An Instructional Design Model for Intercultural Language Teaching: A Proposed Model
Thao Quoc Tran and Sirinthorn Seepho, Thailand
Thao Q. Tran is currently a Ph.D. student at Suranaree University of Technology, Thailand. His research interest is in intercultural competence in ELT, language learning strategies, and language teaching methodology. E-mail: tranquocthaobmtc@yahoo.com
Dr. Sirinthorn Seepho is currently a lecturer of English at the School of Foreign Languages, Suranaree University of Technology, Thailand. Her academic areas of interest lie mainly in EFL teaching methodology, content-based instruction, qualitative research and teacher education.
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Abstract
Introduction
Proposed ISD model for Intercultural Language Teaching
Training process for Intercultural Language Teaching
Activities for Intercultural Language Teaching
Conclusion
References
English language undoubtedly becomes more and more important than ever, and it is used as a means of communication in a multicultural world. Accordingly, the intercultural teaching plays an important role in English language teaching inasmuch as it helps to educate learners become intercultural speakers with intercultural communicative competence (ICC) to function well in a multicultural environment. However, English language educators in different contexts including Vietnam are still alien with the intercultural language teaching. This paper aims at proposing an instructional design (ISD) model for intercultural language teaching (IcLT) to shed the light on how to incorporate intercultural teaching in English language teaching (ELT). Besides, the training process for IcLT and activities for IcLT are also suggested in order to facilitate the integration of intercultural language into English language teaching (ELT) in an attempt to improve the current situation of English language education in Vietnam and in other similar contexts.
Within its new roles such as an international language, a lingua franca, a world language, and a global language in the process of globalization, English has been used as a communication tool for different purposes such as business, travel, politics, etc. in multicultural situations. Apart from that, English has become one of the most studied languages around the world, and there are more non-native speakers using English than native speakers. Accordingly, English as a foreign language has been widely adopted by many countries throughout the world as the main foreign language in their educational instructions (e.g., Brumfit, 2004; Byram, 2008). In such a situation, the teaching of English has gone beyond the teaching of culture of the target language, i.e. the teaching of culture focuses on not only its target language culture but also other cultures around the world where English is commonly used as a communication tool, in order to meet an increasing need of raising awareness of intercultural competence (IC).
However, the role of culture in English language education is well acknowledged, resulting in the negligence of the integration of culture into English language teaching (ELT) in different contexts. Gonen and Saglam (2012) point out that “teachers in different classrooms in different parts of the world still ignore the importance of teaching culture as a part of language study” (p.26). That is, teachers endeavor to promote only their learners’ language proficiency instead of endowing them with ICC in order to function well in multicultural situations. Similarly, in the context of Vietnam, it is still seen that the teacher-centered approaches are still applied in many Vietnamese classroom contexts, and many English language training programs focus heavily on the development of four macro English language skills to their learners meanwhile cultural content is not paid enough attention. In another aspect, it is noticed that cultural courses, namely American culture and British culture are included in curricula at tertiary level in order to introduce the target language culture mainly to English majors, but they are taught separately from English language skills. What is more, those courses are designed to provide learners only with knowledge of the target language culture (i.e., history, geography, political situation, festivals, etc.). It is, hence, seen that learners forget most of the knowledge of the course not long after they finish the course.
Within the aforementioned issues, a framework for IcLT should be developed to help language educators know how to integrate intercultural teaching into ELT. Yet, it is reported that quite a few studies on the incorporation of intercultural teaching into foreign language teaching have been, to the best knowledge of the researcher, done in different contexts including Vietnam. Therefore, there shows a gap to be filled up in the field of English language education, and this paper aims at proposing an ISD model for IcLT in which the training process for IcLT as well as activities for IcLT are also suggested to enhance learners’ intercultural communicative competence in Vietnam context and other similar contexts.
From the analysis of different models (e.g., Dick & Carey model; Kemp model; Gerlach & Ely model; ADDIE model) found in the literature, it is noticed that each model possess its own strengths and weaknesses which are derived from its design characteristics. Hence, a model for IcLT (Figure 1) used to enhance EFL learners’ ICC is proposed with components of ADDIE model (Analysis – Design – Development – Implementation – Evaluation). This linear ISD model consists of five stages with nine steps and twelve elements which are described as follows:
Stage 1: Analysis
This stage aimed at identifying the probable causes for a performance gap, and identifying instructional goals in order to fill the gaps. It then analyzed learning contexts and learner characteristics.
