The Cultural Component in the First Language (L1) Teaching: Cultural Heritage, Identity and Motivation in Language Learning

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Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 178 ( 2015 ) 20 – 25

Peer-review under responsibility of the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Departamento de Lingüística Aplicada. doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.03.140

ScienceDirect

15th International Conference of the Spanish Association of Language and Literature Education,

15th International Conference SEDLL, 19-21 November 2014, Valencia, Spain

The cultural component in the first Language (L1) teaching: cultural

heritage, identity and motivation in language learning

Alexandre Bataller Català

*

University of València, 4 Av. Tarongers, 46022 València, Spain

Abstract

After almost three decades since the insertion of Catalan (Valencian) within the Valencian education system, its use hasn't spread through all of the geographical domains and social scopes. In a context of language minorisation, an actual usage of a language is not guaranteed by just acquiring a sounder language competence. For a start we take into consideration a hipothesis defending that even though a comprehension of the goal culture in L2 is not just necessary for a significant use of the language within its society, we also have to realise the importance of the cultural import when using L1. We've framed our working field within some research projects which focus on the value of cultural imput in L1 and L2 teaching-learning areas (Kramsch, 1996, Rusell, 1999, Areitzaga, 2005). Another important approach for us is the collective dimension of motivation and attitude as notions traditionally associated with personal factors (Cambra, 2003). We aim at researching in a language representation basis in order to be able to understand the lecturer's approach to linguistic representations on the cultural imput when teaching a language (Moore, 2001, Cambra & Palou, 2007). We aply an ethnographic field work based on questionnaires conducted by lecturers from two education centres within Valencian central shires where students show a higher level of learning and usage of Valencian. These centres then propose crucial cross-cutting projects, where the own culture and language have a significant weight, focusing on the relationship between cultural heritage, land and identity. Taking into account cultural and cross-cultural communicative competence (Byram, 1997) we conclude that it is not possible to get to know a different culure whithout realising one's own culture.

Peer-review under responsibility of the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Departamento de Lingüística Aplicada.

Keywords: language and culture, language teaching, intercultural communicative competence, teaching culture, teacher assumptions, cultural heritage, cultural identity

1. Introduction

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +34963850904 E-mail address: alexandre.bataller@uv.es

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After almost 30 years since the insertion of Catalan within Valencian education system, language knowlegement has increased between schooled population but its usage hasn't spread in a number of social scopes and geographical areas as hoped (Casesnoves, 2003). To start with, we defend the premise that in linguistic minorisation contexts, an actual and effective usage of a language is not guaranteed by just acquiring a sounder language competence. That's the reason why we are convinced that we ought to meet the right social, cultural and linguistic conditions for they pose a real and positive stimulus towards the language. Identity and linguistic identifications associated to the concept of language as a cultural heritage can be encouraging factors in language learning. Sadly enough an identitarian approach has prevailed dividing our society into two separate linguistic and ethnical communities (Valencian speakers versus Castillian - Spanish – speakers) instead of a society composed by speakers equipped with a plurilingual competence (Bataller, 2011), in harmony with the spirit of the European Common Framework.

2. Theoretical framework

2.1 Linguistic Didactics and Cultural learning

Quite a few Cultural learning research projects analise the relationship among the comprehension a learner can develop into other cultures and the amount of motivation and success in language learning they experience. In Gardner's and Lambert's first studies (1972), the concept of integrative motivation, understood as a language learning desire in order get nearer to whon we're talking to and their culture, has been taken for the best recipe for success. Gardner states that the social and cultural environment interacts in the acquisition of a new language. Later research has proven (Dörnyei, 2001) that instrumental motivation can be even more important than integrative

motivation, in a social learning basis. Causal relationship between linguistic didactics and cultural learning has also

been object of study. Byram, Esarte-Sarries & Taylor (1991) have led a research on the differences found in the style of language and cultural teaching applied to the representation, comprehension and learning of a national culture. The results have shown to be unable to identify the effects of the teaching process but they did succeed on proving the strong action carried by factors external to the school and classroom. Australian scholars have enquired about the link between learning and positive attitudes development (Ingram & O'Neill, 2002). A wide range study led in Germany (Göbel & Hesse, 2008) has pointed out how cross-cultural teaching experience and cultural competence level of their students are strongly related highlinghting the positive aspects. We should mention other studies on the matter of students’ loss of identity (Downes, 2001) and the lecturers’ capability to hold to that very identity (Arbex, 2001).

