2. Applied Linguistics (Inspirations from neighbor disciplines)
Ali Roohani; Mohsen Hosseini
Abstract
Culture is regarded as a part of English language teaching (ELT). Also, ELT textbooks are a main source of intercultural teaching / learning in most English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning contexts. Thus, representation of cultural content and development of (inter)cultural aspects are important ...
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Culture is regarded as a part of English language teaching (ELT). Also, ELT textbooks are a main source of intercultural teaching / learning in most English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning contexts. Thus, representation of cultural content and development of (inter)cultural aspects are important issues in ELT textbooks, particularly in EFL contexts. This study analyzed the representation of culture in the Vision series, a recently developed ELT series used nationwide in Iranian high schools, and examined how multimodality in these local textbooks would provide context to develop (inter)cultural aspects. To collect the data, an adapted version of Cortazzi and Jin’s (1999) classification of culture (source, target, international, and globally-shared) was used to analyze the content of the Vision series to see which culture was reflected in these high school textbooks. Additionally, the Wenninger and Kiss’s (2013) semiotic framework was used to examine how multimodality would serve cultural contents through analyzing image-text relationship. The content analysis demonstrated the domination of source (i.e., Iranian) and globally-shared cultural elements with less attention to the target and international cultures. Furthermore, the results showed that multimodality in these textbooks could provide the opportunity for critical cultural reflection, though it was limited to source and globally-shared cultures. By implication, ELT material developers in Iran should incorporate more appropriate materials and culturally engaging visuals associated with diverse cultures into local ELT textbooks to promote Iranian EFL students’ cultural reflection, and, subsequently, their intercultural competence.
2. Applied Linguistics (Inspirations from neighbor disciplines)
Sorayya Mozaffarzadeh; Parviz Ajideh
Abstract
As an important focus of modern language education, intercultural language learning reflects greater awareness of the inseparability of language and culture and the need for providing the learners with materials concerning teaching intercultural communication to enhance learners’ intercultural ...
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As an important focus of modern language education, intercultural language learning reflects greater awareness of the inseparability of language and culture and the need for providing the learners with materials concerning teaching intercultural communication to enhance learners’ intercultural competence in an increasingly multicultural world. Proper development of a learners’ understanding of another culture’s perspective and worldview is an essential of effective communication. Regarding the significance of issues, the present study is an attempt to consider the trend of addressing culture in Iranian ETL textbooks at the high school level of education before and after the Islamic Revolution. The research findings indicated that the cultural contents are neglected in the ELT textbooks used both pre- and post-Islamic revolution. Therefore, due to overlooking learners’ cultural communicative needs intentionally or unintentionally, Iranian ELT textbooks are insufficient materials for teaching communicative language and in overall teaching culture-general skills such as intercultural competence and understanding. It is noteworthy that this study recommends constructive changes in textbooks to make them more communicative and more consistent with the students’ needs and expectations.
3. Applied Literature
Hossein Sabouri
Abstract
Identity is seen as a cultural and social construct, which indicates how we have been embodied and how we might represent ourselves. The knowledge that identities are the outputs of discourses is a familiar characteristic of some societal concepts. Gender, as an identity or a sense of our identity we ...
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Identity is seen as a cultural and social construct, which indicates how we have been embodied and how we might represent ourselves. The knowledge that identities are the outputs of discourses is a familiar characteristic of some societal concepts. Gender, as an identity or a sense of our identity we build for ourselves, rather than something we are born with, is a constructed cultural category and is based on power relations and social norms that are part of a social system. Through gender as well as cultural studies, this paper will curiously look at the motion of mobility of self (identity) as it has been constructed in culture. The researcher also wants to note that the discursive practices such as the normal beliefs, social systems, and substantial behaviors of a cultural, religious, or social group view identity not as a kind of recognition with a group having common characteristics but as a construction among hidden cultural, political, and ideological intentions. Therefore, it is said that identity is in process and can be shaped by culture, media, and public opinion.
2. Applied Linguistics (Inspirations from neighbor disciplines)
Sahar Ahmadpour
Abstract
The book New Geographies of Language: Language, Culture and Politics in Wales is naturally seeking a very interesting goal rarely been witnessed before. For one thing, it is trying to mix language and linguistics with a totally distinct science, geography. For another, geography happens to be a literally ...
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The book New Geographies of Language: Language, Culture and Politics in Wales is naturally seeking a very interesting goal rarely been witnessed before. For one thing, it is trying to mix language and linguistics with a totally distinct science, geography. For another, geography happens to be a literally exotic science. Students all around the world might be generally of two types: Those who love geography (the author belonged to this category), and those who loath it. This is enough for considering geography as not being a regular science. Therefore, Rhys Jones and Huw Lewis have put a really difficult task on their hands. Bringing linguistics and geography together might seem very risky at first, but by reading this book one realizes that it has been well worth it. The book contains 8 chapters all being clearly related to each other. So only a brief account of chapters will be introduced here. The most important concern of the book is to bring into lights how a nation’s status can be altered by attending to educating language in connection to its history and culture.
