A Cross-Cultural Analysis of English Textbook for Grade 10 and Suggestion of Supplementary Activities for Students’ Cross-Cultural Awareness

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§¹i häc quèc gia Hµ Néi Trêng ®¹i häc ngo¹i ng÷ * * * * * * * * * *

Khoa sau ®¹i häc

ĐỖ THỊ NGỌC HIỀN

“A Cross-Cultural Analysis of English Textbook

for Grade 10 and Suggestion of Supplementary Supplementary Activities for Students’ Cross-Cultural Awareness” “Ph©n tÝch s¸ch gi¸o khoa tiÕng Anh líp 10 tõ khÝa c¹nh giao v¨n ho¸ vµ ®Ò xuÊt c¸c ho¹t ®éng ®éng bæ trî ®Ó ph¸t triÓn nhËn thøc giao v¨n ho¸ cña häc sinh” si nh”

M· sè: 601410 Hä vµ tªn häc viªn: §ç ThÞ Ngäc HiÒn - Kho¸ Cao häc 13 Hä vµ tªn gi¸o viªn híng dÉn: PGS. TS. nguyÔn Quang

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Hµ Néi - 2007

I certify that the work in this thesis has not previously been submitted for a degree nor has it been submitted as a part of requirement for a degree except as fully acknowledged within the text. I also certify that the thesis has been written by me. Any help that I have received in my research work and the preparation of the thesis itself has been acknowledged. In addition, I certify that all information sources and literature used are indicated in the thesis.















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Acknowledgements

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Associ Associate ate Profess Professor or Doctor Doctor Nguyen Nguyen Quang, Quang, for f or his valuable valua ble guidance guidan ce and enthusiastic support regarding my thesis. I am very grateful to the Faculty of Postgraduate Studies, College of Foreign Languages, Hanoi, whose kind attitude helped me a lot during the Master Course. Lastly, I would like to thank all the people who supported me and were involved in one way or another in the preparation of this thesis.















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Abstract

The The stud studyy on “Cross-Cultural “Cross-Cultural Analysis of English Textbook for Grade 10 and Suggestio Suggestionn of Supplem Supplement entary ary Activit Activities ies for Student Students’ s’ Cross-Cu Cross-Cultu ltural ral Awarene Awareness ss”” is a Minor Minor Progra Programm mmee Mast Master er thesis thesis.. It is just just aimed aimed at exam examini ining ng the the cultu cultural ral conte content nt presented in the textbook textbook and suggesting suggesting certain kinds of activities activities for raising students’ students’ cross-cultural awareness. Based on quantitative methods, the study gives a brief account of how culture is treated according to the modified checklists checklists designed by Cortazzi and Jin, Hirsch et al. and Chastain. The main findings reveal that the textbook can be classified as an international target culture textbook in which students are exposed to more than one culture, although the Engl English ish-sp -spea eaki king ng cultu cultures res are appare apparentl ntlyy domi domina nant nt throu througho ghout ut the book. book. Some Some elements of cross-cultural comparison presented in the textbook ensure that the textbook, to various degrees, helps promote students’ cross-cultural awareness along with improving thei theirr four four lang langua uage ge skil skills ls.. Anot Anothe herr impo import rtan antt part part of the the stud studyy is sugg sugges esti tion on of supplementary activities that may be used to develop students’ cross-cultural awareness. Among a variety of activities activities used for culture teaching in the classroom, some are selected to integrate the development of students’ cross-cultural awareness into language teaching. They are activities that focus on creating an authentic environment, activities that help provide cultural cultural information information (cultural aside, cultural capsule, capsule, quiz) and activities activities that develop students’ cross-cultural awareness (culture assimilator, critical incidents, student research).















5 Grade 10 textbook alone may not give the whole picture of how culture teaching is treated in Vietnamese high schools.

Table of contents

Page ................................... ....................... .............. ... I. Chapter 1. Introduction ....................... 1 1. Statement of the problem........................................................................

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2. Aims of the study ....................... .......... .......................... ......................... ........................ ........................ ...................... ..........

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3. Research questions ........................ ........... ......................... ........................ ........................ ......................... .................... .......

