Incorporating inter-cultural awareness in the teaching of business communication: The IIUM experience

Students of The International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) come from many Islamic countries around the world. They are enrolled in different faculties including the Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences. One of the compulsory courses for these students is The English for Occupational Purposes (EOP). It is meant for final year students (3 credit bearing) to equip them with the necessary skills before joining the workforce. Over the years, various approaches have been introduced and applied in ensuring that the best method is applied so that this course will be more meaningful and effective to the students. However, the course content only focuses on the communication skills in Business English without taking into account the different cultures of students who may have different business cultures back home. This study hence will look into the possibility of incorporating cultural awareness across context in the teaching and learning of English for Occupational Purposes and answering research questions related to culture, communication, teaching and learning. The qualitative methodology employing the interpretive analytical framework and case study are used in the 2-semester observations and interviews of the EOP students and lecturers. Findings are discussed with regard to the developmental theories of intercultural communication and the business communication aspects

Exploiting the CIPRS Model to Analyse Request Performance Used by Second Language Speakers in an Intercultural Setting

It is important to understand request performance in interaction, especially when one is in a multicultural setting. This study has been dedicated to unravel the use of Cooperative Intercultural Pragmatics of Request Strategies Model (CIPRS) by second language learners in a global setting. It is found evident in this study that the second language learners do abide to a certain mental programme that has been instilled upon them and has played a very important role in their requesting performance.

Examining Classroom Transformational Spaces Using the Third Space Theory in Developing Students’ Sense of Shared Identity

This article reports the investigation that seeks to address the possibility of using selected texts in the English language classrooms that could develop students’ sense of shared identity. In so doing, this study attempts to examine perceptions of teachers and students about classroom collaborations between students-student and student-teacher using case-based narratives which was selected by teachers. It also seeks to identify how their collaborative acts can be suggestive to transforming a linear classroom lesson to a more vibrant and effective one and simultaneously develop students sense of shared identity. A qualitative inquiry employing semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and group interviews with 12 secondary English language school teachers and their students were conducted. Teachers’ classroom practices (and instructions) are then analysed to gauge their impact on students’ interactions with each other during task completion. The preliminary results indicate that teachers’ were reluctant to relinquish their authority and power to students for various reasons which could be detrimental to the construction of shared identity. Teachers, more than students felt that their authoritative figure were one of the key indicators of classroom progress in a result-driven education system. The results obtained aim to be informative in pointing to the viability of providing avenues for syllabus designers or other stakeholders to take into considerations texts types which could be used for secondary schools English Literature syllabus in developing students sense of shared identity. Meanwhile, it is also found that students’ sense of shared identity could be halted without teachers’ support and encouragement of these transformational learning spaces

Ah Khaw Goes To Heaven (AKGTH): initiating culturally responsive teaching and identity construction in the Malaysian classrooms

This article presents evidence to the need for culturally responsive teaching in the Malaysian classrooms. Students who come from culturally diverse community as well as those who are in almost homogeneous backgrounds need to learn to function effectively in multicultural Malaysia. Since an important objective of education is to prepare individuals to exercise efficaciously in their environment, all students in multicultural society could benefit from exposure to Culturally Responsive Teaching (Gay, 2000) and learning, as tensions between races had erupted easily in the last five years (Idrus, 2012). The text teachers used in this study was AKGTH by A. Samad Ismail. A qualitative inquiry employing semi-structured, in depth interviews with 7 English language teachers in 5 schools around Kuala Lumpur were carried out. Classrooms observations were conducted, and group interviews with 6 groups of students were also carried out. Thematic analysis were performed and the findings suggest that students’ interpretation of CRT were influenced by an orthodox perception of their identity in the classroom and in the teaching and learning process, while teachers were more skeptical and reserved in developing CRT. From teachers and students reactions to questions elicited from AKGTH, it is evident that they were not ready for CRT. Through this small-scale research, it is now timely to rigorously introduce and develop CRT in the Malaysian classrooms in which curriculum developers and teacher professional development have to take into serious consideration in the quest for a more integrated, unified society

The construction of shared Malaysian identity in the upper secondary English literature classroom

