Incorporating cultural content into English language learning through collaborative podcast series project

Abstract

Purpose This brief report demonstrates how collaborative podcast series project to teach cultural content in English language classroom is design and implemented. This paper aims not only to facilitate speaking practice but also to build students’ cultural awareness, exercise creativity, promote critical thinking and foster learning collaboration. Design/methodology/approach This classroom observation study involved 78 students majoring English education department in a state Islamic university in East Java, Indonesia. The pedagogical intervention which facilitates this project includes extensive reading and viewing of local culture materials, interview practice project and collective reflections. After completing the project, students wrote collective reflective accounts, submitted their podcast links and followed focus group interview. Findings From the data analysis, it can be seen that incorporating local culture into English language learning can enhance student learning engagement, cultural awareness and tolerance, and collective reflective practice. Originality/value The finding of the study contributes to practical implications addressed to teachers and teacher educators in designing and implementing technology mediated cultural learning.