CULTURAL IMMERSION: AN EFFECTIVE APPROACH FOR IMPROVING ENGLISH

LANGUAGE LEARNING AND MOTIVATION.

Presented to
The Graduate Program
of
Greensboro College

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In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
IE Master of Arts in
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
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by
Yeison Javier López González
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May 2023

Advisor: Paula Wilder

 Abstract

The lack of motivation to learn a second language is a common issue among students,

which cultural immersion programs can effectively address by promoting intercultural

competence, motivation, and confidence in English (Onosu, 2020). This thesis proposes

integrating cultural understanding in the ESL classroom to enhance language learning outcomes

by motivating students through academic and cultural activities. The presented cultural

immersion program for English learners and teachers includes various cultural and academic

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activities that promote cultural exchange, communication, social skills, and respect toward
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diverse cultures. The program's activities encompass shadow classes, language teacher classes,

social studies or art classes, cultural demonstrations, cooking activities, and cultural art classes,
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providing guidelines for teachers and students to participate. Ultimately, the program aims to

create lasting bonds between participating schools and a more interconnected and culturally

diverse world.
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 Dedication

I want to dedicate this work to my mother, Luz Marina González Garzón, who has

always been my rock, guide, and inspiration. In addition, to my family and friends, who have

offered unwavering support and encouragement throughout my journey. Your belief in me and

your constant encouragement has been invaluable in helping me reach this point. This work

reflects the love and support I have received from my family and friends, and I am blessed to

have you all in my life.

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 Acknowledgments

I want to express my heartfelt appreciation to my tutor and professor, Paula Wilder,

whose guidance, expertise, and support have been instrumental in my academic success. I am

also grateful to Michelle Plaisance for her assistance with international teachers and Elena King

for her academic support throughout my journey. Finally, to all the TESOL program teachers at

Greensboro College, I sincerely thank you for your dedication and commitment to education.

Your collective efforts have inspired me to pursue my passion for teaching and have shaped me

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into the educator I am today. Thank you for your invaluable support and mentorship.
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 Table of Contents

Title Page . . . . . . . . . . i

Abstract . . . . . . . . . . ii

Dedication . . . . . . . . . . iii

Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . iv

Table of Contents . . . . . . . . . v

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Chapters

1. Chapter One: Introduction . . . . . . . 1

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2. Chapter Two: Literature Review . . . . . . 4

3. Chapter Three: Project Outline. . . . . . . 19

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4. Chapter Four: Final Project- Teacher Workshop . . . . 22

5. Chapter Five: Conclusion . . . . . . . 34

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Appendices . . . . . . . . . . 37

References . . . . . . . . . . 41
 List of Figures

Figure 4.1. Shadow Class . . . . . . . . 23

Figure 4.2. Social Studies Class . . . . . . . 25

Figure 4.3. Language Teachers Class . . . . . . . 27

Figure 4.4. Cultural Demonstrations . . . . . . . 29

Figure 4.5. Cooking Activity . . . . . . . . 30

Figure 4.6. Cultural Art Class . . . . . . . . 32

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 Chapter One: Introduction

Research on language learning and teaching has become a focus of interest in society as

globalized trends have imposed the challenge of learning a new language. Within this view, eight

million students are expected to be studying abroad by 2025 (Organization for Economic

Cooperation and Development, 2022). Therefore, considering the increasing number of learners

who are looking to travel abroad to sharpen their communicative skills in a second language, it is

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essential to develop innovating pedagogical strategies for promoting students' motivation related

to learning English as a second language and providing culturally rich contexts (Rehman et al.,
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2014).

As a result, this thesis project’s main aim is to provide a two-week cultural exchange
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immersion program that equips students with opportunities to practice and improves their socio-

linguistic knowledge of the English language while developing a consciousness of their own
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culture and increasing students’ motivation to learn the English language. This immersion

program offers teachers and students guidelines to carry out several cultural and academic

activities which are distributed throughout the duration of the program, which implies that both

students and teachers will participate in different cultural activities every day.
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This cultural immersion program is designed to be fully accomplished in two weeks, and

consists of varied cultural activities aimed to promote students’ motivation towards learning

English, improve communicative and social skills in the English language while participating in

real-life learning experiences that allow students to build values of respect and tolerance towards

other cultures. Although learning a second language represents a challenge for English learners,

especially those who live in non-English contexts, Jafari (2013) suggested that when a student

becomes a resident in a new society that uses the target language in its social interaction, a

learner can succeed in the learning process of a second language. Hence, it is believed that

successful students in the learning of a target language are those who had a desire to become

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familiar with the society in which the target language was used (Falk, 1978 as cited in Jafari,

2013).
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According to Kormos and Kiddle (2013) lack of motivation to learn a second language is
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an issue that many students face. They suggested that implementing strategies in the classroom

that increase students’ motivation through academic and cultural activities is a good starting

point to help students succeed in their learning process. Moreover, they stated that if a learner
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has a clear purpose for learning a second language and knows what they want to do with that

knowledge, they are likely to succeed in the learning process. All things considered, this project

wants to encourage teachers and students to learn the importance of integrating pedagogical

activities that facilitate the target language cultural understanding in the ESL classroom and

expose students to real-life situations where they put into practice their communication and

social skills in the target language.