1. Identify needs and goals: from Dick & Carey model (Dick, Carey, & Carey, 2005)
This step examines the needs of learners and determines what new information and skills learners are expected to be able to master at the end of instruction. The needs assessment is to find out whether there is a need for new instruction to be developed, and it involves determining a gap between what learners already possess and what they are required to know. Instructional goals are then built to fit learners’ needs, describing what language skills and intercultural skills, knowledge, attitudes or awareness are necessary for learners to acquire.
2. Analyze learning contexts: from Dick & Carey model (Dick, Carey, & Carey, 2005)
This step analyzes the contexts in which learners will learn language skills and intercultural skills, knowledge, attitudes, and awareness identified in the previous step, Identify needs and goals. The analysis of learning contexts focuses on characteristics of the teachers, the classes, facilities, and the school or organization system in which the new instruction takes place.
3. Analyze learner characteristics: from Kemp model (Morrison, Ross, & Kemp, 2001)
The analysis of learner characteristics involves gender, age, interest, socioeconomic background, academic ability, degree of motivation, language proficiency, and level of intercultural competence.
This step is simultaneously done with the step Analyze learning contexts. The information from these two steps is very important for the following steps in the model, particularly the steps of develop instructional strategy and develop and select materials and resources.
Stage 2: Design
This stage is to establish the instructional objectives based on the instructional goals, to determine what type of tasks that learners need to do in order to achieve those instructional objectives, and to create an assessment tool to measure how well learners achieve those instructional objectives and goals.
4. Define instructional objectives: from Gerlach & Ely model (1980; cited in Gustafson & Powel, 1991); Dick & Carey model (Dick et.al, 2005); ADDIE model (Branch, 2009)
Based on the instructional goals in step Identify needs and goals, specific statements of what learners will be able to perform at the end of instruction are determined. These statements fit to the leaning contexts and learner characteristics, and they describe specific language skills and intercultural skills, knowledge, attitudes, and awareness of each unit. This step includes what learners should be able to perform, under which conditions their performance is expected to happen, and what standard of performance is considered acceptable.
5. Select & organize content: from Kemp model (Morrison et al., 2001)
This step determines the type and amount of language and intercultural content that help learners to achieve instructional goals. A sequence of content will be also determined in order to fit instructional objectives and learner characteristics.
6. Design assessment tool: From Kemp model (Morrison et al., 2001); ADDIE (Branch, 2009)
This step is simultaneously done with the step Select and organize content. It creates an assessment instrument to measure learners’ language and intercultural competence performance in relation to with instructional objectives/goals defined in the step Define instructional objectives/goals. The design of assessment instrument consists of assessment item specifications, which include statement of the objective, description of the test form, sample item, question characteristics, and response characteristics (Popham, 1978; cited in Smith and Ragan, 1999).
Stage 3: Develop
The purpose of development stage is to develop and validate selected learning resources, resulting in a comprehensive set of learning resources such as content, instructional strategies, lesson plans, educational media needed to support learning, guidance for learners and teacher, formative revisions and a pilot test.
7. Develop instructional strategy: from Dick & Carey model (Dick et.al, 2005); ADDIE model (Branch, 2009)
This step bases directly on Define instructional objectives step to develop instructional strategies which consist of pre-instructional activities, presentation of content, learner participation, time allocation, assessment, and follow-through activities within a course (Dick et al., 2005). The instructional strategies should be, moreover, suitable for learning contexts and learner characteristics.
8. Develop or select media/graphics: from ADDIE (Branch, 2009)
Developing or selecting media/graphics should be based on the instructional objectives, learning contexts, and learner characteristics. The developed or selected media/graphics must facilitate learners’ construction of language skills, and intercultural competence, and a set of criteria for developing or selecting media/graphics should be done beforehand.
