EIS learning put no threats and negative influences on Indonesian culture in general and Islamic religious values in particular
This study aims to reveal the profile of open-start problem-solving with ethnomathematics regarding student learning styles. This research is a qualitative research study on 3 out of 31 students of Junior High School of 3 Magetan taken by purposive sampling. The three students carried out four stages: understanding the problem, planning problem-solving strategies, implementing problem-solving strategies, and reviewing again. The results of the research show that students with a visual learning style solve problems by understanding problems through writing known and being asked and drawing illustrations, planning problem-solving strategies by making examples, carrying out solving strategies by working on the calculation process; students with an auditory learning style solve problems by understanding problems through writing known and being asked, planning strategies by making problems and formulating formulas used, implementing solutions by doing calculations and reviewing; students with a kinesthetic learning style solve problems by understanding issues through writing known and being asked, making examples and writing the formulas used, carrying out solving strategies by applying the calculation process and reviewing the results obtained. However, of the three styles, the results of the accepted work were not correct because they did not write down the conclusions and were not thorough enough.
The volunteer function inventory (VFI) is an assessment tool to measure individual volunteer motivation. VFI measures individual motivation to volunteer by examining the functional motives of each volunteer. This research aimed to adapt the VFI to the Indonesian language. VFI consists of 30 items divided into five dimensions. This study utilized a non-experimental quantitative research method. Samples were acquired by accidental random sampling with N = 176. In this study, reliability testing was carried out with items and dimensions of Cronbach's α. Validity tests were examined using construct validity and item analysis. The results of the Indonesian version of VFI showed high reliability and validity. Besides, the item analysis also shows that the quality of each item is excellent. The Indonesian version of VFI will be suitable for various education fields in Indonesia to measure the students' voluntary willingness in community development activities, for example, in measuring the impact of volunteerism in the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) social activities and other activities within the communities.
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This study aims to reveal the profile of open-start problem-solving with ethnomathematics regarding student learning styles. This research is a qualitative research study on 3 out of 31 students of Junior High School of 3 Magetan taken by purposive sampling. The three students carried out four stages: understanding the problem, planning problem-solving strategies, implementing problem-solving strategies, and reviewing again. The results of the research show that students with a visual learning style solve problems by understanding problems through writing known and being asked and drawing illustrations, planning problem-solving strategies by making examples, carrying out solving strategies by working on the calculation process; students with an auditory learning style solve problems by understanding problems through writing known and being asked, planning strategies by making problems and formulating formulas used, implementing solutions by doing calculations and reviewing; students with a kinesthetic learning style solve problems by understanding issues through writing known and being asked, making examples and writing the formulas used, carrying out solving strategies by applying the calculation process and reviewing the results obtained. However, of the three styles, the results of the accepted work were not correct because they did not write down the conclusions and were not thorough enough.
The volunteer function inventory (VFI) is an assessment tool to measure individual volunteer motivation. VFI measures individual motivation to volunteer by examining the functional motives of each volunteer. This research aimed to adapt the VFI to the Indonesian language. VFI consists of 30 items divided into five dimensions. This study utilized a non-experimental quantitative research method. Samples were acquired by accidental random sampling with N = 176. In this study, reliability testing was carried out with items and dimensions of Cronbach's α. Validity tests were examined using construct validity and item analysis. The results of the Indonesian version of VFI showed high reliability and validity. Besides, the item analysis also shows that the quality of each item is excellent. The Indonesian version of VFI will be suitable for various education fields in Indonesia to measure the students' voluntary willingness in community development activities, for example, in measuring the impact of volunteerism in the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) social activities and other activities within the communities.
Digital history-based project-based learning (PjBL) in history learning is a learning medium that can provide a special attraction for students who can improve historical concept skills and historical awareness. However, there are still many teachers who have not used it, so it is very important to study it. This research aims to analyze the influence of the digital history based PJBL model in improving historical concept skills and historical awareness. The method used is quasi-experimental with two classes, experimental and control. The population used class XI high school students in Lampung, Indonesia and the sample size was 213. Cluster random sampling was used to determine sampling, while data collection was in the form of test instruments. The test instrument questions were analyzed using the gain score and Kruskal-Walli’s test to determine the increase in historical concept skills and historical awareness with the help of statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) 26. The research results confirmed that digital history based PjBL was effective in increasing historical concept skills and historical awareness with a high score, making it the best choice to overcome obstacles in history learning.
This study aims to determine how using an active learning model based on the three higher education principles can improve students' active learning. Qualitative research methods were applied in this study, with data collection through interviews, literature study, and observation. The results showed that active learning based on the three higher education principles was included in the "good" or "acceptable" category. The application of this model can make this campus a place with a positive academic atmosphere that enhances and supports collaboration, discussion, and positive and critical thinking. The novelty of this research lies in the use of active learning with mini-research projects, which are developed based on university principles and embody it. The hope is that this can help solve problems in the student learning process at the State Islamic University Sunan Kalijaga, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The expected implication is that the university's policy supports applying the model to resolve learning problems and build real scientists for students.
Integration of information and communication technology (ICT) in teacher education is a means to support the teaching and learning process. Good teaching by utilizing technology certainly requires changes, especially in the realm of pedagogy, but teachers apparently do not have enough ability to optimize ICT in the learning process. In fact, ICT has the potential to provide various benefits for teachers and students, including joint learning areas, cooperative and collaborative learning opportunities. Therefore, this research aims to identify the use of mobile learning application (MLA) and its impact as a form of ICT integration in learning. The method used is literature study, by taking data from various relevant scientific articles and books. Data analysis uses descriptive analysis from the results of the synthesis of several literature reviews obtained. The research results show that a number of 10 main articles and 15 relevant supporting articles as well as several book sources show that mobile-based learning with smartphone devices is becoming a trend at various levels of education, both academic and vocational.
