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THESIS PROPOSAL Cross-Cultural Communications in the Turkish ELT Classroom: A survey on Native-English Speaking Teachers and Turkish Students in.
BY
PLACE , 2012
1. Introduction It is not an uncommon phenomenon that Turkish students complain that they learn little from native-English speaking teachers’ classes. The reason for such responses probably comes from “a large disparity of expectations between teachers and students in terms of teaching style” (Brumfit, 1986, p. 97). According to the principles of educational psychology, there were some indications that teachers and students having similar styles formed the most successful combinations. Undoubtedly, if we want to make effective use of the expertise of native speaking teachers, we need to know specifically to what extent and at what points does the disparity exist between native-speaking teachers and Turkish students. 1.2 Aims of the study This research work aims to achieve three main objectives. First of all, it aims to explore the teaching styles, methods and contents which the native teachers under scrutiny adopt; and how their teaching styles, methods, and contents are perceived by Turkish students and vice versa, analyzed solely on the basis of each party’s expectations. Secondly, it aims to analyze and better understand how the cultural backgrounds of these native teachers influence their classroom teaching. Finally, it hopes to point out some disparities between the observed teaching modes and learning outcomes upon which it will then offer some suggestions aimed at enhancing cross-cultural communication and thus enabling an effective teaching and learning experience in Turkish ELT classrooms.
1.3 Importance of the Study This research work is very important because it would help further knowledge and understanding in the field of cross-cultural dynamics in English language teaching especially in the Turkish context as similar work has been done using other countries as context. The findings from this research work will go a long way to better understand the native speakerlocal (Turkish) student dynamics in the classroom as well as provide pointers to ways of better enhancing these. 1.4 Research Questions In order to better understand the subject matter, this research work will try to find answers to the following research questions. 1.
What communication barriers exist between native speaker teachers and their Turkish
students? 2.
Is the choice of topics to be taught in class, dependent on the level of communication
which exists between the native speaker teacher and his local (Turkish) students? 3.
How do native speaker teachers regulate their teaching to suit the peculiarities and
needs of their Turkish students? 4.
What strategies do native speaker teachers use to overcome cross cultural barriers in
the Turkish ELT classroom?
2. Background of the Study 2.1 Culture & Cross-cultural dynamics 2.1.1 Culture Culture exists everywhere in human society. Even when a baby is born, his thought and behavior are influenced by culture subconsciously. Due to this inherent nature, it is hard to reach an agreement on a single definition of culture. There is really very little agreement on what people mean by the idea of culture since culture has different shades of meanings in different scientific disciplines and context. Here are several main viewpoints. The linguist Sapir suggests that culture may be defined as what a society does and thinks, in his opinion, “Culture is a way of life. It guides the behavior of people in a community and helps them to know how far they can go as individuals.” Also, the English anthropologist E.B. Tylor first set his definition in his Primitive culture in 1871: “Culture…is that complex whole which includes knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, law, customs, and other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society” -(WANG Fu-xiang & WU Han-ying, 1994, p. 79). E. Adamson Hoebel and Everett Frost, see culture in nearly all human activities as an “integrated system of learned behavior patterns which are characteristic of the members of a society and which are not the result of biological inheritance”
-(Larry A. Samovar & Richard E. Porter, 1995, p. 47).
Daniel Bates and Fred Plog advance another definition with detailed descriptions: “Culture is a system of shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that the members of a society, to cope with their world and with one another, and that are transmitted from generation to generation through learning.” This definition includes not only patterns of behavior but also patterns of thought (shared meanings that the members of a society attach to various phenomena, natural and intellectual, including religion and ideologies), artifacts (tools, pottery, houses, machines, works of art), and the culturally transmitted skills and techniques used to make the artifacts (Quoted from Larry A. Samover & Richard E. Porter, 1995, p. 47). No society exists without a culture which influences the way people think and behave. 2.1.2 Characteristics of culture It is evident from the above definitions that although they may be different there are certain characteristics which they all have in common. An evidence of this common characteristics lies in the work of Brown, H. Douglas, (1980, p.123), who said that these cultural “thoughts and behavior patterns have universal characteristics: (1) they originate in the human mind; (2) they facilitate human and environmental interactions; (3) they satisfy basic human needs; (4) they are cumulative and adjust to changes in external and internal conditions; (5) they tend to form a consistent structure; (6)
they are learned and shared by all the members of a society; and (7) they are transmitted to new generations.” Having all of these definitions in mind, this thesis work prefers to adopt Clyne Michael’s definition which implies that culture is a “patterned ways of thinking, feeling and reacting, acquired and transmitted mainly by symbols constituting the distinctive achievements of human groups, including their embodiments in artifacts, the essential core of culture consists of traditional (i.e. historically derived and selected) ideas and especially their attached values”. He also holds that culture is the “whole way of life of a distinct people, total set of beliefs, customs, behaviors and social habits” (Clyne Michael, 1996). This definition indicates that culture includes not only customs and habits, but also ideas and beliefs. Cultures are extremely complex and consist of numerous interrelated cultural orientations, namely cultural values, including values, beliefs, attitudes, norms and material aspects. Cultures in different countries and areas differ from each other. 2.1.3 A Brief survey on Turkish culture and Western culture The traditional Turkish world view one which emphasizes peaceful coexistence among its people, peaceful relations with its neighbors and generally the desire for a peaceful and just world. Under the guidance and influence of this idea, Turks tend to achieve wholeness,