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Unfortunately, in most cases, English learners have limited opportunities in their cultural

context and in their curricula to learn and put into practice the cultural and socio-linguistic

elements of the target language. For this reason, it is vital that English teachers incorporate and

reinforce the teaching of cultural and socio-linguistic components in the ESL classroom through

pedagogical strategies such as cultural language immersion, which is a powerful tool for

developing English learners' communicative and social skills, and increase student's motivation

towards learning the English language.

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 Chapter Two: Literature Review

Lack of motivation and opportunities to put into practice the English language are critical

factors that many English learners from non-English speaking countries may encounter in their

journey to developing proficient communicative and cultural skills in the target language (Trang

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& Baldauf, 2007). Consequently, this issue negatively impacts learners’ motivation related to

learning English as a second language and limits their possibilities to appreciate and experience
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the cultural aspects of the target language. For instance, this chapter provides an overview of

several key research findings related to cultural exchange immersions, pedagogical strategies to
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improve students’ socio-linguistic knowledge of the English language, strategies to promote

students’ motivation to learn English as a second language, and cultural activities.

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Research has consistently shown that language immersion programs are an effective way

to learn a new language. According to Steele et al. (2017), students in immersion programs

perform as well as or better than students in traditional language classes in terms of language

proficiency, cultural understanding, and academic achievement. Immersion programs have also

been shown to improve cognitive skills, such as problem-solving and creativity (Barbu et al.,

2019).
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In this same view, Freed et al. (2004) stated that one of the most effective ways to

improve English communicative skills is to immerse oneself in an English-speaking

environment. Kim et al. (2015) examined the effectiveness of immersive learning environments

(such as study abroad and immersion programs) in developing English communicative

competence in second language learners. The study also identified several factors that influenced

the effectiveness of immersion programs, such as the length and intensity of the program, the

type of program, and the learners' motivation and prior language proficiency. The study

suggested that immersive learning environments can be an effective way to improve

communicative skills in second language learners.

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According to Lyster and Genesee (2012), immersion programs can promote students'
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motivation to learn a second language by providing a challenging and engaging learning

environment, promoting meaningful interaction and communication, and fostering positive

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attitudes towards the language and the culture associated with it. Lyster and Genesee (2012) also

discussed the benefits and challenges of immersion programs and provides recommendations for

program design and implementation. For instance, immersion programs provide students with a
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rich environment for language learning, allowing them to become proficient in the target

language more quickly and effectively than in traditional language learning programs; however,

immersion programs are only available in some areas, and there may be concerns about equity

regarding access to high-quality immersion programs for all students, regardless of their

socioeconomic background.
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Regarding the role of cultural activities in immersion programs Heppner and Wang

(2014) described the immersion program's structure, implementation, and evaluation, using

quantitative and qualitative data to assess its impact on students' cultural learning and personal

growth. Ultimately, Wang and Heppner (2014) highlighted the value of cross-cultural immersion

programs in promoting students' cultural journeys and enhancing their intercultural competence,

and the insights that immersion programs provide to design and implement cultural activities.

Similarly, Hashim and Balakrishnan (2006) highlighted the potential of language

immersion programs as a practical approach to promoting language learning, especially for low-

proficiency ESL learners. Similarly, Hashim and Balakrishnan (2006) stressed that immersion

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programs allow learners to use the target language in authentic contexts, enhancing their
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language acquisition and proficiency. Furthermore, Hashim and Balakrishnan (2006) emphasized

the importance of creating a supportive and engaging immersion environment that addresses the
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learners' needs and interests. To achieve this, educators should provide learners with various

language inputs, including visual and audio materials, and incorporate cultural activities and

experiences to make the immersion experience more meaningful and enjoyable (Sankey et al.,
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2010).
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English Language Immersions

According to Jeon (2012), English immersion education is a method that uses the English

language as the main medium for instruction and teaching content to students. Similarly, Qiang

and Siegel (2012) claimed that implementing English immersion programs is the best teaching

approach for foreign language acquisition and subject content learning. In that respect,

immersion programs are a system in which the target language is acquired by using the target

language as the medium for instruction. Additionally, Yu (2016) stated that language immersion

is an approach to language instruction in which the regular curriculum is taught through the

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medium of a target language while emphasizing the concept of additive bilingualism. Foreign

language immersion programs or one-way immersion programs are specifically designed for
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language learners with little or no exposure to a target language to develop a high level of

proficiency in the foreign language (Nissilä & Björklund, 2014).

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To enhance language learning success, Poon (2016) suggested that learners need to be

engaged in an immersion environment, allowing them to experience the target language's formal
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and informal contexts through various academic and cultural activities. Similarly, Fouser (2000)

recommended that English immersion programs should promote and require the use of the target

language to facilitate learners' communication skills improvement. Furthermore, Huang et al.

(2011) stated that teachers must encourage learners to actively participate in classroom activities

and provide opportunities to express their background knowledge and collaborate with their

peers.

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