Incorporating ethnoscience into lessons through the ethnoscience-students’ worksheet (ESW) is one method to improve student interest in science learning while introducing them to the local culture. However, no research was reported the effects of ESW on students' responses and the factors that influence ESW implementation in science learning. In order to better understand how students learn through ESW, this study investigated the relationship between ethnoscience context, science learning, and the implementation of students’ worksheets. Seventy-two students participated in the survey after they studied ethnoscience learning through ESW. Students’ responses are more influenced by science learning. In addition, the ethnoscience-integrated students’ worksheets (SW) variable indirectly affects students’ responses. Additionally, ESW affects students' responses more significantly than science learning and ethnoscience. This research provides insightful implications for educators on planning, designing, and practicing ESW to enhance students’ problem-solving motivation and academic achievement. Furthermore, to contribute significantly to future researchers, further research employed the structural equation model through covariance analysis, also known as confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).
This research aimed to assess the readiness of Indonesian pre-service science teachers by examining their perceptions of impending challenges, desired competencies, and anticipated instructional methodologies in preparing for the challenges of Society 5.0. Using a quantitative survey research methodology, 884 pre-service science teachers from 16 universities were surveyed. The research instrument's validity and reliability were assessed utilizing the Rasch model. Inferential statistics were employed to assess the readiness of pre-service science teachers for future challenges, taking into account their backgrounds. The test outcomes showed the Cronbach's Alpha coefficient reached 0.92, is deemed "excellent", affirming the instrument's high reliability. The findings of the study revealed that the majority of teachers share a consistent perception of future challenges and recognize the importance of mastering 21st-century skills, particularly critical thinking, creative thinking, communication, and collaboration. However, respondents believe that the current learning process does not adequately train these skills. They expressed a desire for an alternative learning method that can enhance their skills while accommodating their diverse backgrounds, including place of residence, economic background, and technological proficiency. Further research is needed to identify alternative teaching methods that can effectively foster these abilities in diverse backgrounds.
The issue of psychological well-being in education has emerged as an increasingly critical topic in recent years. This is due to the significance of psychological well-being in enhancing the performance of e ducational institutions, encompassing students, teachers, and the process of formulating school policies. This study sought to discover recent research on psychological well-being from an academic perspective. A total of 27 research articles were successfully gathered and reviewed based on the established criteria. This article review was conducted utilizing two databases (SCOPUS and WoS) and the following keywords: "psychological well-being" combined with "AND" and other search terms such as "school", "teacher", and "student". This systematic review offers a synthesis of results that can serve as the initial step in developing constructs of psychological well-being in educational institutions, thus implying the importance of psychological well-being for teachers and students. The results of the analysis from this systematic literature review have been discussed and concluded in this study.
This study aims to investigate Indonesian senior high school teachers’ perceptions of using the first language (L1) when teaching English because Indonesian teachers tend to have negative perceptions toward the application of the L1, while the L1 is needed in a situation where Indonesian students have limited skills in English. The semi-structured interview was applied to collect data, while thematic analysis was used to analyse it. The result showed that the teachers have three different positions in perceiving the use of the L1: the virtual position, maximal, and optimal positions. Although they have different perceptions toward the application of the L1, a major insight can be concluded about the limited use of the L1 for specific reasons, such as considering teachers’ and students’ English abilities, learners’ needs, and the type and the difficulty of the given task or assignment. The L1 can be functioned as scaffolding in three aspects: when teaching grammar, vocabulary, and when giving instructions. Teachers may consider this study’s results as the information to use the L1 in classrooms. This may also be beneficial for Indonesian educational stakeholders and the government to specifically define what type of scaffolding that teachers can use the L1 to teach English.
The Smile project is an engineering service-learning initiative carried out through collaboration between Chouaib Doukkali University in Morocco and Pusan National University in South Korea. Since 2016, this project has been conducted annually for engineering students from both universities. Participants are selected through an oral interview, ensuring representation from different majors, years, and genders. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the project transitioned to an online mode starting from 2020. The objective of this article is to investigate the impact of the service-learning approach on learning and its potential for enhancing engineering education. This study aims to compare the face-to-face and online implementations of the Smileproject as examples of this educational approach. The analysis demonstrates a strong positive effect of engineering service-learning as a learning approach, leading to the improvement of engineering students' skills and competencies. Notably, there is minimal difference between the two implementation modes of this learning approach.
Assessment is an important component of learning which aims to determine student achievement in learning. However, the pandemic has changed how assessment is carried out, prompting teachers to look for new strategies in carrying out mathematics learning assessments under any conditions, whether in normal conditions or during a pandemic. This study described the strategies used by high school mathematics teachers in assessing mathematics learning during the pandemic towards the post-pandemic period. This type of research is descriptive exploratory research with a qualitative approach. The subjects in this study were three mathematics teachers, three principals, and three vice principals from a public senior high school in Yogyakarta City, Indonesia. Qualitative data were collected by means of questionnaires, interviews, and documentation. The collected data were analyzed qualitatively according to Bogdan and Biklen. The results of the study reveal that the mathematics teacher’s strategy for carrying out assessments during a pandemic includes: i) determining the appropriate online assessment platform that suits the needs; ii) assessment based on student participation; iii) using various of online assessment methods; iv) prioritizing academic integrity and honesty in the assessment implementation; and v) carry out the management and reporting of data on the results of the assessment in accordance with established procedures.
This study examined the role of technology integration and teachers' professional competence in developing 21st-century learning. Present studies show a significant gap between technology integration and teachers’ competency in developing 21st-century learning. This study highlights the pivotal roles of technology integration and teacher competence in modern education. In an era where technology has transformed teaching and learning, understanding the synergy between these two factors is crucial for educational advancements. The study employs a descriptive quantitative approach. It seeks to understand the current state of technology integration and teacher competence by collecting data from in-service teachers within the English teacher's forum. The data collection methods encompass questionnaires and interviews to gain comprehensive insights into the subject matter. The research design of this study primarily relies on a descriptive approach, which involves the systematic collection and analysis of data to describe and understand the existing situation. The data-gathering process, through questionnaires and interviews, ensures a comprehensive exploration of the research questions. The results show that technology integration and teacher competency significantly influence the development of 21st-century learning.