2.2 Plurilingual and cross-cultural skills

A plurilingual language teaching focus is better as it integrates different languages and cultural contexts. Beyond this, the plurilingual approach emphasises the fact that as an individual person’s experience of language in its cultural contexts expands, from the language of the home to that of society at large and then to the languages of other peoples. (CEFR, 2001: 4). More concretely, according to Beacco & Byram (2003: 16) Education for plurilingualism (which involves enhancing and developing speakers’ individual linguistic repertoires from the earliest schooldays and throughout life) & Education for plurilingual awareness (which is one of the requirements for the maintenance of linguistic diversity). This is where plurilingual and cross-cultural competences derivate from: Plurilingual and pluricultural competence refers to the ability to use languages for the purposes of communication and to take part in intercultural interaction, where a person, viewed as a social agent has proficiency, of varying degrees, in several languages and experience of several cultures (CEFR, 2001: 168). Ingredients for communicative cultural competences (Byram, 1997, p. 50-54) include: a deep knowledge of how social groups and identities work, ability to compare, interpretate and link concepts. Also discovering and interacting skills, a critical cultural conscience and attitudes (realising own beliefs and behaviours are relative). Last, the European Common Framework proposes the teachers to approach cross-culturalism through this series of 7 aspects (CEFR, 2001: 102-103): 1. Everyday living. 2. Living conditions. 3. Interpersonal relations. 4. Values, beliefs and attitudes. 5. Body language. 6. Social conventions. 7. Ritual behaviour.

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2.3 Identity and cultural heritage

Multiculturalism and globalisation as we're experiencing them nowadays clash with a national culture model of state, reason why linking culture and identity puts us in risk (Bauman, 1999). Even when the school would provide various languages new to the ones used at home, the first language (L1) is an ingredient of identity from which we could obtain academic input: “The first language is an important component of the learner's identity and a source of cultural pride and self-esteem” (Coelho, 2012, p. 196). Incorporating cultural heritage to second language teaching in pluricultural contexts has clear benefits which have been repeatedly stated: “Incorporating elements of students' L1 cultural heritage into L2 curriculum signals respect for their backgrounds and validates their identities” (Igoudin, 2012, p. 20). The inclusion of a cultural dimension at school has been a main goal of Quebec regional government in recent years, paying special attention to school pupils' linguistic, social and school integration (Gouvernement du Québec, 2003). We are yet rethinking language learning motivation and attitudes in their collective dimension, which have been traditionally explained through more personal factors (Cambra, 2003) and we're also taking into account the idea that teaching is a cultural conveyor (Zakhartchouk, 1999) walking students from their own first culture towards new ones that can lead them further away.

3. Methodology

3.1 Research on belief and representations over the cultural component

In order to understand the representations lecturers do on the cultural component of language teaching we've started a project on linguistic representations taking into account Woods (1996) who made up the built in concept of BAK (Beliefs, Assumptions & Knowledge) referring to the complex beliefs' system, representations and knowledge of the lecturer with a sociolinguistic and internationalistic focus (Querol, 2000, Moore, 2001, Cambra & Palou, 2007). We framed our work field in studies that suggest the importance of the cultural component in learning-teaching a language: second language (L2) and foreign language (FL) (Kramsch, 1996, Russell, 1999, Areitzaga, 2000, Areitzaga et alii, 2005). A study with future Valencian teachers about cultural aspects in language teaching (Ribera, 2012, p. 340) gives a clear result in this direction, the importance of cultural aspects in language teaching but in any case it fails to highlight the importance of languages as conveyers of culture and social knowledge.

3.2 Goal

We aim at knowing collective beliefs among primary teachers and in L1 teaching in a situation of languages in contact and how to use the cultural components. Our hypothesis is that, the same way getting to know the goal culture in L2 it is also necessary for a significative usage of language within a society. We have to realise the importance of the cultural element in L1 even more in those cases of language contact where the cultural elements of L1 could be suffering from acculturation processes (Massip, 2008).

3.3 Method & research context

We've used a method based in quality, starting from information collected through interviews to teachers from Valencian central shires. We've focused our research in two concret lecturers who work in two rural school centres in two of this central shires (El Comtat and La Vall d'Albaida) where we've found a high level of understanding and use of Valencian. A context in which there's a lack of linguistic diversity creating a more interesting microcosmos for the analysis of the interactions between L1 and L2 (Valencian-Castillian/Spanish).

• S1: School 1 (CRA Riu d’Albaida). 127 students. 10% immigrants rate (Ucraine, Bulgary, Morroco, Belgium, UK, Equator, Chile, Colombia & Lithuania).

