Cultural responsiveness in EFL teaching: reflections from native instructors

Abstract

In recent years, many international students from different parts of the world have been studying at Turkish universities, which creates a multicultural educational setting. Due to the multicultural educational setting, English has become the most widely used language for exchanging and sharing knowledge, therefore many international universities in Turkey put a great emphasis on English language education and offer English preparatory courses to students. In order to succeed at better language education, universities employ native English instructors to provide a richer language experience with cultural components embedded in language content. In this qualitative case study, cultural reflections of native English instructors at a Turkish university were investigated. Individual and focus group interviews were data sources for the study. Findings indicated that cultural responsiveness was considered to be constructed through time, and a necessity of orientation process was emphasized. However, the native instructors' presumptions cause intolerance and underestimation of the host culture. In addition, educational issues and students' misbehaviors, such as cheating and calling their instructors by their first name, were attributed to cultural background of the students.

Managing English culture in semi-military academy

“…Developing cultural awareness is essential for advancing proficiency in English communication and fostering a deeper understanding of the target language (Vy et al, 2022). By incorporating cultural responsiveness in English teaching, universities can provide a more comprehensive language experience that encompasses cultural elements, thereby enriching students' overall language learning journey (Cinarbas & Hos, 2016). To establish English culture in university settings, it is essential to integrate cultural elements into English language teaching.…”