Aware of the various issues involved in assessing learning, but also of the difficulties encountered in classroom practice of this pedagogical act, we set out in this article to explore and analyze the assessment practices of secondary school mathematics teachers and the conceptions they underlie. The study was conducted from a systemic perspective. We therefore targeted three aspects in our study: the conceptual, the institutional, and the docimological. Analysis of the attitudes declared by a random sample of mathematics teachers enabled us to confirm that pedagogical, and in particular cognitive, issues do not represent a priority for them in assessment practices. They focus more on the organizational aspect of examinations, with a remarkable lack of concern for docimological considerations to give credibility to the assessments carried out.
This study aimed to investigate decreasing student academic stress in distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, transition period, and new normal era by giving a self-help module to students. This research employed an experimental approach with a group pre-test post-test design with quantitative analytics. The perceived academic stress scale (PASS) and module evaluation scale were utilized to assess students' academic stress levels and their understanding of the module. The subjects consisted of one male student and thirty-seven female students, as the school was dominated by female students. This study indicated that students' academic stress levels during the pandemic and the new normal were in the medium range (18.82 - 19.97). The results showed that there was no significant difference in academic stress between the pandemic and the transition period (t = 1.322, p > 0.05) and the data between the pandemic and the new normal (t = -1.426, p > 0.05), while between the transition period and the new normal, it showed a significant difference (t = -4.189, p < 0.05). The study recommends that schools develop future guidance and counseling programs to help students cope with stress and build resilience. This study's findings can inform policy decisions and academic interventions to support students' mental health and academic success during challenging times.
The aim of this research is to investigate the influence of flipbook learning media, learning interest, and learning motivation on junior high school students' learning outcomes. The method used is the regression method with a quantitative approach. This research was conducted at Junior High School1 Yogyakarta with a sample of 64 class VIII social studies students. Data collection consists of interviews, observations, and documentation. Prerequisite test analysis consists of tests for normality, multicollinearity, and heteroscedasticity. Hypothesis testing using simple regression, and multiple regression. The research results show that there is an influence: i) flipbook learning media on learning outcomes with a tcount of 73.33, a significance value of 0.000 < 0.005, ii) interest in learning on learning outcomes with a tcount of 33.678, a significance value of 0.000 < 0.005, iii) learning motivation on learning outcomes with a tcount of 30.678, a significance value of 0.000 < 0.005, and iv) flipbook learning media, learning interest, and learning motivation together on learning outcomes with Fcount 47.879 > Ftable 2.77 with a significance of 0.000 < 0.005. The conclusion is that the use of flipbook learning media, increasing interest in learning, and strengthening learning motivation can support each other to achieve optimal learning outcomes for students.
Hybrid project-based learning effectively develops academic writing skills in preparation for a gradual return to face-to-face instruction after a two-year pandemic triggered by Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Since this hybrid project-based learning initiative is a pioneering effort, it is essential to reflect on the program's successes and identify areas for improvement. This case study aims to explore the lecturers' and students' reflections on using hybrid project-based learning in academic writing courses. In-depth interviews and end-of-semester reflection were utilized to obtain data. Thematic analysis was conducted using the qualitative data analysis (QDA)miner lite software for data reduction. the findings revealed three prominent themes that emerged in this lecturers’ reflections: i) integrating varied learning modalities; ii) fostering critical thinking and involvement; and iii) improving competencies, as they were also crucial to boosting professional development. Meanwhile, students portray hybrid project-based learning as challenging and rewarding and fosters a sense of value and acceptability among students. This research has transformative implications for curriculum development and instructional practices in higher education, especially academic writing.
Intrapreneurship skill has considered as the alternative learning outcomes of entrepreneurship education. However, entrepreneurship teachers need a complex learning program to develop intrapreneurship among business students. At the same time, The Ministry of Education and Culture of The Republic of Indonesia recommends university teachers implement case methods to deliver complex learning environments and build critical skills among students. Therefore, this study aims to i) examine the effect of micro small medium enterprise (MSME) cases on the intrapreneurship of business students, ii) investigate the influence of MSME cases on flow experience in entrepreneurship education and iii) investigate the effect of flow experience during entrepreneurship education on intrapreneurship skill. We used field experiments on entrepreneurship and digital business student in business development courses. The result indicates that the case method effectively developed student intrapreneurship skill and flow experience during the course positively impacting student intrapreneurship skill.
Mathematical beliefs and metacognitive knowledge play significant roles in solving mathematical problems; thus, this study aims to investigate the influence of middle school students' beliefs on their metacognitive knowledge when solving geometry problems. This study utilizes both quantitative and qualitative research methods. A linear regression test was used to determine the effect of middle school students' beliefs on their metacognitive knowledge. The results of the quantitative research analysis were followed up with a qualitative research approach to describe the metacognitive knowledge of students who have high and low confidence in solving geometric problems. This research involved 352 middle school students in the Tarakan area. Based on the results of linear regression, it is known that the beliefs of middle school students have a positive effect on their metacognitive knowledge when solving geometric problems. In addition, it was found that students with different beliefs could solve a given geometry problem, but the approach to solving it varied among subjects. Middle school students have diverse beliefs, but these variations do not affect their capacity to apply their metacognitive knowledge at every stage
of solving mathematical problems.
A comprehensive examination of the impact of instructional leadership provided by school principals on teacher commitment was carried out across different nations, including Indonesia. This research employed a literature review approach, scrutinizing journal articles that delved into the connection between the instructional leadership of school principals and teacher commitment. After applying predefined criteria to 120 chosen articles in this domain, only 15 articles met the specified criteria and were subsequently incorporated into the review. The findings of the literature review revealed that the instructional leadership of school principals and the resulting organizational commitment have a positive, and mostly said statistically significant, effect on teacher organizational commitment in various countries.