In Malaysia, ethnic and cultural tension and conflicts have escalated in the past 5 years bringing undesirable impacts on the nation’s economy and, most importantly, on inter-ethnic relationships. In line with the government’s 1Malaysia effort to produce a more integrated society, this study proposes the need to construct a shared Malaysian identity, starting from the classroom, which is facilitated by teachers through the use of Malaysian short stories. This proposition, amidst the differences in cultural, religious and beliefs systems, aims to close the ethnic and cultural divide and cultivate widespread inter and intra cultural awareness. The study is grounded in the notion of hybridity in the Third Space espoused by Bhabha (1994) and ameliorated and geared towards the classroom context by the works of Gutiérrez (1999, 2004, 2008). The inquiry was designed using primarily qualitative research instruments employing non-participant classroom observations, semi-structured interviews with 7 English Language teachers, and group interviews with 6 groups of students from 4 different schools in Kuala Lumpur. A one-day workshop was also conducted with the 7 teachers to introduce new Malaysian short stories and also for the purpose of sharing experiences in teaching literature in English. This data source was then supported by secondary quantitative data derived from self-completion questionnaires administered to the students of the teachers involved in this study. The findings from the analyses of the results show various attitudes, beliefs and teaching and practices in the English language classroom in response to the notion of constructing a shared identity in the Third Space. The notion of the hidden curriculum is also investigated to determine how it can be usefully theorized towards identity construction in the classroom. On the one hand, students mainly accepted the shared identity concept as a basis for classroom practice, whilst teachers had a range of views about this idea. In the conclusion, the thesis explores the implications of the classroom practices adopted by the teachers in this study as part of the process of constructing a shared Malaysian identity. It also examines the plausibility of and barriers to creating an awareness of the Third Space through the use of narratives produced by local writers, both as a medium for developing the skills to access the Third Space and also as the container of messages about Malaysian society and identity. Finally, this study suggests the way forward for realizing the country’s aspiration of a unified society and becoming a full-fledged developed country, which can possibly start in the classrooms

An investigation on non-academic digital literacy practices of university students with implications for English academic writing

An Investigation on Non- Academic Digital Literacy Practices of University Students with Implications for English Academic Writing A corollary of the advent of technology is that university and college students have somewhat shifted in their presentation and writing of assignments on their courses. This topic of investigation is important because the terrain of teaching and learning of literacy practices have changed in the 21st century (Walsh, 2011). Thus, the purpose of the study is to investigate the existing non-academic digital practices of the respondents and describe ways in which they envision on bringing their digital literacy practices into their English academic writing assignments. In achieving the objectives of the study it is imperative to investigate the respondents’ engagement of non-academic digital literacy practices. Then examination of how these respondents think their non-academic digital literacy practices could effectively aid their English for Academic writing assignments will be performed. A mixed method study employing the semi-structured interviews, document analysis and a survey questionnaire are carried out with 200 university students of various courses and levels. A sample of each of the respondent’s assignments are analyse and is compared to their non-academic digital products such as posts on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and the like. The results in which the identification of students non-academic literacy practices evidently support English academic assignment writing will point to the direction of how digital practices in general could be valuable in supporting students academic writing. Concurrently, it may also indicate students’ use of digital tools as a mediation of cognitive engagement in content reception of the course in which their non-academic digital practices is perceived as productive in helping them to excel in their academic writing afforded by various digital technologies

EFL Students\u27 Attitudes and Perception Towards English Language Learning and Their English Language Proficiency: a Study From Assa\u27adah Islamic Boarding School, Indonesia

The English language has been given the status of Foreign Language (FL) in Indonesia, unlike the language being a second language in its neighbouring countries. However, the language has becoming quite popular and dominant in certain parts of Indonesian schools, especially private schools and colleges. Thus, this investigation sought to examine the attitudes and perceptions of selected Indonesian English language learners. It also aspired to find out how these attitudes and perceptions towards the English language affect their proficiency. A qualitative research design employing the in-depth semi-structured interview was carried out with 12 students at the As\u27saadah Islamic Boarding School in Banten, West Java. Thematic analyses were also performed to analyse the data. The findings point to the direction of students\u27 motivation in learning English as a foreign language. Students were found to have positive attitudes and were motivated to learn the language although learning the language might not stem from their own willingness to learn

THE INTEGRATION OF CULTURAL ELEMENTS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASSROOMS: A CASE STUDY OF SELECTED ORANG ASLI SCHOOLS IN PAHANG, MALAYSIA