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4. Scope of the study ....................... .......... .......................... ......................... ........................ ........................ ...................... .......... 3

II. Chapter 2. Literature review .................................. 4 1. Studies on analyzing foreign language textbooks from their crosscultural treatment..................................................................................... ............ 4 1.1. Classification of cultural content of foreign language textbooks















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1.3. Checklists for analyzing the cultural dimension in foreign language textbooks …………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………… ……………………

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2. Culture teaching in foreign language instruction ....................... ........... ....................... ...........

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2.1. Kramsch’ s (1993) principles for f or culture teaching ……………………

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2.2. Common approaches to the teaching of culture ……………………….

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2.2.1 The mono-cultural approach …………………………………………. 12 2.2.2. The comparative approach …………………………………………… 13

III. Chapter 3. methodology methodology ......................................... 16 1. Material used for the analysis ........................ ............ ........................ ........................ ......................... ............... 16 2. Procedures of conducting the study ....................... .......... .......................... ......................... .................. ...... 18 3. Checklists used for the cross-cultural analysis in the study .................. .......... ........

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IV. Chapter 4. Results and discussions ............... 1. Research question 1 ......................... ............. ........................ ........................ ......................... .......................... .............

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2. Research question 2 ...................... .......... ......................... .......................... .......................... ......................... .............. ..

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3.1. Factor influencing the choice of activities when teaching culture to Grade 10 students in Vietnam ………………………………………. 28 3.2. Supplementary activities for developing Grade 10 students’ crosscultural awareness in Vietnam ……………………………………… 29 3.2.1. Activities that focus on creating an authentic classroom environment ………………………………………………………… 29 3.2.2. Activities that focus on providing cultural information ………….

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3.2.3. Activities that focus on developing students’ cross-cultural awareness …………………………………………………………… 31 3.3. Examples of supplementary activities for developing Grade 10 students’ cross-cultural awareness in Vietnam …………………….. 32 3.3.1. Activities that focus on creating authentic classroom

















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V. Chapter 5. Conclusions Conclusions and suggestions suggestions for further research ................................................................ 38 1. Summary of main findings …………………………………………….. 38 2. Implication and recommendations …………………………………….. 39 3. Limitations of the study and suggestions for further research ………..

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References ................................................................................ 42

ABBREVIATIONS

















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CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION

















10 open the door to better international understanding and ensure peaceful relations between nations. Language Language and culture culture are the two sides of the same same coin. coin. In modern FLT/SLT FLT/SLT materials, emphasis is put on the close relationship between learning a language and learning its culture. It is suggested that just learning four skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) may not lead to the proper understanding of the hidden meanings of a language. As Bremberk (1977:14) rightly puts it, “to know another’s language and not his culture is a very good way to make a fluent fool of one’s self”. As stated in the English syllabus for Vietnamese high schools, one of the objectives of English teaching and learning is providing students with overall knowledge of Englishspeaking countries, their peoples and cultures; developing students’ positive feelings and attitudes attitudes towards those countries, countries, peoples and cultures cultures and, by doing so, fostering students’ students’ love and respect of their own language and culture. For the first time, the English syllabus explicitly emphasizes the development of students’ cross-cultural awareness. It may be supposed that, in foreign language textbooks used in high schools, whether the teaching of culture is implicit or explicit, cultural aspects of textbook content as well as the improvement improvement of students’ cross-cultural cross-cultural awareness should be given adequate

















11 As ment mentio ione nedd abov above, e, the the goal goalss of fore foreig ignn lang langua uage ge educ educat atio ionn in Viet Vietna nam m emphasize the idea of improvement of students’ cross-cultural awareness. In order to investigate how this idea is developed in Grade 10 English textbook (developed by Hoang Van Van et al., Education Publishing House, 2006 ), this study attempts to: - Conduct a cross-cultural analysis of the textbook - Suggest supplementary activities for Grade 10 students’ cross-cultural awareness 3. RESEARCH QUESTIONS The concept of “cross-cultural “cross-cultural analysis” may not attain a unique understanding understanding and differ in different studies according to different researchers. In this study, the cross-cultural analysis of the textbook is supposed to answer the following questions: 1. What kind of textbook does the Grade 10 English Textbook belong to in terms of its cross-cultural treatment? Whose cultures are represented in the nationally developed Grade 10 English textbook and to what extent? 2. What kind of cultural categories does Grade 10 English textbook introduce and to what extent? 3. What kind of supplementary activities should be used to improve Grade 10 students’ cross-cultural awareness based on the findings of research questions 1 and 2?



