Because women in Indonesian society gain more experience in the family, one of which is education instilled through family gender culture, women's
career aspirations are believed to have their own characteristics. In today's
society, the current condition of female students' career expectations is apprehensive. Most of the female students do not have any professional
characteristics, such as career aspirations. This research involving 109 female students from various cultural contexts will divide their findings into
two categories: patriarchal family education and matriarchal family education. The main objective of this research is to investigate the career expectations of female students in relation to patriarchal and matriarchal
family education, and to compare the two household categories. As a result,
the majority of female students from societies that place a patriarchal emphasis on gender have expectations of career self-efficacy, whereas those
from societies that place a matriarchal emphasis on gender have expectations
of outcomes. Parametric analysis of variance (ANOVA) test was used for
comparative analysis. The test results show F = 75.011 for career expectations on self-efficacy and F = 145.467 for outcome expectation (OE).
0.000 is a significant value for both variations.
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How far have we gone? Integration of intercultural language learning principles in Philippine ESL classrooms
1. Journal of Education and Learning (EduLearn)
Vol. 15, No. 1, February 2021, pp. 144~152
ISSN: 2089-9823 DOI: 10.11591/edulearn.v15i1.20056 144
Journal homepage: http://edulearn.intelektual.org
How far have we gone? Integration of intercultural language
learning principles in Philippine ESL classrooms
Chirbet Ayunon1
, Lysel I. Haloc2
1
Cagayan State University, Philippines
2
St. Mary’s University, Philippines
Article Info ABSTRACT
Article history:
Received Jan 17, 2021
Revised Feb 18, 2021
Accepted Feb 26, 2021
Intercultural education is firmly rooted on the notion that language and
culture are intrinsically linked. Several studies have looked into the
importance of understanding different languages and cultures in language
teaching; however, studies on the integration of principles intercultural
language learning (IcLL) in Philippine ESL classrooms seem to be lacking.
This is what the article addresses as it looked into the extent of integration of
IcLL principles in two higher educational institution in Region 2, Cagayan
Valley, Northern Philippines. Anchored on the principles of IcLL and
through the employment of survey to elicit responses of the language
teachers as to the integration of IcLL principles in language classrooms,
results revealed that teachers perceive IcLL to be integrated in their
classrooms to a great extent. Specifically, the principles of active
construction and social interaction are integrated to a very high extent while
the principles making connections, reflection, and responsibility were
perceived to be integrated to a high extent. As regards classroom activities,
the teachers favored the employment of discussions, lectures, writing tasks,
oral reports, role plays, small group tasks, simulations or skits and
collaborative learning activities in transmitting the target culture.
Keywords:
Intercultural education
Intercultural language learning
Language teaching
This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA license.
Corresponding Author:
Chirbet C. Ayunon
Department of Arts and Humanities
Cagayan State University
Philippines
Email: chirbet_ayunon@dlsu.edu.ph
1. INTRODUCTION
Over decades, views on culture have shifted from discussions about arts and literature by the
educated few to the deeper and more comprehensive examination of belief systems, values, and relational
dynamics of various groups including those traditionally marginalized. Hence, rather than defined, restricted
and imposed by social hierarchy, culture is now understood as something that is continuously shaped and
maintained by members of a community [1]. The contemporary society is characterized by diversity and
change. Societies require the co-existence of people belonging to different ethnic groups, various linguistic
cultures and religious backgrounds. Given this diversity, intercultural education has been incorporated into
the educational system which is anchored on the vision that this educational process promotes values of
tolerance, freedom, openness, acceptance of differences, and understanding of diversity, pluralism and
cooperation [2].
An inseparable part of culture is language. Thus, alongside developing views on culture, language
teaching and learning has undergone reconceptualization. Since the emergence of ‘the Communicative
2. J Edu & Learn ISSN: 2089-9823
How far have we gone? Integration of intercultural language learning principles in … (Chirbet Ayunon)
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Approach’ and ‘Communicative Language Teaching’ in the 1970s, language teaching and learning has
undergone a ‘cultural turn’ [3]. Language learning is no longer characterized as the mere mastery of rules of
a linguistic system but is now construed as a learning process encompassed within a social, economic,
gendered, cultural and political contexts [4]. Language is a value- laden and dynamic activity and is not a
constant and neutral system of communication. In the context of globalization, English has become a primary
means of communication in multicultural contexts, thus, making English an international language, a lingua
franca, and a global language [5].
Bennet 2008, cited in [6] defined intercultural competence as "a set of cognitive, affective, and
behavioral skills and characteristics that support effective and appropriate interaction in a variety of cultural
contexts (p. 2).” Deardoff [7] remarks that intercultural competence is one’s capacity to communicate
appropriately and effectively in intercultural situations. In the same manner, Spitzberg and Chagnon cited in
[8] posited that intercultural competence is concerned with the effective and appropriate management of
interaction between people who, to some degree or another, represent different or divergent affective,
cognitive, and behavioral orientations of the world. Furthermore, it is based on one’s intercultural knowledge,
skills, and attitudes. This is also tantamount to understanding and respecting individuals who are perceived to
have different cultural affiliations from oneself. Therefore, distinguishing between intercultural competence
and intercultural communicative competence (ICC) is of utmost importance. According to Byram [9], the
first deals with peoples’ capacity to engage into meaningful interaction employing their own language with
the people from another country and culture, while ICC takes into account language teaching and focuses on
peoples’ ability to interact with people from another country and culture by utilizing a foreign language. In
Byram’s view, a person who has developed ICC is able to build relationships while speaking in the foreign
language; communicates effectively, taking into consideration his own and the other person’s viewpoint and
needs; mediates interactions between people of different backgrounds, and strives to continue developing
communicative skills [9].
Moreover, et al. [3] contended that the issue of enhancing ICC to ESL/EFL learners is one of the
ultimate objectives in the field of English language education. In the same vein, Samovar, et al. [10] argued
that the incorporation of intercultural instruction may equip learners with the knowledge of intercultural
communication. This ability, in turn, necessitates them to use the language effectively in bridging cultural
differences and achieve more harmonious, productive and meaningful relations.