Background and Purpose: This study examined the challenges faced by the Orang Asli students from the Jah Hut tribe and their reactions towards the integration of their cultural elements in learning the English language at two Orang Asli schools in Temerloh, Pahang, Malaysia. It also sought to investigate students’ and teachers’ motivation in learning and teaching the subject.   Methodology: This critical qualitative inquiry employed a case study approach employing semi-structured interviews and non-participant classroom observations. A total of 14 participants were selected through purposive sampling technique, which consisted of ten Orang Asli students, three Orang Asli teachers, and one Malay teacher from two Orang Asli’s schools in Temerloh district.   Findings: The findings indicated that integrating the Orang Asli’s own culture into the English lessons had captivated their interest immensely. The most motivating and stimulating lessons were centred around cultural celebrations, the use of the native language, cooking the Orang Asli delicacies, and parading and explaining their outfits and costumes.  Teachers responded to the importance of Culturally Responsive Teaching strategies’ acceptance and use in the classrooms regardless of the composition of the students. Similarly, they felt that the knowledge of understanding the cultures of others is critical as it allows one to understand the struggles, and slowly develop a sense of appreciation towards differences.   Contribution:  The study highlights pertinent information regarding the issue of a ‘one size fits all curriculum’, especially in the teaching of the English language with the diversity of people in Malaysia. It also provides suggestions on classroom teaching strategies for multicultural classrooms. It also adds input to the existing literature on the integration of cultural elements in the teaching of the English language to the Orang Asli students.   Keywords: Integration, culturally responsive teaching, Orang Asli, Jah Hut, ESL classrooms, cultural elements, indigenous pedagogy, English language curriculum.   Cite as: Idrus, F., Hussin, M. E, & Gulca, M. (2023). The integration of cultural elements in the English language classrooms: A case study of the Orang Asli settlement in Pahang, Malaysia. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 8(1), 26-45. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol8iss1pp26-4

Teachers’ expectations and challenges in using Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) strategies in the ESL Classroom

This study explores two ESL teachers' experiences in accommodating culturally diverse learners in a classroom. A case study is adopted to obtain an in-depth understanding and detailed information about the teachers’ expertise in accommodating students with different cultures, ethnic, and genders in the classroom settings. The data is collected through semi-structured interviews with four English teachers teaching culturally diverse students in standard classroom settings from secondary schools. Descriptive and qualitative content analyses were conducted to analyze the data. The findings revealed that the ESL teachers possessed the adaptation to the circumstances with their expectations in teaching multicultural diversity learners. The participants also showed that ESL teachers faced challenges in teaching English to culturally diverse students in secondary school settings in terms of language barriers, syllabus, and socioeconomic background. The findings from the interview sessions showed the implementation of CRT strategies to facilitate more meaningful participation in the classroom by CRT approach, positive reinforcement, syllabus adjustment, and peer tutoring/group projects

The Relationship Between Self-Regulation, Self-Efficacy, and Psychological Well-Being Among the Salahaddin University Undergraduate Students in Kurdistan

Self-regulation, self-efficacy, and psychological well-being are essential requirements in the academic environment. Psychological well-being is indispensable for students’ emotional balance and healthy growth and development. The recent study investigated the relationship between self-regulation, self-efficacy, and psychological well-being among Kurdish students at Salahaddin University. The objectives of the research are as follows: (1) to examine the prevalence level of self-regulation, self-efficacy, and psychological well-being among the Salahaddin University undergraduate students; (2) to examine the relationship of self-regulation and self-efficacy with psychological well-being among the Salahaddin University undergraduate students; and (3) to examine the effect of self-regulation and self-efficacy on psychological well-being among the Salahaddin University undergraduate students. The study employed quota sampling, and there were 407 respondents selected for it. Analysis techniques were presented in descriptive, Pearson Correlation, and Multiple Regression Analysis (MRA). The research shows a low level of self-regulation and self-efficacy among the Salahaddin University undergraduate students. However, psychological well-being is high. The study further demonstrates a positive and statistically significant relationship between self-regulation, self-efficacy, and psychological well-being among the Salahaddin University undergraduate students. Finally, the study showed that only self-regulation significantly affected psychological well-being among the Salahaddin University undergraduate students