THE USE OF COLOMBIAN CULTURAL BASED MATERIALS IN THE EFL CLASSROOM.

THE USE OF COLOMBIAN CULTURAL BASED MATERIALS IN THE EFL CLASSROOM.

Research Project in L2

Armando Steven Avendaño Restrepo

Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas

Bogotá

May 2017.
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Chapter I

Introduction

Considering the preconceived idea that the imparted knowledge is learnt or obtained most

of the time through certain types of materials, thus, we can infer the influx of Cultural Based

Materials on students’ learning. Being said this, we will analyze the use of “materials” defined

by Tomlinson as: Anything which can be used to facilitate the learning of a language. (2003,

p.2). Printed materials could be one of these facilitators, as Tomlinson states: The author of

(printed materials) is often generally concerned to produce a text that teachers will find

innovative, creative, relevant to the leaners’ needs, and that they will enjoy teaching from.(2003,

p.3).

In order to provide tools for further research and also to establish the link between

Cultural awareness and Cultural based Materials. As Pulverness says: To develop cultural

awareness alongside language awareness, materials need to provide more than a token

acknowledgement of cultural identity and address more thoroughly the kind of cultural

adjustment that underlies the experience of learning a foreign language. (2003, p.427). Thus, the

possible repercussions on students’ learning and consequently the development of their skills. If

our purpose is to create materials that engage the learner to cultural processes and Colombian

history, what we target to archive is the involvement of students with ethnographic facts. As

Pulverness recommends, The familiar set of language skills should be augmented by

ethnographic and research skill designed to develop intercultural awareness. (2003, p.427).

We plan to carry out the implementation of the materials based on the Littlejhon’s (1998)

model for evaluation and adaptation of materials presented by Tomlinson that says that: we need
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to analyze the target situation of use. In this step we plan to make a needs analysis to establish

the learning necessities. The next step is materials analysis, in this step we will provide the needs

of the students with the cultural content. The following step is match an evaluation. Then we will

design the most interesting options of materials with cultural basis we can. Finally, the last step

is the action, in this one, we will provide the students with the material and the classes that will

be designed for it. The material will be designed around the cultural immersion and discussion

that materials plan to create in the classroom

In regards to the design, using mixed research we expect to analyze the gathered data

with the purpose of addressing our theoretical perspective at different levels. On one hand, from

the qualitative design we will examine the surveys and interviews in order to obtain the

necessary information (from students and teachers). On the other hand, the collected quantifiable

evidence may reinforce the qualitative evidence with the evaluation of the classes. Thus it will

help us to answer our research question which is: How Colombian cultural based materials can

help students to improve their English learning process and their national identity?

Problem Statement

1st explain how you carried out the needs analysis. Second, you must explain the relevant

results in the samples that display the problem. Use a persuasive map.

1.1 Description of the context

Subjects will be 30 students of 10th grade from Republica de Colombia School. According to

CEF, subjects work on A2 level activities. We pretend to give 2 classes per week, each lasting 2

hours. The exercises will be focused on reading and grammar exercises. All subjects will
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continue their normal English classes throughout the study. Subjects will be observed several

times in order to get enough data.

1.2 Description of the problem

Cultural Based Materials have not been included as a whole in most EFL classrooms. The

effects of the lack of cultural awareness may be whether or not negative and perhaps have an

effect on students’ learning. Therefore, we have observed a minimal use of such materials in

EFL classrooms. For that reason, we will visit the school in order to offer the students English

acquisition plus Cultural awareness. Bearing this in mind, we will use data collection techniques

such as surveys, interviews, observations etc. in order to evaluate the findings and consequently

help us improve the learning processes of students.

1.3 Evidence of the problem

Firstly, gathering empirical evidence (which could be found in appendixes) shows that

Cultural Based Materials present in the EFL classrooms. The evidence was gathered in our

training process through the observation of different classes on our own experience in practicum.

Thus, in everyday classes people are not in touch with culture at all. Textbooks offer a

close range of cultural material, and possibly this material does not convey within students own

culture and context. According to Pulverness:

The underlying implication is that language and culture are inextricably intertwined to

treat language, in the manner of most mainstream language courses as a value-free code

is likely to deprive learners of key dimensions of meaning and to fail to equip them with

necessary resources to recognize and respond appropriately to the cultural subtext of

language in use. (2003, p.428)

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Given that, in an ESL learning environment this cultural implication may be included in the

curriculum of the class. Due to materials most of the times are not committed to involve the

learners’ cultural identity with the learning process.

Justification

Though numerous researches has been done on cultural based materials, there are some

studies which have been performed in order to evaluate the impact of such materials and the

impact it has on student’s learning. The most valuable reason to conduct this research is because

this topic needs further and deeper research under this field in our country. It is a matter of not

leaving behind our culture and national identity when learning a new language.

As we outlined in the research questions, the various implications of the material and

cultural awareness that may be presented in an ESL context. It is therefore very important to note

that the results that will come up from this study will be very crucial to teachers and the students

in teaching and learning English simultaneously. The potential outcomes for this study could be

to establish a relationship between culture and language.

Because of our training process and its relation with the research line at Distrital University it

was necessary to develop a study aiming to have an impact and a contribution to the educational

field.

What, How, why does this study contribute to a research domain, your perossonal and

professional develpmnet, TEFL community, school comunnity

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Research Question

What perspectives emerge from student about Cultural Identity when using Cultural

Based materials in the EFL classroom?

Research subquestions

How Colombian culture based materials influence students’ comprehension of their own

culture?

How Colombian cultural based materials increase opportunities for developing English

skills?

Research Objectives

Overall objective

To analyze the way in which Colombian culture based materials can help students to deal with

cultural awareness and English learning at the same time.

Specific Objectives

To identify the effects of Colombian culture based materials in students’ learning process.

To compare ESL students’ perceptions on culture and the possible influence it may have on

them.

To infer how the ESL classroom context and culture could have an effect on both teachers and

students. Thus, the development of the class itself.

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Chapter 2

Literature Review

When cultural awareness is encouraged using Colombian Cultural Based Materials students

generate perspectives about their culture.