Several studies have been conducted to examine and establish the pedagogical significance of
intercultural language education in the academe. Within the realm of ELT, Baker [11] looked into the cultural
connections and pedagogical implications of English as a lingua franca. This paper incorporates within the
analytical realm the significance of ELF as a category in examining the interplay between language and
culture. In doing such, the complexity theory was used to frame the understanding of intercultural
competence as a fusion of complex elements which are to be interspersed in language pedagogy. The paper
also discussed the adverse effects of simplification which easily leads into essentialist representations of
language and culture in ELT. This essentialist approach is tantamount to an over-representation of
“Anglophone cultures.” The author offered a number of suggestions and examples for how such complex
understandings of culture and language through ELF can be meaningfully interspersed into pedagogy.
Estaji and Rahimi [12] looked into the relationship of EFL teachers’ experience, educational
attainment and level of instruction on how they perceive ICC. The study also aimed to analyze the effect of
their ICC perceptions on their pedagogical practices. In order to achieve the research aims, the researchers
employed a questionnaire adopted from Zhou (2011) and a semi-structured interview to enrich the
discussion. The data indicated that while no significant differences as regards chosen variables were
recorded, ICC perceptions have an effect on teaching practices as perceived by the respondents. The semi-
structured interview yielded that the teachers have a high regard towards ICC as contributory to the success
of ESL learners.
In the same vein, Boonmoh and Banjongjit [13] gathered the perceptions of teachers in the
promotion of ICC in EFL learning contexts. The qualitative study was participated by seven Thai teachers
who teach English for Workplace Communication course. Using Deardorff’s ICC framework [7], it was
found that ICC is perceived positively by the teachers. Moreover, they typically focused on desired external
results, knowledge, skills and attitude towards differences in culture and cultural orientations. Furthermore,
in promoting ICC, there was a high preference of classroom activities such as anecdotes, reading and
discussion, and role-playing or simulations.
With the aim of establishing the importance of intercultural communication activities in achieving
the goals of ICC, Velasco [14], examined two groups of Japanese students who are learning English in a
higher education institution. The study reveals that classroom exercises such as film-viewing, picture
elicitation, situational judgment facilitates in the achievement of intercultural communicative competence.
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Furthermore, the survey shows that self-reflection, assessment of beliefs and biases supports the Japanese
students’ appreciation of diverse cultures.
Tran and Duong [5], examined the effectiveness of the intercultural language communicative
teaching model for EFL among Vietnamese learners. The study showed that the ICLT model was seen an
effective form of intercultural language education in facilitating the achievement of learners’ ICC. This study
might suggest that if used long term, the ICLT model can equip learners with ICC in order to become
intercultural speakers who can be fluent in a foreign language and function appropriately and effectively in
the context of globalization.
Aimed at building a framework to develop intercultural competence for global education, St. Paul
University- Philippines launched its internationalization program. A study that looked into its effectiveness
was conducted by Ang [6]. Results indicate that the developed framework establishes the interplay of
affective, cognitive and behavioral dimensions of intercultural competence. Accordingly, the affective
element includes values, attitudes, sentiments, curiosity, openness, care, concern and difficulty. The cognitive
element is comprised of knowledge, awareness, understanding, study, learning, pre-judgment and bias.
Furthermore, the behavioral aspect encompasses the skills, observable conduct and gestures, countenance and
interactions. Moreover, Ang [6] asserts that internationalization programs such as the one developed in their
academic institution lead to the development of intercultural competence facilitated by global learning,
international experience and international partnerships and linkages.
Pullin [15] incorporated in his inquiry Business English as a Lingua Franca (BELF) in the context of
the School of Management Vaud in Switzerland. As affirmed by the data, the researcher forwarded the
meaningful interplay of prior knowledge and needs analysis, implementation of task-based approaches,
match between aims and learning outcomes, assessment and evaluation and the competence of the
knowledge-providers for the effective instruction of BELF.
As regards development of intercultural competence in the middle phase of learning, Fakhrutdinov
and Akhatovna [16], posit that that the success in teaching a foreign language in a multicultural educational
space is an offshoot of an informed, careful selection of training materials by teachers. This goes hand in
hand with the simultaneous use of several guidelines, both for the teacher and for the learners. Also, Irimia
[17] focuses on raising awareness of culture through the lived experiences of the learners and people from
target language cultures as well as other cultures represented in the classroom or community. Using European
conventions, the researcher offers a comprehensive array of learning tasks and guidelines for assessment. In
Haerazi, et al. [18] looked into possible means of meeting the needs of students in a multicultural setting.
Results of the study indicate that the conduct of needs analysis in identifying cultural materials is a helpful
method in meeting students’ needs and expectations. The development of English materials aided
intercultural language learning for writing classes. The data also indicate that the students are particularly
interested in cultural topics appropriate for their level. These include wedding ceremonies, historical
buildings, and traditional music. Moreover, the study emphasizes the significance of the Instructional Model
in the teaching and learning of intercultural language.
Taking into account the epistemic context and the scholastic traditions of Muslim students, Diallo
[19] was able to identify problems in intercultural teaching (ICT) in the Arab Gulf region. The inquiry is
prompted by an observation which reveals that there lies a monocentric paradigm in Arab-Muslim context of
the Gulf countries in as much as the implementation of intercultural teaching theories is concerned.
Apparently, ICT theories clash with local cultures and values because they are perceived as a subtle medium
for the expansion of Western socio-cultural values and lifestyles. The researcher proposes that to be
culturally-sensitive, intercultural teaching should not be limited to Western socio-cultural values but should
cater to Muslim learners’ socio-cultural and religious realities as ways of discovering and reaching the
culture of the target language.
In her paper, Manjarres [20] discussed the difficulties facing the development of intercultural
competence in Colombia, a multicultural country. This is partly attributed to the seemingly narrow and often
ideological approaches on culture and culture teaching among the discourses of in-service teachers. The
researcher offered valuable suggestions such as; intercultural education be incorporated to basic education
curriculum, re-examination of the images of the foreign cultures, and that educational authorities should
consider the inclusion of a cultural component in the standardized examinations, and so on.