generality, synthesis a belief in intuition but most importantly a belief in God. Thus there is little mobility, either socially or geographically. Under the traditional education system, Turks respect the old and care for the young, are kind to neighbors, behave themselves and are modest and prudent. Turkey’s education advocates discipline and obeying the law, industry and thrift in managing a house and obedience to superiors. Turkey has been an agricultural country for many thousand years. This agrarian nature distributes to the traits and values that characterize the society both in the past and today. Turkish families are cohesive units in which all members work together and live together. Thus forms the collective nature of Turkish values. Western culture is relatively young. People there respect religious freedom and have a great faith that everyone is born to be equal. Most of the countries were once greatly immigrant; different values, norms and customs were melted together. Everyone is equal to seek for wealth and liberty. People depend on themselves rather than others. They develop habits of survival based on individualism, and also such thought patterns, beliefs, values and attitudes. Turkish culture belongs to the oriental culture while the western culture is the occidental. As a result, there is a large difference between these two cultures. Some aspects of each respective culture seem incredible to people belonging to the other culture. Many westerners even regard Turkish culture as a mysterious oriental culture. 2.1.4 The differences between Turkish and western culture
The differences between Turkish and western culture are numerous and complicated. To sum up, there are mainly the following aspects. First of all, culture difference in convention. Culture difference in convention is the difference in daily life and social intercourse result from the difference of custom and habit, such as the rules of using words to address, greet, express one’s thanks, apologize, and phone, etc. Secondly, culture difference in thought. Culture difference in thought results from the way of thinking. As an instance, Turks have the characteristic of thinking from top to bottom while the westerners the reverse. Thirdly, culture difference in psychology. Culture difference in psychology results from the mentality of a nation and consciousness of a society. Expression of the concept of value, ethics; implicit and roundabout ways to express one’s feeling; humble words all these fall in this line. Fourthly, culture difference due to the difference of cultural development in history and accumulation of cultural legacy. Fifthly, culture difference in posture. Culture can be represented through language. And without language, other signs of culture (such as gesture, fingering, facial expressions and clothing) can also represent it. 2.1.5 Culture differences on the layer of language Culture influences the way language is used and understood. As to the concern of this paper, culture differences between Turks and the west on the layer of language is to be talked about. To be specific, the culture differences in language are mainly the following three aspects: 2.1.6 Difference in language A natural language is produced by the members of the same culture and develops along with its culture. Language difference is mainly the semantic difference of words. Two aspects should be
discussed here: the literal meaning of a word and its cultural connotation. In Turkish and western language, the connotation for words with the same literal meaning can be the same, vacant or conflicting. In cross-cultural communication, using words with the same connotation in both languages would not meet any trouble, while words with vacant or conflicting connotation will result in misunderstanding or even failure in communication. Another example is a typical example of traditional Turkish way of expressing his love to motherland. If we translate this sentence directly into: “I am Turkish, and I love my motherland and its people”, it is difficult for the westerners to understand the deep connotation. In traditional culture, Turkish families are extended families, son is loyal and sentimentally attached to the parents and the family; he does his duty and devotes himself to the parents and family. On the contrary, western families are mostly nuclear family. Once a child is grown up, he or she becomes self-reliant and regenerative through his own efforts. Then, the members of the family become independent both in economic and in sentiment. Thus there is not such connotation in western culture as there is in Turkish; westerners are unable to understand the deep implication of the sentence mentioned above. 2.1.7 Difference in pragmatics There are two sets of principles: the principles of structure (i.e. sound, vocabulary, grammar and so on), and principles of usage (i.e. factors that determine if the use of language is appropriate). When a sentence that is grammatically correct is used in improper occasion, or unsuitable to the speaker’s status, or violate the local customs, will lead to communicative failure. This is because those who engaged in talk are not familiar with each other’s customs
and culture background. For example, students in the a certain language school always like to ask foreigners questions such as “What is your name?”, “How old are you?”, “Are you married?”, “How much is your salary?” When talking with them in English speaking sessions, the foreigners feel as if they were in a police station. These questions are grammatically correct, but in the westerner’s opinion, they infringe their privacy. Other differences exist between the Turkish culture and Western culture, and will be address in more details in the main work. However, there has been practically no previous research focusing on the cross-cultural barriers which exist in the Turkish ELT classroom between native speaker teachers and their Turkish students. This thesis work thus seeks to fill that void in literature.
3. Proposed Methodology The research will be qualitative in nature and will involve the interview and observation of the native speakers under review and the interview of their students from both universities. Descriptive statistics using the SPSS statistical package will be used to analyze and interpret the results of the study.
References 1. Brown, H. Douglas. 1980. Principles of language teaching and learning. Prentice-Hall, Inc. Englewood Cliffs, N.J. 2. Brumfit, C. 1986. ‘Some doubts about Humanistic Language Teaching’ in P. Early. Humanistic Approaches: an Empirical View. London: The British Council. 3. Byram, M. and M. Fleming. (eds.). 1998. Language Learning in Intercultural Perspective. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 4. Samovar, L. A., & Porter, R. E. 2007. Intercultural communication: A reader (10th ed). Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press. 5. WANG Wei-hua. 1994. Social & cultural factors and foreign language teaching. In: WANG Fu-xiang, WU Han-ying. (Eds.), Language and culture. Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, 324-332.
