Teaching culture or using culture to teach? : rethinking cultural identity in EFL classrooms

Abstract EN

This paper suggests the principles of 'Cultural Responsive Education' -a pedagogy that celebrates cultural diversity, provides dynamic practices that account for cultural differences and empowers learners academically, socially, and culturally-to improve the experience of learning literature in EFL classrooms.

This pedagogy stresses the role of culture (both native and target) in the teaching-learning process.

It seeks to help learners develop and understand their cultural identities as the first step toward a meaningful learning experience.

The paper consists of an overview of this pedagogy, the philosophy behind it, and its main objectives, and finally, proposes ways for applying it in EFL literature classes in higher education to improve academic achievements.