The common thread that sutures the previously-mentioned studies is the emphasis on intercultural
education which is firmly rooted on the notion that language and culture are intrinsically linked. In the
contemporary world, language education should open a path that leads to mutual understanding among
different languages, cultures and ways of reasoning. However, in the literature review, it was found that there
is a dearth of studies regarding the integration of IcLL in Philippine ESL Classrooms. Despite the
government and educational agencies’ strong desire to keep pace with the ASEAN Integration, a need to shift
from Communicative Language Teaching to IcLL, and in response to the challenge of global education, it has
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been observed that IcLL has not been fully incorporated in ESL classrooms especially in the provinces.
Given this assumption, the researchers were prompted to look into the extent of integration of IcLL principles
in two higher educational institution in Region 2, Cagayan Valley, Northern Philippines. IcLL theoretical
underpinnings, necessary tasks and instructional strategies are expected to be integrated in courses such as
Purposive Communication, Advanced Oral Communication, Philippine, World and Contemporary
Literatures, and Writing in the Disciplines which are offered among the students. Additionally, it is hoped
that this study shall provide supportive factors so as to facilitate the process of learners’ intercultural
learning.
This article examines the extent of integration of intercultural language learning in ESL classrooms.
In doing so, the study framed its focus on intercultural language learning (IcLL) which connects the study of
culture to language and linguistics learning and sees them as integrated and holistic. Liddicoat, et al. [21]
emphasized that IcLL involves developing with learners a clear understanding of their own culture and
language in relation to an additional culture and language. It must be emphasized that culture should be
integrated into other language skills and not a separate skill. This means that right from the very start,
language teachers should start teaching culture at the very beginning of language teaching. The IcLL as an
approach operates on five principles: Active Construction, Making Connections, Social Interaction,
Reflection and Responsibility. Liddicoat, et al. [21] outline these principles in Table 1.
Table 1. Principles of IcLL [21]
Principles of IcLL Description
Active
Construction
Learning involves the purposeful and active construction of knowledge within a socio-cultural context.
Making
Connections
Learning is based on previous knowledge and requires challenges to initial conceptions that learners bring. The
challenges lead to new insights through which learners make connections, to reorganise and extend their
existing framework of knowledge.
Social Interaction Learning is social and interactive.
Reflection Learning involves becoming aware of the processes underlying thinking, knowing and learning through
conscious awareness and reflection.
Responsibility Learning depends on learners’ attitudes and dispositions to learning.
Active
Construction
Learning involves the purposeful and active construction of knowledge within a socio-cultural context.
Making
Connections
Learning is based on previous knowledge and requires challenges to initial conceptions that learners bring. The
challenges lead to new insights through which learners make connections, to reorganise and extend their
existing framework of knowledge.
2. RESEARCH METHOD
2.1. Procedure
In order to investigate the extent of integration of the concepts and principles of IcLL in Philippine
ESL classrooms, this article employed qualitative approach. Specifically, they used quasi-statistics or
frequency and percentage count. To collect quantitative data, the authors conducted a survey among language
teachers in the chosen schools to elicit their perception as to the extent of integration of the IcLL principles in
their language classes.
2.2. Setting and participants
The study was carried out in March of the school year 2018-2019 among the language teachers who
are teaching in two universities in Region 2. There was a total of 40 language teachers who were the primary
source of data investigated in this article.
Forty responses were received. Of these respondents, 18 were from a state university and 22 were
teachers from a private institution. There were 28 female respondents and 12 male respondents. Nearly half
are between the ages of 20-35; while the other half is divided between the 36-50 and 51-65 age groups. Half
of the respondents are also graduates of a masters’ degree; while only 6 are Ph.D. graduates and 14 have an
undergraduate degree. In terms of number of years in service, 37% of the respondents have been teaching for
5 years or less. The same percentage of respondents have worked in the field for a period of 11-15 years.
Only three from the respondents worked in the academe for 26-30 years.
2.3. Instrument
The article made use of a self-made survey questionnaire to elicit perception of the language teacher
as to the integration of IcLL principles in their language classrooms. Statement prompts were based on the
principles of IcLL by Liddicoat, et al. [21]. These statements aim to look into the IcLL principles employed
in the respondents’ language classroom and the activities used in the instruction of IcLL. The questionnaire is
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divided into three parts. Part 1 determines the profile of the respondents as regards title or position,
institutional affiliation, address, gender, age, educational attainment, years of teaching, and language/s
spoken. The second part which accounts for the extent of ICC integration is 25-item questionnaire using a
four-Likert scale as in: 1 (Strongly Disagree), 2 (Disagree), 3 (Agree), and 4 (Strongly Agree). To determine
the extent of integration of ICC, the scale was used as shown in Table 2.
Table 2. The extent of ICC integration and its equivalence
Scale Response Qualitative Description
1.0-1.49 Strongly Disagree Very Low Extent
1.5-2.49 Disagree Low Extent
2.5-3.49 Agree High Extent
3.5-4.00 Strongly Agree Very High Extent
To answer the second research question, a checklist was devised so as to determine the activities
conducted by the teacher so as to cater to IcLL instruction in the ESL classes. A roster of classroom activities
was provided for the teachers to check. Since the researchers employed a self-made questionnaire, the
reliability of the survey questionnaire, written in English, was determined after having the questionnaire
pilot-tested to five language teachers who were not part of the actual data. The reliability coefficient of the
questionnaire after the pilot study was .826. After this, the questionnaire was administered among teachers of
two higher education institutions in Nueva Vizcaya and Cagayan. Purposive sampling was employed which
catered to at least 20% of the total number of language teachers per higher education institution. The data
have undergone tabulation and statistical treatment upon which, interpretation and analysis followed.
2.4. Data collection and analysis
The researchers contacted the participants personally and asked for their consent to participate in
this study. The hardcopy of the survey questionnaire was delivered to the participants, and they waited for the
accomplished questionnaire. Answers to the survey were then tabulated and analyzed using descriptive
statistics.