9. Conduct formative evaluation: from Dick & Carey model (Dick et.al, 2005); ADDIE model (Branch, 2009)
This step is conducted to collect data used to provide feedback on the process of developing and selecting instructional learning resources. This step is of importance since it ensures that learning resources are suitable for instructional objectives. There are three types of formative evaluation, namely one-to-one evaluation, small-group evaluation, and field-trial evaluation (Dick et al., 2005).
10. Revision: from Dick & Carey model (Dick et.al, 2005)
Data gained from the step Conduct formative evaluation are used to revise all instructional matters done in the previous steps including the assumptions about learning context and learner characteristics, the defining of instructional objectives, the selection and organization of instructional content, the designing of assessment tool, the development of instructional strategy, and the development or selection of media/graphics. A dotted line indicates the feedback from the Conduct formative evaluation step to the earlier steps which modify one another.
Stage 4: Implement
This stage endeavors to prepare the learning environment and engage learners in achieving the instructional goals.
11. Implement: from ADDIE (Branch, 2009)
After revisions have been made in the step Conduct formative evaluation, the delivery of instruction is carried out in order to facilitate learners to achieve the instructional goals. This step consists of preparing learners and teachers, and delivering instruction.
Stage 5: Evaluate
The purpose of the Evaluation stage is to assess the effectiveness of the instructional products and processes.
12. Conduct summative evaluation: from Gerlach & Ely model (1980; cited in Gustafson & Powel, 1991); Dick & Carey model (Dick et.al, 2005); ADDIE model (Branch, 2009)
The step Conductive summative evaluation is conducted upon the completion of the instruction in order to assess the effectiveness of the instructional products and processes. It involves determining evaluation criteria, choosing evaluation tools, and conducting evaluations.
In order to facilitate the Stage 4-Implement in the ISD model for IcLT, a training process (Figure 2) for IcLT is suggested in order to integrate intercultural teaching into ELT. This training process is conducted within four stages: input – notice – practice – output.
Figure 2: Training process for IcLT
- Language-Culture: This is the foundation for the IcLT process.
- Input: Learners are exposed to a wide range of authentic texts and sources (oral, written, and visual) about language and culture.
- Notice: Based on their previous language and culture knowledge, learners are encouraged to notice and make comparisons unfamiliar features with known ones.
- Practice: Learners practice short, supported communicative tasks about elements of the new knowledge, and focus on their language and cultural needs.
- Output: Learners try out new forms, expressions, or strategies derived from the earlier input in actual language use through focused language tasks such as role-plays or discussion.
- Intercultural communicative competence: The ultimate goal of IcLT is to help learners to become intercultural speakers with ICC who can interact effectively and appropriately with others from different cultures.
In order to enhance learners’ ICC through the training process for IcLT, some activities for IcLT which are used in class are suggested.
Cultural aside
The cultural aside (e.g., Stern, 1992; Chastain, 1998; Henrichsen, 1998), is an item of cultural information offered by teachers when it arises in the text. It is often an unplanned, brief culture comment. This helps to create a cultural content for language items as well as helps learners to make mental associations similar to those that native speakers make. However, the cultural information presented to learners is likely to be disordered and incomplete.
Culture capsules
Culture capsules (e.g., Taylor & Sorensen, 1961; Chastain, 1988; Stern, 1992), is a brief description of one aspect of the other cultures followed by a discussion of the contrasts between the learners’ and other cultures. In this technique, the teacher presents the information orally, and learners are asked to answer questions relating to a typical incident or event in the target culture. It is possible for learners to prepare a culture capsule at home and give an oral presentation during class time, which is combined with realia and visual aids, as well as a set of questions to stimulate discussion. The main advantage of using a culture capsule is its ‘compactness and practical manageable quality’ (Stern 1992, p. 240). Another advantage is that learners become involved in the discussion and are drawn to consider the basic characteristics of their own culture (Chastain 1988, p. 310).
Culture cluster
The Culture cluster (e.g., Meade & Morain, 1973; Chastain, 1988; Stern, 1992; Henrichsen, 1998) is a combination of conceptually related culture capsules, and consists of two or more culture capsules. With this technique the teacher can present parts of a cultural cluster in succeeding lessons, and he can carry out an activity in the final lesson where the set of capsules is integrated into a single sequence. According to Stern (1992, p. 226), the advantage of a culture cluster is that besides introducing different aspects of culture it ‘lends itself well to behavioral training.’ Henrichsen (1998) also argues that culture capsules and clusters are good methods for giving learners knowledge and some intellectual awareness of several cultural aspects, but he warns that they do not generally generate much emotional empathy.
