LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 14:4 April 2014
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
         C. Subburaman, Ph.D. (Economics)
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Investigating the Need to Embrace Native English Speaking Culture to
Enhance the ESL Experience as Expressed by Pakistani Learners

Sheraz Akhtar

Abstract

Language portrays the cultural values of the people who utilize it on daily basis, language and culture are inextricable, and thus learning a second language can require the learner to attain its cultural perspectives. This study endeavors to comprehend to what extent does the current Native English Speaking Culture (NESC) need to be included in the Pakistani English textbook? English textbooks can be one of the major and easily accessible sources for the Pakistani ESL (English as Second Language) learners to explore native English speaking culture.

This study investigated how do ESL teachers in Pakistan explore the NESC in their classroom when Pakistani English and culture seems like getting firm grip in the classroom milieu. This study also probed; can the juxtaposition of local and NESC meet the need of Pakistani ESL experience? And, this study disseminated the voice of Pakistani ESL learners who urge to embrace current NESC with the amalgamation of rich Pakistani culture to meet their needs, and enhance their ESL experience.

Key Words

Native English Speaking Culture, Pakistani Culture, Pakistani English, Obsolete language, English as Second Language, English Language Learning

Introduction

Learning English as a second language has high demand among the Pakistani students in Lahore, Pakistan. To learn English as second language can some ways necessitate the learner to obtain or assimilate its culture. According to Kramsch (1998), “Language is a principal means whereby we conduct our social life”. Therefore, language is a way to depict or convey the cultural identity where it belongs, “language and culture are not isomorphic” (Cheng, 2008). Therefore, Seeyle (1984) emphasized that language learning should not be isolated from its society that uses it on daily basis. In addition, Scrivener (1994) states that English language teaching is not only simply learning the language, but also learning the culture of that country. But, on the other hand, Pakistani ESL experience seems to avoid the target culture in their textbooks and classroom milieu. Pakistani students and teachers may not be much interested to learn about festivities (e.g. Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving), movies, music and entertainment of native English speakers, because of difference between their own Pakistani cultural values and English ways of living. Yet Pakistani learners can possibly be interested to explore native English speakers’ cultural values like attitudes, behaviors, beliefs, values, and free time activities which may be similar to Pakistani culture, because it can help them to learn the English language at the neutral or middle ground.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Sheraz Akhtar, M.A.
97/139 Sirin Home, Sankampaeng Road, Amphur San Klang
Chiang Mai 50000, Thailand
akhtar.sheraz@yahoo.com

Payap University
Super-highway Chiang Mai - Lumpang Road Amphur Muang
Chiang Mai, 50000 THAILAND
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