EXPLORING THE INFLUENCE OF CONVERGENT COMMUNITIES ON LEARNERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARD DIVERGENT TRAITS

Louiza Belaid(1*),

(1) Ibn Khaldoun University, Tiaret, Algeria
(*) Corresponding Author

Abstract


The cultural context of speech communities represents people’s life experiences shaped by region, geography, ethnicity, language, and values; all these contribute to the construction of one’s identity. Our study explores the complex reciprocity between the socio-cultural environment and the learners’ identities. The cultural background of learners profoundly affects self-perception and identity construction. Simultaneously, identity construction has a reciprocal effect on interaction and involvement with cultural heritage. Hence, we investigate the impact of rural communities’ cultural repertoire on the personal and professional prospects of learners. To reach this end, third-year pupils from the High School of Sidi Housni, Tiaret, Algeria were selected using a non-probabilistic sampling. We collected data through a survey and an observation, employing both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The findings reveal that the cultural background influences learners’ perceptions of the world, besides their positive divergent attitudes towards gender roles. Furthermore, these valuable insights have important implications for cultivating a more inclusive and flexible learning setting. In a nutshell, divergent and convergent communities possess distinct qualities and resources that collectively foster a gradual transition toward embracing change.


Keywords


convergent, cultural background, divergent, gender roles

Full Text:

PDF

References


Abadi, J. G. B. (2021). Applying the theories of identity in the human dimensions of wildlife conservation (Doctoral Dissertation). Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas. Available electronically from https://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/195149.

Abrams-Hogg, M. (1990). An introduction to the social identity approach. In D. Abrams & M.A. Hogg, (eds.), Social identity theory: Constructive and critical advances (pp. 1-9). London: Harvester-Wheatsheaf.

Azzoug, O. (2014). Sociolinguistic and pedagogical dimensions of dialect use in preschool instruction: The case of primary school in Algerian education (Doctoral dissertation). University of Tlemcen, Algeria.

Bamberg, M., De Fina, A., & Schiffrin, D. (2010). Discourse and identity construction. handbook of identity theory and research. New York, Springer, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7988-9_8

Belaid, L. (2020). The impact of gender and social factors on pupils' achievement. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Abdelhamid Ibn Badis, Mostaganem.

Cerulo, A. K. (1997). Identity construction: New issues, new directions. Annual Review of Sociology, 23, 385–409.

Chang, L. Y. (2016). ‘Good’ language teachers: Divergent perspectives. The Electronic Journal for English as a Second Language, 20 (3), 1-14.

Chambers, J. K., & Trudgill, P. (1980). Dialectology. London: Cambridge University Press.

Desai, S. (n.d.). Social influences. Khan Academy. Retrieved from https://www.khanacademy.org/testprep/mcat/individuals-and-society/self-identity/v/socialinfluences

Giles, H., & Ogay, T. (2007). Communication accommodation theory. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Grivins, M. (n.d.). Construction of pupil identities at school. LU Advanced social and political research institute. Jaunimo identitetas ir vertybės, 38-52.

Harrison, B. (1990). Culture and the language classroom. Hongkong: Modern English Publications and the British Council

Hernández, L. E., & Darling-Hammond, L., (2022). Creating identity-safe schools and classrooms. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/165.102

Hernes, G. (2003). Planning for diversity: Education in multi-ethnic and multicultural societies. Organized on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of IIEP, Paris.

Itulua-Abumere, F. (2013). Sociological concepts of culture and identity. Dallas: Upublish.info. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259692390

Jasso, G. (2002). Identity, social identity, comparison, and status: Four theories with a common core. New York, NY: New York University Press.

Jenkins, R. (2008). Social identity (3rd ed.). London & New York: Routledge.

Khan, S. (2010). Strategies and spoken production on three oral communication tasks: A study of high and low proficiency EFL learners (Doctoral Dissertation). University of Barcelona, Spain.

Lehmann, D. (2015). Convergences and divergences in intercultural higher education in Mexico. Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Políticas y Sociales Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Nueva Época, LX (223), 133-170.

Levon E. (2014). Categories, stereotypes, and the linguistic perception of sexuality. Language in Society, 43(5), 539–566. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43904598

Leary, R. M., & Tangney, J. P. (2012). Handbook of self and identity (2nd ed.). London, New York: The Guilford Press.

Michael, T. (2014). Book review: 'Education, work and identity'. British Journal of Educational Studies, 62(3), 364-366.

Salimi, A. E., & Zhaleh, K (2021). An exploration of convergence and divergence on the characteristics of successful Iranian EFL teachers: Learners’ and teachers’ perspectives. Research in English Language Pedagogy, 9(1), 24-50. https://doi.org/10.30486/relp.2020.1910522.1223

Sand, T. N. (2012). Communication accommodation in context: An analysis of convergence and divergence in action (Master Dissertation). North Dakota State University, North Dakota.

Sa’d, T., & Seyyed, H. (2017). Foreign language learning and identity reconstruction: Learners’ understanding of the intersections of the self, the other and power. CEPS Journal, 7(4), 13-36. http://dx.doi.org/10.26529/cepsj.362

Soliz, J., Thorson, A., & Rittenour, C. (2009). Communicative correlates of satisfaction, family identity, and group salience in multiracial/ethnic families. Journal of Marriage and Family, 71(4), 819–832. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2009.00637.x

Sugimura, K., Gmelin, H. J., Gaag, A. E. M., & Kunnen, E. S. (2022). Exploring exploration: Identity exploration real-time interactions among peers. Identity, 22(1), 17-34, https://doi.org/10.1080/15283488.2021.1947819




DOI: https://doi.org/10.24071/llt.v26i2.6731

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2023 Louiza BELAID

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Indexed and abstracted in:

    

 

LLT Journal Sinta 2 Certificate (S2 = Level 2)

We would like to inform you that LLT Journal: A Journal on Language and Language Teaching has been nationally accredited Sinta 2 by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia based on the decree  No. Surat Keputusan 158/E/KPT/2021. Validity for 5 years: Vol 23 No 1, 2020 till Vol 27 No 2, 2024

  

 

This work is licensed under CC BY-SA.

Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

 

Free counters!


 LLT Journal: A Journal on Language and Language Teaching, DOI: https://doi.org/10.24071/llt, e-ISSN 2579-9533 and p-ISSN 1410-7201is published twice a year, namely in April and October by the English Language Education Study Programme of Teacher Training and Education Faculty of Sanata Dharma University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.