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Table 3 summarizes the extent of integration of the five principles of IcLL in the language classes as
perceived by the language teachers. It is evident from Table 3 that the principles of active construction and
social interaction are integrated to a very high extent as perceived by the language teachers with a rating of
3.5 and 3.62 respectively. On one hand, domain active interaction encompasses tenets concerning the
purposeful use of language in a range of tasks where students discover and create meaning in interaction with
people, provision of time to formulate questions about the target culture, selection of tasks that simulate
students’ interest on language and culture, appreciation of other cultures, and giving of time to notice the
differences between learners’ own culture and the culture of the target language which is English. On the
other hand, the domain social interaction covers learners’ engagement in interactive talk and questioning with
others, recognition that social interaction is central to communication, provision of opportunities to interact
or socialize with the native speakers of the target culture, allotment of time for students to interact with one
another, and allowing students understand that they live in a culturally-diverse community.
Table 3. Extent of integration of the IcLL Principle in higher education institutions (HEIs) english as a
second language (ESL) classes
Principle of IcLL Mean Qualitative Description
Active Construction 3.5 Very High Extent
Making Connections 3.48 High Extent
Social Interaction 3.62 Very High Extent
Reflection 3.48 High Extent
Responsibility 3.49 High Extent
n=40
Following the principle of social interaction, Liddicoat, Papademetre, et al. [21] maintain that
culture is learned and explored through communication with others. This means that social interaction allows
the learner to notice and experience difference between the target culture and language forms and their native
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culture and language forms during communication. When after having noticed the difference, they are
allowed to discuss and try out possible responses. These authors [21] define active construction as referring
to the principle that learners need to create their own knowledge about the culture as part of the development
of a personal perspective on both their own culture and the culture they are learning. This means that
learner’s themselves need to be equipped with the necessary abilities to notice differences, reflect on the
nature and impact of these and develop personal solutions to intercultural issues. Here, the role of the
language teacher is to allow the difference to be noticed, explored and reflected on rather than presenting the
culture as a complete and new body of information. The data indicate that the teacher respondents highly
adhere to these two IcLL principles. It can be speculated that the high extent of IcLL integration among the
ESL classes under study is the level of education of the learners where students of tertiary education, in
preparation for their future professions, need be globally competitive. It is assumed that the language teacher
sees the more pragmatic needs of their learners in the contemporary society. The present study supports the
findings of Estaji and Rahimi [12] on the extent of inclusion of IcLL and positive perceptions of educators
toward such pedagogical practice. The same positive view on IcLL as an important component of a language
teaching curriculum was echoed in the study of Boonmoh and Banjongjit [13]. However, the findings of the
present study run contrary to that of Cheng 2012, cited in [12] who found that ICC reflects little role in the
teaching practices of Taiwanese EFL teachers.
The other three principles: making connections, reflection, and responsibility were perceived to be
integrated to a high extent with a rating of 3.48, 3.48 and 3.49 respectively. In intercultural language
learning, Liddicoat, et al. [21] maintain that the principle of making connections encourages learners to make
their own connections between their existing culture, language and knowledge and the new stimuli they meet
in the classroom. They contend that this can only be done if they stand on a comparative perspective in which
the new language and new culture is contrasted with what is already known to them. This principle also
emphasizes the need to highlight the first cultures of the learners. As to the principle of reflection, students
are encouraged to respond, whether positively or negatively, to the culture they are experiencing. This also
means that they need to reflect on the consequences of choices about their communicative behavior in light
of their new knowledge gained. Finally, the integration of the principle of responsibility reflects the
awareness of the teachers that the learners have the responsibility for their own learning. Overall, the findings
reveal that the language teachers seem to be highly cognizant of the interplay between language education
and culture and claims to integrate culture into their pedagogical practices as an avenue to enhance
intercultural competence. The finding supports the works of [12, 5, 13].
The last part of the questionnaire fleshes out the answer to the question concerning classroom
activities employed by the teachers in transmitting the target culture. Table 4 shows the list of activities in a
descending order as regards frequency:
Table 4. Activities employed by the HEI language teachers
Activities Frequency
Discussions 38
Lecture 38
Writing tasks (journals, critical incidents reflective essays) 27
Oral Reports 27
Role plays 26
Small Group Tasks 26
Simulation / skits 25
Collaborative learning activities 25
Review of Readings 23
Debate 23
Media and theatre tasks 22
Interaction / interviews with persons of another culture 21
Observational Tasks 19
Exploratory tasks 14
Case Studies 9
Fishbowls 9
Panels 7
Fieldwork (site visits, drop offs, field trips) 1
Table 4 summarizes the list of activities used by the language teachers as they expose the language
learners to the target language. The activities above are listed in the order of popularity with the number of
responses indicated.
It is evident that all the respondents generally adhere to the use of the traditional method of teaching
which are the use lecture and discussions. Though considered traditional, these classroom activities allow
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students and teachers to explore on what Corbet (n.d.) calls ‘rich points’ of inquiry and discussion, which
may allow for adjustments and even re-alignments of the learners’ L1 and L1 culture and the target language
culture. 27 respondents show importance to the cultivation of the writing and speaking skills of the learners
by employing various types of writing and speaking tasks like journal writing, critical essays and reflective
essays and the use of oral reports. Also, such activities open the lines of communication between teachers
and students while providing avenues for reflection and evaluation of personal opinions on a variety of cross-
cultural topics [14]. Perhaps in recognition of the need for the students to use the target language in
collaborative activities, more than half of the respondents employ activities like small group tasks, simulation
or skits and other collaborative learning activities. The findings of the present study are in consonance with
that of Boonmoh and Banjongjit [13] that role-playing and simulations are preferred tasks in integrating
culture and language in ESL classes. This may be attributed to the nature of role-playing and simulations
which encourage the development and practice of a new language, enhancement of behavioral skills,
reflective thinking and creativity among students in a non-threatening context [22]. This study also affirms
existing literatures discussing the significance of collaborative learning tasks across disciplines, in general,
and intercultural communication, in particular. These tasks allow learners to engage in a variety of
communication and utilize available collaboration tools and modes while building within themselves values
of cooperation and agreement.