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• S2: School 2: (CRA L’Encantada). 120 students. Scarcity of migration: UK, Holland & Morroco.

4. Results

4.1 Cultural behaviour in language teaching-learning

When dealing with L1 we meet questions nearer to the kids and lecturers, aiming the contents to their local, shire-wide or regional reality. L2 provides a more national ingredient, Spanish for that matters, as the authors speak about a more country-wide reality and denying more than including other realities truly present throughout the country. In foreign language (FL, English) there's a strong cultural ingredient based in England (neither North-America or Australia for instance), most of the topics with quite a touristic point of view. In many cases the national reality of the UK is ignored, such as Wales or Scotland's issues. The reinforcement of media industry in its films, games, etc. results in traditions such as Halloween being quite accepted and naturalised among children (S1).

If a kid sees, watches, speaks, reads or writes about things within his closest entourage their motivation increases, their learning will grows huge and we also think their academic success may be higher. Such a positive environment will always have a cultural component based on some adult experiences from who they live with, these are their parents, grandparents, who may constitute their first living encyclopaedias. Talking about local festivities, the seasons, agriculture, artwork, local legends and tales provide a cultural ingredient to language teaching (S2).

4.2 Connection to heritage language and culture

Most lecturers work with textbooks from mainstream publishers and they complete the information with studies, units and other self-made/borrowed teaching material which do link to the kid's near reality. Those centres are lucky to have a stable teaching crew. Those teachers are well focused and planned to achieve their goals and they tend to put the official textbook material off in favour of those better designed units and texts resulting in the creation of a syllabus customised to their needs (S1).

As a school teaching staffs tend to change lots, we have to expose the importance of children's entourage and cultural heritage in our lectures. Fairy tales, local legends and physical environment have to be used in Nursery levels and Primary school. We are trying to apply a common background project for all courses to appreciate our cultural heritage and link it to L1 (S2).

4.3 Taking profit of cultural heritage for language learning

Lecturers tend to use what appears in their textbooks. If we chose Valencian publishers it is more likely for our reality to get included in the syllabus. We've seen an increase to excess in proposals of text material and that plays down the importance of more useful/functional text typologies better connected to our daily life (S1).

Traditional tales can lead a first cycle class. Any tale could be explained or set anywhere throughout our Valencian towns. Going out to the physical space of L'Encantada legend, through different courses and ages, gets us all to appreciate each other better, people we didn't get the chance to get to know before gives us a clear example of how could we dinamise teaching integrating it with its closest entourage (S2).

4.4 Attitude and Motivation when learning a language

Feedbacking the interest and sense of collective selfsteem (S1). There's no better way to motivation than straight explanation of rural/natural world facts where they happened. Natural environment always guarantees a deeper commitment from students to what they're learning. Getting out of the classroom, field work and watching things live gives an extra motivation boost to language learning. Working out of class can and has to be used before and after the classroom work. Setting an assembly to prepare the trips, summarise them once done and analising it in the class can also give motivation to achieve a higher oral competence (S2).

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4.5 Utility of textbooks and alternatives

If we only use a textbook, we are applying the syllabus publisher's design, not our schools. Other sources, materials and self-made units have been included with the designed textbook material. We should also grant teamwork between lecturers to improve special teaching needs, renovation and free ideas exchange with concrete proposals for lecturers in different areas (S1).

In our classroom, textbooks should just be another ingredient of our recipe, not a compulsory element for each student grows in level within his own rhythm. Firs cycle classes should tend to be focused on an ongoing expression, research and resource management. Text production and analysis are one of the main methods we use in our classes (S2).

5. Discussion and conclusions 5.1. Beliefs in teaching

• We recognise the existence of a cultural component in language teaching-learning.

• In L1 (Valencian) we try to link our interaction with our environment and some identity matters, amongst which the most important one is literarian heritage.

• It is strongly recommended to produce our own teaching material so directed to our realities.

5.2 Conclusions

• Talking about communicative, cultural and cross-cultural competences (Byram, 1997) we concluded one can not understand a different culture without being more conscientious about the own and the relativity of both of them.

• The reach of the so called cross-cultural communicative competence has to be the base for better instructed teachers.

• Cultural identity meets motivational and didactical possibilities when teaching L1.

• A strong determination and will to spread and deepen our study based on representations and applied more particularly to Valencia region in our case, with other lecturers from other school centres and teaching contexts, with a wider diversity and linguistic complexity.

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