Teachers’ Perceptions on Integrating EFL Culture in Oral Classrooms

Abstract

The integration of culture in foreign language learning, mainly oral classes, is not a novel issue as it has been investigated by various researchers. Despite prior studies’ endeavours in demonstrating the interlink between language and culture, teachers continue to pay less attention to it. Therefore, through this research work, we first aim at exploring the perspectives of teachers from the English department at Badji Mokhtar University towards the importance of teaching target language culture; in aiding learners at reaching a cultural understanding that can accompany their linguistic knowledge. Second, we investigate teachers’ familiarity with target language culture. And finally, we shed light on classroom practices used to address the cultural aspects. The data were collected from eleven oral expression teachers through the use of a questionnaire. The analyzed results firstly revealed that all teachers in the present study regard the incorporation of foreign language culture as paramount. Secondly, the subjects were found to be sufficiently familiar with the suggested cultural aspects. Lastly, they claimed to vary their classroom practices in order to introduce cultural aspects properly.