It is noteworthy to mention that more than half of the respondents feel the need to make their
students socialize and interact with people of another culture by asking the learners to conduct an interview
with the native speakers of the language. However, this may pose a challenge to both teachers and students as
face-to-face encounters with native speakers are few and far between. However, in the advent of technology,
teachers and student can make global connections with speakers of a target culture. It is observed that both
universities are equipped with computer facilities and internet, thus, teachers and students have access to
these learning resources. Mass media have been contributory to the incorporation of cultural awareness
among people. As Rehman [23] puts it, “In some ways, the media are making a very constructive
contribution by presenting sympathetic and accurate portrayals and images of distant places and people
(p.18).” The same line of reasoning may be applied why more than half of the teachers employ theater tasks
in their classes. Most theater pieces are literary materials from foreign authors who use language to depict the
cultural life of people belonging to various races. Theatrical tasks seek to foster intercultural learning and
appreciation in ESL and EFL classes. These are meaningful learning activities since it targets not only
holistic learning but also the performative arena of language learning [24].
All these findings are in agreement with the findings of Tuna and Razi [25] who interviewed EFL
instructors as to the integration of cultural elements in language teaching. Most of them suggested the
inclusion of activities like: introducing someone from a different culture, use of songs and tasks that reflect
the culture of the target language, role-play activities in the classroom and using movies in the identification
of the cultural elements of the target language. In their study, videos were suggested as the most beneficial
way to integrate culture into their classes. This is also in consonance with the argument that was clearly
conveyed by Turkan and Celik [26] that teaching culture should be integrated into the language textbooks
and classroom practices. However, they also stressed that when the teaching materials do not include the
target language teacher, it is still the primary responsibility of the language teachers to find practical
solutions to address this problem. The same results were yielded in the study of Minoia [8] which revealed
that students’ exposure to films, news, podcasts and TV programs which serve as sources of information
about a target culture enhanced the reflective nature and engagement of students in the process of learning
their interculturality. Furthermore, Farnia and Raja pointed that students need to develop an understanding
that for communication to be successful, language use must be linked with culturally accepted behaviors and
attitudes [27].
However, exploratory tasks, case studies, fishbowl and panels are the least employed activities in
the classroom. Attributions may be made based on the complexity of these learning tasks and the amount of
time spent for their completion. The other activities are not so much explored by the respondents especially
the use of fieldtrips. Field trips are a shared social experience that provides the opportunity for students to
encounter novel things in an authentic setting. The use of fieldtrips as a strategy in learning has been proven
to be effective in exposing the students to new experiences and it is likely to result in affective gains such as
more positive feelings toward a topic [28]. However, in the Philippine setting, as triggered by the unfortunate
accidents during fieldtrips, the Commission on Higher Education issued a moratorium on out-of-campus
learning trips and other similar activities. This was affirmed by the Department of Education in the issuance
of a directive temporarily banning the conduct of educational fieldtrips in elementary and secondary schools.
Moreover, field trips are costly, thus, school administrators especially from provincial academic institutions
do not consider this as a primary learning opportunity among students. These must have been the reasons
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why the language teachers surveyed in this study have reported the non-use of educational fieldtrips in their
language classes.
4. CONCLUSION
This article is an attempt to examine IcLL integration in ESL classes in two higher educational
institutions in Region 2, Northern Luzon, Philippines. Moreover, it aims to contribute to the dearth of
literatures in IcLL integration in provincial academic institutions in the country. Anchored on the principles
of Intercultural Language Learning (IcLL) and through the employment of survey to elicit responses of the
language teachers as to the integration of IcLL principles in language classrooms, it was found that the
teachers perceive to integrate IcLL to a great extent. Specifically, the principles of active construction and
social interaction are integrated to a very high extent while the principles making connections, reflection, and
responsibility were perceived to be integrated to a high extent. As regards classroom activities, the teachers
favor the employment of discussions, lectures, writing tasks, oral reports, role plays, small group tasks,
simulations or skits and collaborative learning activities in transmitting the target culture. However, case
studies, fishbowl method, panels, and fieldwork are the least favored. It must be stressed that this article only
looked into which principles of IcLL are integrated in HEI ESL classes and the activities that the language
teachers employ in exposing their students to the target language. It would be interesting to find out which
cultural elements are integrated in their teaching of the language by investigating the textbooks and other
learning materials employed by the teachers in order to have a wider understanding of the issue.
In brief, the findings suggest that the language teachers see the significance of IcLL in the ESL
classroom. As regards pedagogy, this article, this study may serve as a baseline in promoting intercultural
communicative competence in the language classroom. Due to methodological constraints, the researchers
suggest doing a larger scale study with the inclusion of more research respondents. It would also be
interesting to investigate the perceptions of students regarding IcLL. Moreover, it is also suggested that other
social variables like, age, years of service, educational background and ethnicity be included in the analytical
realm. Though a small-scale study, the researcher hopes that this work be a humble contribution to the
literature on language and culture, in general, and intercultural language learning, in particular.
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BIOGRAPHIES OF AUTHORS
Chirbet C. Ayunon is an assistant professor in Cagayan State University Cagayan, Philippines,
teaching Language and Literature subjects. She received her bachelor’s degree in English at St.
Paul University Philippines and her master’s degree in Teaching English Language at De La
Salle University in 2002. Currently, she is a Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics candidate at De La
Salle University. Her research interests are on the area of language documentation and
description, sociolinguistics and discourse analysis.
Lysel Ildefonso Haloc finished BSED-English and M.A. in Language at St. Mary’s University.
She is currently a faculty member of the School of Teacher Education and Humanities at Saint
Mary’s University. Currently, she is a Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics candidate at De La Salle
University- Manila. Her research interests include sociolinguistics, discourse analysis and
Philippine languages.