PROMOTING
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION COMPETENCE OF INDONESIAN STUDENTS THROUGH WA-BASED ENGLISH CONVERSATION PRACTICE
Foreign
language learning is comprised of several components, including grammatical
competence, communicative competence, language proficiency as well as changes
in attitudes towards one’s own or another culture (Thanasoulas, D. 2001). As an
international language, English has been used in very wide areas accross the
countries. In English conversation, being able to understand people whom we are
talking to especially with foreigners that have various cultural
backgrounds is very vital as people communicate not only with their peers with
the same cultural background, but they also will communicate with other people
from different regions with certainly have cultural background diversity. This
situation will be manifested when it comes to the works setting in particular
where it will involve foreigner colleagues. English should therefore be taught
as a means of cross-cultural communication (Erling, 2005; Jenkins, 2006; McKay,
2003). This
situation seems urgent
with the position of Indonesia now to face the AEC
(ASEAN Economic Community) which is considered
less
ready in terms of foreign language mastery and foreign
cultural understanding.
In
relation with communication and culture, there have been popular notions
regarding the relationship of language with culture. As cited in Ali et. al
(2015), an American antrophologist Sapir (1921) argues that culture is language
dependent on account of conveying the implicit meaning and inherited pattern of
life. Robinett (1980) affirms with the view that culture and language cannot be
separated. He maintains that the culture of a society is significantly
reflected through its language. Although in
communication
linguistic accuracy is required
for language users to communicate effectively, when language “is used in
contexts of communication, it is bound up with culture in multiple and complex
ways” (Kramsch, 1998). Since language and culture are closely linked, thus,
intercultural knowledge should be taken into account in the communication. It
is because intercultural awarness cannot grow naturally (Yueqin, 2014).
Living in a globalisation era in
which new technologies are developed rapidly through a variety of devices
allows us to act in an autonomous way for exploring the advantages of
technology-based world. The important role of new technologies to communicate in
the globalized world we live in cannot be denied in every single aspect of our
lives. The presence of network-based context in technology that can be
connected to mobile phone or tablets and computers is supposed to be media for
communication to make the way of
communication itself effective and easier in nature. Nowadays, people do
not need to go to the big cities or tourism objects to find new people or
foreigner with the different cultural background. The inovative technologies
that emerge gradually help people communicate easier
and more economical with others. They may sit down or lay in the bed to engage
with people everywhere with the gadgets connected to the internet through
social media.
Social
media as the name indicates, have become significantly popular component of
everyday people lives since the internet has been developed time by time and
the number of internet users is increasing day by day. Media for social
interaction allows people to communicate and engage with information that is
quickly accessible on the internet (Sawyer, 2011). Some popular social media
such as skype, facebook, twitter, YM, line, Whats App, and so on provide a
context where people accross the world can interact, communicate, exchange
messages, share knowledge with each other regadless of the distance that
separates them. It is in line with Chen and Zhang (2010) who state that the
compression of time and space, due to the convergence of new media and
globalization, has shrunk the world into a much smaller interactive field (Chen
and Zhang, 2010).
Looking
at the facts that social media bring favorable impacts on communication way among people in the recent era, thus it
should be taken into consideration that some social media can be used
effectively as instruments for research purposes on communication. To specify
the instrument for this study, WhatsApp application as a social media will be
chosen due to its excellent features. Its excellence has made it become the
most used messenger application in the world according to founder Jan Koum in
2015. One of the excellent features
provided by the application is the ability of its voice calling with the high
quality. Another advantage of the application is that the messages both oral and
written are delivered fast although the internet connection of the gadgets used
is considered low. Through this tangible evidence, taking this application into
account will be favorable for the research itself. For the clarity
purposes, henceforth the term of WA-based English conversation practice will
refer to the use of WhatsApp application as a media for conversation practice.
Departing
from these three factors (communication, culture, and technology), English
teacher rightly should begin rethinking how to alter their teaching approaches
to ascertain their students to be interconnected with the globalized world. If
teachers have generated their new learning approaches, there will be no reasons
enclosed of lacking of opportunities to experience interactive cross-cultural
communication in English among students (Liu, 2005). Meanwhile regarding the
static teaching approach, Chen (2007) puts forward that in classroom settings,
non-native English-speaking teachers, often teaching in their local
language,
typically struggle to teach pragmatic competence. Lacking extensive knowledge
of the English pragmatic system, he adds,
these teachers often focus their teaching on textbooks to help students perform
well on their exams. As a result, students have inadequate competence in
intercultural communication.
There
are no numerous studies related to the topic of integrative technology for
learning intercultural communication, let alone employing WhatsApp aplication
which can be categorized as new application to be integrated to the study. Some
studies regarding learning intercultural communication through technology
involve the use of computer-enhanced such as websites, forums, google doc, and
video call application famous as skype. The first project led by Aida Cuestas
Verjane from Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain regarding using skype in
a primary class suggests that one of the main benefits that ICT brings into the
language classroom is the ability to create a real necessity for students to
speak in the target language and try to have a conversation because digital
tools can bring them into contact with circumstances from the outside world
(creating authenticity). Secondly, as researched by Shu Ching Yang a professor
from National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan, authentic language learning
environments can be created through technology use. It promotes cross cultural
understanding towards Taiwan students. Thirdly, the project Aleksandra Wach in
terms of advanced learners’ intercultural experience through computer-enhanced
technology, it reveals
that high levels of ICT use to get information about the culture of
English-speaking countries, but also enhanced interest in other cultures,
openness to cultural differences and willingness to communicate with foreigners
through CMC (Computer-mediated communication).
In
conclusion, the notions of this writing concretely is
expected to be understood as a gate to contribute towards
educational field especially in teaching and learning English to consider this
framework into their material development in teaching both speaking skill and
intercultural communication. Practically, this essay also is
intended to offer some practical solutions to the problems of English language
teaching and learning. Adopting innovative ways of teaching by using available
digital tools which is expected to become effective teaching and learning means
might become the answer of the notion. Therefore the notions are
expected to contribute to the field of teaching and learning English to the
area of syllabus design or material development.
References
Ali, S., et. al. 2015. The Importance of Culture in Second and
Foreign Language Learning. Volume 15 (1). Jakarta: Dinamika Ilmu
Chen, G.M., & Zhang, K.
2010. New Media and Cultural Identity in
the Global Society. In Hanbook of Research on Discourse Behaviour and Digital
Communication: Language structures and Social Interaction (pp. 801-815).
Hershey, PA: Idea Group Inc.
Sawyer, R. 2011. “The impact of New Social Media on
Intercultural Adaptation”. Senior Honor projects. Paper 242. http://digitalcommon.uri.edu/srhonorsprog/242
Thanasoulas, D. 2001. The Importance of Teaching Culture In the
Foreign Language Classroom. Radical Pedagogy Journal of TESOL Greece
Yueqin, H. 2014. Fostering Intercultural Communication
Competence of Foreign Language Learners. Cross Cultural Communication
Journal. CSCanada: Canada
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