elt, interculturality and teacher identity

306 Pages·2014·1.91 MB·English

by  Isti Gandana

ELT, INTERCULTURALITY AND TEACHER IDENTITY:
AN INQUIRY INTO INDONESIAN UNIVERSITY
TEACHERS’ BELIEFS AND PRACTICES

Isti Siti Saleha Gandana
Bachelor of Education (TEFL), Indonesia University of Education, Indonesia
Master of Education, Monash University, Australia

Submitted in total fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
Faculty of Education, Monash University
May 2014
Copyrights Notices
Notice 1
Under the Copyright Act 1968, this thesis must be used only under the normal conditions
of scholarly fair dealing. In particular no results or conclusions should be extracted from it,
nor should it be copied or closely paraphrased in whole or in part without the written
consent of the author. Proper written acknowledgement should be made for any
assistance obtained from this thesis.

Notice 2
I certify that I have made all reasonable efforts to secure copyright permission for third-
party content included in this thesis and have not knowingly added copyright content to
my work without the owner's permission.

i
Abstract
This research is a critical and reflexive inquiry into the beliefs and practices, and the
identity work, of the ‘intercultural teaching’ of English language teachers in two
Indonesian universities. It is concerned with the ways in which teacher beliefs and
understandings of the English language, of culture, interculturality and of pedagogy
mediate the discourses, classroom practices and professional identity of these teachers.
I have undertaken this study at a time when foreign language education policy in
Indonesia, like many education policies across the world, has increasingly emphasised the
cultural and intercultural dimensions of language learning. At the higher education level,
the ‘shift of paradigm’ from English language education premised on linguistic competence
to communicative competence has been accompanied by the introduction of more
theoretical subjects where students are expected to develop a deeper understanding of the
interconnections between language and culture. Within the framework of this ‘new
paradigm’, English language teachers are expected to assume the responsibility of
pedagogy
facilitating intercultural learning and promoting intercultural understanding. In this study,
I examine the notion of interculturality in terms of broader, inclusive notions of
(cf. Giroux, 1988, 1991, 1997), rather than as a single approach to teaching English.
Much research into teacher professional identity has revealed that teacher identity and
teachers’ work are dynamically and inextricably interconnected with the broader social
structures—their biographies, histories and experiences—in which they are situated (e.g.,
Duff & Uchida, 1997; Tsui, 2007; Varghese, Morgan, Johnston, & Johnson, 2005). Through
the lens of sociocultural perspectives of identity, my study seeks to generate in-depth
insights into how teacher identity work is mediated by and intertwines with various
personal, professional, institutional and cultural factors. In connecting together these
various dimensions, I have utilised a case study research design, with a particular focus on
“critical incidents” (Goodson, 2003, p. 61) in the work and experiences of the teachers.
This has allowed me space to delve into the complex social, cultural, linguistic and identity
issues associated with that work and those experiences.
In line with the sociocultural perspectives of identity that underpin the study, I have
‘big D’ Discourse situated
drawn on James Gee’s (1999, 2011a, 2011b) approach to discourse analysis to understand
identities cultural models
and unravel the complexity of identity work. Gee’s concepts of ,
and were employed to highlight the connection between ‘micro’
(i.e., specific texts and specific details of language) and ‘macro’ (context) levels of analysis.
This has allowed me to articulate fine-grained interpretive perspectives and to construct
ii
multi-faceted and nuanced accounts of the teachers’ realities and contextualised
understandings.
Data for the study comes from three main sources: in-depth semi-structured interviews
with six teachers in two different universities in Indonesia, classroom observation of these
teachers’ classroom practice and documentation (e.g., curriculum and policy documents).
The interviews were conducted in three stages: before, during, and after the period during
which I was observing the teachers’ classroom teaching, which was undertaken over a
period of one semester. The focus of my interviews shuttled between ‘the personal’, ‘the
professional’, ‘the institutional’ and ‘the cultural’.
thematic theory-driven case-based
data-driven
Analysis of data involved two major approaches: and
analyses. The former approach, drawing primarily on existing theories of ELT
pedagogy, interculturalism and interculturality, was utilised in the analysis of the teachers’
perceptions of the English language and their ELT classroom practices as well as in the
interpretation of their conceptualisations of culture. The latter approach was used in the
exploration of the teachers’ individual beliefs, identity work and their subject-specific
instructional practices. This approach has enabled me to discuss and analyse the data in a
more reflexive way, allowing me not only to generate personalised accounts (including
occasional references to my own experiences as an English language teacher in Indonesia)
but also to present bigger picture understandings of the teachers’ individual and collective
experiences.
The study overall demonstrates the complex and dynamic nature of English language
teachers’ identity work, pointing to the significant role the institution plays in mediating
and shaping the teachers’ “enacted professionalism” (Hilferty, 2008, p. 162). By
unravelling this complexity and illustrating the everyday challenges and dilemmas of
teaching interculturalism in Indonesian higher education institutions, I call for a
fundamental rethinking of language, culture and intercultural pedagogy and for policy-
makers and curriculum planners to be better engaged with teachers’ voices and
experiences.