12 The study study just makes an initia initiall attempt attempt to conduct conduct a small-sca small-scale le cross-cul cross-cultur tural al analysis of the textbook and is not aimed at evaluating it as the analysis of Grade 10 textbook alone does not provide a panorama of the whole set of Grade 10, Grade 11 and Grade 12 English textbooks for Vietnamese high schools. Furthermore, Furthermore, it is believed believed that a good cross-cultural evaluation of a textbook can be made only when the goal of cultural instructions is clearly stated in the syllabus. In the national high school English syllabus there are no appropriate appropriate guidelines for cultural instructions although the stress on students’ students’ cross-cultural awareness is emphasized. Overview of current research on a number of issues related to foreign language textbooks in terms of their cultural content is provided in Chapter 2. The methodology used in this study is presented in Chapter 3. The results and discussion of main findings are found in Chapter 4. The conclusions and suggestions for further study are given in Chapter



















13 vocabulary, vocabulary, grammatical rules, translation practices practices and literature. literature. In recent years, with the introduction of various teaching methodologies, textbooks with authentic materials have been more and more popular in FLT/SLT FLT/SLT practice. practice. A very important important assumption assumption about using textbooks in FLT/SLT is that they reflect the target culture through their cultural content. Patrick Moran (2001: 15-18) offers four categories of cultural content that should be introduced introduced to students: students: - Knowing about, about, relating to cultural information – facts about products, practices and perspectives perspectives of the target target culture culture as well well as students’ students’ own; - Knowing how, how, referring to cultural practices in the everyday life of the people of the target culture; - Knowing why, why, constituting an understanding of fundamental cultural perspectives – beliefs, values values and attitudes; attitudes;



















14 different perspectives, thus stimulating both comparison and contrast between the target and the source cultures. When When analyzin analyzingg a textboo textbook, k, Cortazzi Cortazzi and Jin (1994: 204) focus focus on the cultural cultural conte contents nts rather rather than than four four langu language age skill skills. s. They They disti distingu nguis ishh four four types types of cultu cultural ral information to be presented in foreign language textbooks: - Source culture textbooks that draw attention on the learners’ own culture. These textbooks mirror only the learners’ culture. The purpose of this kind of textbook is to prepare the language language learners learners to introduce introduce their their own culture culture to English-spea English-speaking king visitors. visitors. - Target culture textbooks that refer to the culture of the country where a foreign language is used as a first language. Students using such textbooks might have more competence when talking to people from the target culture or visiting the target country. They could also be aware of cultural differences between their own culture and the target



















15 Studie Studiess on cultura culturall categori categories es in foreign foreign language language textboo textbooks ks mainly mainly focus focus on investigating investigating what aspects of culture students students should learn in order to be able to function in that culture or interact with people from that culture. Some frameworks are proposed by different researchers to describe specific categories of cultural knowledge that should be taught to students. Brooks Brooks (1964) suggests suggests 64 possible possible cultural cultural topics which which could could be used as the contents of brief cultural presentations in the language classroom. Under each topic he provides some example questions so that teachers could elaborate elaborate the topic according to students’ age and experience. For example, under the topic “Discipline” he presents the following question: Discipline. Discipline. What are the norms of discipline in the home, in school, in public places, in the military, …?



















