Introduction to Culture in ELT (CiELT)

Culture in ELT (CiELT) is Going Digital ELT's first special interest group (SIG). This SIG was officially formed in April 2023, with the aim of exploring how students' culture, language, and life experiences may be utilised as classroom resources for English language teaching. Although the current focus of CiELT is on rural indigenous contexts (particularly in primary schools of Sabah, Malaysia), it hopes to expand its future work to include urban, suburban, and secondary school contexts across geographical areas all over Malaysia.

The earliest members of CiELT comprise of ESL and indigenous language teachers from rural primary schools in Sabah, Malaysia. Members aim to interact regularly as a professional learning community through online meetings (synchronously and asynchronously) as well as through in-person and hybrid workshops and seminars. 

CiELT aims to explore the conceptualisation of culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP), intercultural communicative competence (ICC), and indigenous knowledge system (IWK) in the context of indigenous communities and ethnic groups in Sabah. It hopes to compile classroom resources and lesson ideas for English language teaching which is aligned with the Malaysian ESL curriculum and textbooks prescribed by the Malaysia Ministry of Education.

CiELT and Highly Immersive Programme (HIP)

CiELT  also hopes to support and assist the implementation of Highly Immersive Programme (HIP) in its member schools. Through CiELT,  the schools will collaborate with outreach partners from educational institutions all over Malaysia and abroad. Educators from Malaysia, United Kingdom, Australia, Indonesia, and China have agreed to speak in CiELT's webinar series for 2023-2024. 

​For this purpose, the HIP Think Tank has been formed under CiELT. This Think Tank will work collaboratively with CiELT's partner institutions to compile ideas and materials for the four main activities suggested in the HIP Toolkit published by the Malaysia Ministry of Education, i.e., in-class, out-of-class, extra class, and outreach activities, with a specific focus on rural indigenous contexts. The activities will integrate principles of culturally responsive pedagogy, intercultural communicative competence, and indigenous knowledge system in their design, planning, and implementation.

Acknowledgement

CiELT would like to thank the following institutions and organisations for their guidance, assistance, and support in the formation of this SIG, and the implementation of its ongoing activities:
  • School of Education, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
  • Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge
  • Sabah State Education Department, Malaysia Ministry of Education
  • Kota Kinabalu District Education Office, Malaysia Ministry of Education
  • Language Department, Malaysia Institute of Teacher Education Gaya Campus
  • Language Department, Institute of Teacher Education Tawau Campus

Navigation

Culture in ELT (CiELT) Home Page
​
The CiELT Online Module
0.1 - Overview
0.2 - Structure of the Module

UNIT 1: Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC)
1.1 - What is Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC)?
1.2 - Connecting the Dots: 'Towns and Cities - London Guide'
1.3 - Live Session: ICC and Malaysian CEFR-aligned  ESL Curriculum 
1.4 - Putting it into Practice: Task for Unit 1

UNIT 2: Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP)
2.1 - Review of Unit 1
2.2 - What is Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP)? 
2.3 - Connecting the Dots: 'How to Make Linopot'
2.4 - Live Session: Applying CRP and ICC in the ESL Classroom 
2.5 - Putting it into Practice: Task for Unit 2

​​UNIT 3: Indigenous Knowledge System (IWK) and Indigenous Pedagogy (IP)
3.1 - Review of Unit 2​
3.2 - What is Indigenous Knowledge System (IWK) and Indigenous Pedagogy (IP)?
3.3 - Connecting the Dots: Integrating Indigenous Cultures into English Language Teaching
3.4 - Live Session: Integrating the Orang Asli Culture into ESL Activities and Projects 
3.5 - Putting it into Practice: Task for Unit 3

UNIT 4: Review of Unit 1 to 3
4.1 - Revisiting CRP, ICC, and IWK
4.2 - Live Session: Integrating Kadazandusun/Bajau Cultures into ELT in Rural Sabahan Classrooms 

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Lesson Plans
Classroom Materials

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