iii
Declaration

This is to certify that

(i) this thesis contains no material which has been accepted for the award of any

other degree or diploma in any university or any other educational institution;
(ii) the thesis comprises only my original work towards the PhD, except where

indicated in the Preface; and
(iii) due acknowledgement has been made in the text to all other material used.
The plan for this research was approved by the Monash University Human Research Ethics
Committee (Reference: CF10/0362 – 2010000168).

Signed __________________________
Isti Siti Saleha Gandana
May 2014

iv
Preface
Parts of the text draw on publications by me as a single author and as co-author, as listed
below:
•
Gandana, I. (under review). Critical thinking, (inter)cultural awareness, and
Culture and foreign language
pedagogical dilemmas: Stories of three university teachers in Indonesia. In W.M.
education: Insights from research and implications for the practice
Chan, S.K. Bhatt, M. Nagami, & I. Walker (Eds.),
. De Gruyter
Mouton Publishing.
•
Kuswandono, P., Gandana, I., & Rohani, S. (under review). Towards
deimperialisation of instructional strategies: Cases of Communicative Language
Asia as method in education studies: A defiant
Teaching and Reflective Practice implementation in the Indonesian context. In H.
research imagination
Zhang, P. Chan, & J. Kenway (Eds.),
. Routledge Publishing.
•
Language, Culture and
Gandana, I., & Parr, G. (2013). Professional identity, curriculum and teaching
Curriculum, 26
Intercultural Communication: An Indonesian case study.
(3), 229-246. doi: 10.1080/07908318.2013.833620
•
AARE
Kuswandono, P., Gandana, I., Rohani, S., & Zulfikaar, T. (2011). Revisiting local
2011 Conference Proceedings
wisdom: Efforts to improve education quality in Indonesia. In J. Wright (Ed.),
(pp. 1-15). Hobart, Australia: The Australian
Association for Research in Education. Available at
http://www.aare.edu.au/publications-database.php/6580/revisiting-local-
wisdom-efforts-to-improve-education-quality-in-indonesia
•
Proceedings of the 2010 LIA
Gandana, I. (2010). Teaching English as an international language in Indonesia:
International Conference: World Englishes across Cultures
Issues, challenges and classroom implications.
(pp. 122-127). Bali,
Indonesia: Lembaga Bahasa & Pendidikan Profesional LIA.

v
Acknowledgements
Alhamdulillahirabbil’alamiin
, it is only through Your grace that I have reached this stage of
the journey.
The writing of this thesis has been both an exhilarating and challenging endeavour, and I
wish to express my heartfelt thanks to those who have, in their own but equally
meaningful ways, given me support and encouragement throughout this undertaking.
I sincerely thank my supervisors, Dr. Graham Parr and Dr. Phan Le Ha, for their academic
guidance, thoughtful engagement and insightful critiques regarding the various aspects of
my research. They have constantly prompted me to think critically, creatively and
reflexively about the study. I particularly wish to acknowledge Graham’s significant role in
the final stage of my candidature. I appreciate his commitment, strong encouragement,
intellectual stimulation and constant support as I encountered the highs and lows, the
unexpected twists and turns, of this journey. I feel fortunate to have been mentored by
him.
Special thanks to my participants, ‘Nancy’, ‘Sandra’, ‘Benny’, ‘Hendra’, ‘Bayu’ and ‘Edi’, for
the generous time they offered during my fieldwork and for all the stimulating collegial
conversations we had. Their stories of joys and struggles of being a teacher have made me
appreciate the teaching profession all the more.
Mbak
I also thank my friends who have shared the journey for making this PhD quest a
memorable chapter of my life. To Siti Rohani, Munaza, Chinh, Huyen, Lam and Alice,
thanks for being such wonderful, helpful, caring and understanding officemates. Not only
Pak petuah-petuah Mbak
are they always ready to lend me an ear but they have also sparked some ‘aha moments’
lembur
during the writing process. To Kus, I thank you for the ‘ ’. To Novi
Mbak
Restu, thank you for making the ‘ ’ times bearable. The ‘midnight rides’ are definitely
something to remember. To Lara, thank you for your constant ‘spiritual reminders’.
Your stories and experiences are always a pleasure to listen to. To Fenty, whom I only see
at conferences, I am grateful for our brief but always meaningful exchanges.
I would like to thank Mayur and Paulynn for making administrative matters so much
easier and for never failing to greet with a smile whenever I come into their office. I am
also grateful to Monash University for awarding me Monash Graduate Scholarship and
Monash International Postgraduate Research Scholarship. The university has provided me
vi
with a research environment that is enganging, nurturing and stimulating, allowing me to
pursue my study in the most conducive environment.
I also wish to extend my thanks to Rosemary Viete for providing time to proofread my
thesis. Thank you for your kind assistance and always encouraging comments.
I offer my deepest gratitude to my parents for their endless prayers and love. I deeply
value your trust, support and strong confidence in my achievement. You have been a
constant source of strength in this and other endeavours. To my siblings, Teteh, Usama,
Esti and Osa, and my sister- and brother-in-laws, Rika and Bang Deddy, thank you all for
your companionship and for reminding me of the importance of being ‘off thesis’
sometimes.
Finally, I express my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to my husband, Gun Gun, for his love,
support, encouragement, patience and understanding throughout this whole journey. I can
never thank you enough. For all your sacrifice, may Allah reward you abundantly. It is to
you and our beloved son, Arham, that I dedicate this thesis.

