Tips for Teachers on Teaching Culture-based Lessons through Authentic Materials: An Action Research Experience

Resumen

his paper aims to provide some useful tips for teaching culture-based lessons since the analysis of the data stemmed from an action research experience. The research question was focused on how teachers could improve culture-based lessons for students of the second grade of High School at “Pujilí” Educational Unit through authentic materials. During the action research process, a secondary question emerged: What tips can be recommended for teachers to implement culture-based lessons through authentic materials in an English as a Foreign Language [EFL] high school class? The participants were 26 students of the second grade of High School of “Pujilí” Educational Unit. The results showed that selecting authentic material considering students’ level, planning meaningful activities, promoting classroom interaction, spending time planning to impact on students’ learning, giving clear instructions, motivating students, and, making corrections, were aspects that allowed students to reinforce their cultural knowledge and understanding. Then, these elements can be considered as tips for teaching culture-based lessons. However, the students’ poor cultural knowledge was the main drawback of the research, because not all students were able to interact during the lessons. Finally, the research findings affirm that teaching culture in the EFL classroom through the proper implementation of culture-based lessons and authentic materials supports the teaching and learning of English as a foreign language.