Analyzing the advantages of using socio-cultural norms to improve EFL learners' communicative competence

Abstract

This dissertation is concerned with the importance of having knowledge about the English socio-cultural norms to improve EFL learners’ communicative competence. More specifically, the consideration is given to the content and the way of presenting culture in a foreign language classroom, as the quality of that cultural input seems to be ineffective and the majority of Master one students of English Science of the Language in the Department of English at Mohamed Kheider University of Biskra are not able to communicate appropriately. Additionally, it is an attempt to make both students and teachers aware about the advantages of knowing the target or foreign culture. This work is led through students’ questionnaire and teachers’ interview. The students’ questionnaire shed lights on their viewpoints and attitudes towards learning English and the culture (s) of English speaking people to evaluate their ability to communicate and more specifically how much they are able to analyze a spoken or written discourse. The teachers’ interview is concerned with the way they present culture in EFL classroom and the main difficulties that face EFL learners there. The obtained results reveal that Master one students of English need to have an idea about the English socio-cultural norms so that they will be able to communicate effectively. And the way culture is taught at Biskra University is ineffective due to the lack of equipments, the context in which culture is taught in amphitheatre, the overcrowded class, and the limited period of time. Last, and not least, as further recommendations, teachers, administration stuff, governmental authorities should rethink about the way in which English culture is taught in the Algerian University