vii
Table of contents
Copyrights Notices ................................................................................................................................. i
Abstract.................................................................................................................................................... ii
Declaration ............................................................................................................................................ iv
Preface ...................................................................................................................................................... v
Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................ vi
Table of contents ............................................................................................................................... viii
List of Figures and Tables .............................................................................................................. xiii
List of Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................ xiv
Chapter 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1

1.1 How It All Came To Be… ................................................................................................................ 1

1.2 English Language Education, Interculturality and the Role of the Teacher:
Making Critical Connections ....................................................................................................... 3
1.3 Reseach Aims ..................................................................................................................................... 7
1.4 Discourse Analysis for Investigating Teacher Identity ..................................................... 8
Ch1a.p5ter 2O Trhgaenoirsiastiinogn Couf ltthuer Teh ..e..s..i.s.. ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1.. 19

2.1 Understandings of Culture ........................................................................................................ 11
2.1.1 Received culture versus postmodern culture versus cultural studies culture. .............. 11
2.1.2 Culture as product versus culture as process. ............................................................................... 18
2.1.3 Culture in the head versus culture in the world. .......................................................................... 19
2 .1.4 Big culture versus small culture. ......................................................................................................... 21
2.2 The Relationship Between Language and Culture ........................................................... 24
2.3 Cultural Flows, Discourse and Ideology ............................................................................... 26
2.4 The Classroom as a Social Institution and the Discourses Embedded Within It 29
viii
Chapter 3 ELT, Interculturality and Teacher Identity .......................................................... 32

3.1 English Language Teaching in Indonesia: The Past and Present ............................... 32
3.1.1 Indonesia’s national English curricula and the cultural component of ELT. ................... 36
3 .1.2 The Indonesian context of culture teaching and the discourses of World Englishes. .. 41
3.2 Four Paradigms of Teaching Culture: A Western Context ............................................ 44
3.3 Interculturality and the Creation of a Dialogic Space ..................................................... 46
3.3.1 Being/becoming intercultural. ............................................................................................................. 46
3 .3.2 Major challenges in creating intercultural spaces in the classroom. ................................... 53

3.4 The ‘Intercultural Teacher’ and the Sociocultural Perspectives of Teacher
Chapter 4 IMdeentthitoyd ..o...l.o...g..y... .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6535

4.1 Philosophical Stances and the Approach to Inquiry ....................................................... 63
4.2 Overview of the Study ................................................................................................................. 66
4.3 Case Study Research Design ..................................................................................................... 68
4.4 Putting Myself in Place: Being a Reflexive Researcher .................................................. 74
4.5 Selecting the ‘Cases’ ...................................................................................................................... 76
4.6 Methods for Data Collection ..................................................................................................... 79
4.6.1 Interviews. ..................................................................................................................................................... 79
4.6.2 Classroom observations. ......................................................................................................................... 82
4 .6.3 Documents. .................................................................................................................................................... 83
4.7 Methods for Data Analysis and Interpretation ................................................................. 83
4.7.1 Critical discourse analysis as an analytical tool. ........................................................................... 83
4.7.2 Interpreting the interviews. ................................................................................................................... 86

4.7.3 Methodological approaches to data presentation: thematic theory-driven and case-
based data-driven analyses. .................................................................................................................. 90
4 .7.4 Transcription and translation issues. ................................................................................................ 93
4.8 Setting the Scene: The Institutions and the Participants .............................................. 94
4.8.1 University of West Java: The institution. .......................................................................................... 94
4.8.2 University of West Java: The participants. ...................................................................................... 95
ix