Slice-of-life technique
The slice-of-life technique (e.g., Taylor, 1972; Chastain, 1988; Stern, 1992) is a technique whereby the teacher chooses a small segment of life from the other culture and usually presents it to learners at the beginning of the class. It catches learners’ attention and arouses their interest, and does not take up much class time.
Create an authentic environment
Create an authentic environment (e.g., Chastain, 1988; Stern, 1992) is also called the culture island as displays, posters, bulletin boards, maps, and realia can create a visual and tangible presence of the other culture, especially in situations in which the language and culture are taught far away from the target country.
Culture self-awareness technique
The culture self-awareness technique (Chastain, 1988) aims to raise learners’ consciousness of the basic principles that govern their own values, beliefs, and actions. Teachers may use sensitivity exercises, self-assessment questionnaires, problem solving, and checklists of value orientations.
Quiz or multiple-choice
The quiz or multiple-choice (Cullen, 2000) can be used to test materials that the teacher has already taught, but it is also useful in learning new information. Cullen stresses that it is not important whether learners can get the answer right or not, but by predicting or guessing, they will become more interested in finding out about the answer. The right answer will be provided by the teacher, through reading, watching a video, or other classroom activities. Quizzes are high-interest activities that can keep learners involved.
Role-play
Role-play (Fennes & Hapgood, 1997) is an activity in which learners imagine themselves in an intercultural situation outside the classroom, and perform a role-play about a situation within their own culture or another culture. Fesnnes and Hapgood (1997) propose that experiencing the situation from different perspectives can contribute to a “clearer perception, greater awareness” and “a better understanding of one’s own culture and the cultures of other people” (p. 109).
Inviting Foreigners
Inviting Foreigners is an activity in which people from other cultures or recently returned expatriates are invited into the class to talk about their culture or their experience. This activity is useful in helping learners experience real life intercultural interactions (Argyle, 1982), and it is possible for the teacher to encourage students to interact with foreigners and recall their experience.
Discussion
Discussion (e.g., Tomalin & Stempleski, 1993; Gudykunst et al, 1996) is an activity in which learners in pairs or groups are encouraged to discuss topics of intercultural aspects and express their views and opinions on those topics. Learners can understand deeper content of the lesson since they can learn from the content of discussion and from each other and develop reflective thinking through discussion.
To sum up, the above activities for enhancing learners’ ICC through IcLT are mainly used in class. However, it is impossible to include all these activities for IcLT in one lesson, but it depends on each type of intercultural aspect so that the teacher can choose appropriate activities that best fit learners’ characteristics, learning environment, and learning tasks.
Preparing ESL/EFL learners with ICC, one of the most necessary skills for the 21st century people to live in a multicultural world seems to be a must for English language education. In response to a call to fill in the gap of IcLT in Vietnam, there should be a comprehensive reform in the field of English language education in order to make IcLT become one of the new alternative pedagogies to enhance learners’ ICC. Furthermore, it is imperative that there should be trainings, seminars, and conferences on IcLT and relevant issues for in-service and pre-service teachers so that they know how to conduct the integration of intercultural teaching into ELT and how to assess learners’ ICC. There should be adjustments on materials and curricula so that the integration of intercultural teaching into ELT is feasible and realistic in the context of Vietnam. What is more, policy makers should have more incentive policies to encourage educational institutions and English language centers to incorporate IcLT in their training program
In brief, the proposed ISD model for IcLT, the suggested training process as well as activities for IcLT could offer alternative methods in English language education to enhance learners’ ICC in Vietnam. This ISD model for IcLT should, however, be piloted and tested in terms of its effectiveness and feasibility so that it could be widely applied in the context of Vietnam, and adjustments could be made in order to be appropriate in other similar contexts.
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Please check the English Language Improvement for Teachers course at Pilgrims website.
Please check the British Life, Language and Culture course at Pilgrims website.
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