The Importance of Cultural Education in English Language Teaching: Perspectives from Iranian Teachers

In the realm of English language instruction, the intrinsic link between language and culture has consistently been a subject of interest from various viewpoints. Presently, the primary objective of foreign language education is social interaction, surpassing mere linguistic exchange. Despite the profound interrelation between language and culture in foreign language acquisition, cultural learning has not been incorporated into curriculum objectives. This research aimed to explore the perceptions of Iranian English teachers regarding the importance of cultural instruction in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) settings. Data were gathered using a questionnaire adapted from Han (۲۲۱۲), distributed among ۳۵ Iranian English teachers in Mashhad (۱۵ males and ۲۲ females) to gain insights into their views. The results indicated unanimous agreement among the teachers on the importance of cultural instruction in EFL settings. The findings underscored that language teaching and cultural instruction should be intertwined.

Keywords:

English Language Teaching , Cultural Instruction , Social Interaction , Iranian Teachers’ Perceptions