16 Soren Sorensen sen sugge suggest st that that the the teach teaching ing shoul shouldd start start from from concr concret etee knowl knowledg edgee such such as Technology and later move towards abstract perspectives such as World View. The cultural literacy, which means background knowledge knowledge shared by everyone, everyone, is a basic notion notion proposed by by Hirsch (1988) (1988) in order to to categorize categorize cultural knowledge knowledge needed to thrive in the modern world. In The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy (Hirsch et al., 1988), twenty-three categories of common cultural knowledge are identified and defined with a number of examples provided. They are World Geography; American Geography; World History to 1550; World History since 1550; American History to 1865; American History History since since 1865; 1865; Technol Technology; ogy; Physical Physical Sciences Sciences and Mathem Mathemati atics; cs; Business Business and Economi Economics; cs; Medici Medicine ne and Health; Health; Anthropo Anthropolog logy, y, Psycholo Psychology gy and Sociolog Sociology; y; World World Politic Politics; s; America Americann Politi Politics; cs; Fine Arts; Arts; Literat Literature ure in English; English; Conventi Conventions ons of Writte Writtenn English; Proverbs; Idioms; Mythology and Folklore; World Literature, Philosophy and





















17 verbal Communication, Religion, Ecology, Vacations, Travel, Daily Routines, Pets, The Press, Meeting Personal Needs.

1.3. Checklists for analyzing the cultural dimension in foreign language textbooks There have been different checklists for analyzing foreign language textbooks which can help teachers to choose the teaching materials that best meet the aims of the course as well as the students’ students’ needs. However, However, as far as the cultural content of textbooks textbooks





















18 4. Do they they incl includ udee a vari variet etyy of cult cultur ures es or just just spec specif ific ic ones ones such such as Brit Britis ishh or American culture? 5. Do they they represent represent the reality reality about about the the target culture or the author's author's view? view? 6. Where Where is the the cultu cultural ral informa informati tion on taken taken from? from? Author' Author'ss own own ideas ideas or empir empirica icall research? 7. What subjects subjects do do they cover? Are Are these these specific to the target culture? culture? Are there there any topics that might not be culturally suitable for the learners in class?





















19 Such kind of checklists is often recognized as more or less subjective, difficult to answer and time-consuming for researchers who want to develop a questionnaire based on those checklists, although such a checklist could cover a broad area of textbook cultural content. 2. CULTURE TEACHING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTIONS

2.1. Kramsch’s (1993) principles for culture teaching Traditionally, in the teaching practice in many countries, FLT/SLT materials have





















20 relation with one’s own. The intercultural approach includes a reflection on both cultures. Teaching g culture culture as an interpe interperson rsonal al process process , which means replacing the - Teachin

teaching of facts and behaviors by the teaching of a process that helps to understand others. - Teaching culture as difference , which means considering considering the multiculturali multiculturality ty and multiethnicity of modern societies and looking at various factors like age,





















21 The mono-cultural approach seems to be inadequate today because it does not consider learners’ understanding of their own culture. In Risager’s (1998: 246) list of approaches, the mono-cultural approach is called the foreign-cu the foreign-cultural ltural approach. approach. It is based on the concept of a single culture and puts the stress on the culture of the country where the language is spoken. The teaching is aimed at developing native speakers’ communicative and cultural competence. This approach was dominant until the 1980s and is criticized nowadays because of the lack of relationships























22 Risager (1998: 243-252) suggests four approaches to the teaching of culture, two of which – the intercultural approach intercultural approach and the multicultural approach multicultural approach - include a considerable considerable element of comparison and may be characterized as a comparative approach.























23 The problem-o The problem-oriented riented approach approach is aimed at getting learners interested in the other culture and encourages them to do some research on their own. According to Seelye (1993: 47), the teacher plays a very important role in defining the problem that interests learners.























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25 cultural content may set an initial step for the analysis of the whole set of high school English textbooks in terms of how culture is treated. The teaching content of Grade 10 English textbook follows the theme-based























26 sect sectio ion. n. The firs firstt two two task taskss prov provid idee stud studeents nts with ith lang langua uage ge inpu inputt and and cert certai ainn communicative competences. The other tasks require students to improve those language input and communicative competences into an oral text which lasts approximately one –

















































































































































































































































































































































A Cross-Cultural Analysis of English Textbook for Grade 10 and Suggestion of Supplementary Activities for Students’ Cross-Cultural Awareness

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