The importance of American culture is undeniable in English language.Therefore, investigating new ways to motivate students to learn American culture isapparently necessary to gain effec
Rationale
Foreign language learning comprises multiple components—grammatical competence, communicative competence, and overall language proficiency—along with changes in attitudes toward one’s own culture or the culture of others Cultural competence, defined as knowledge of the conventions, customs, beliefs, and systems of meaning of another country, is widely regarded as an integral part of foreign language learning, and many teachers aim to incorporate culture teaching into the foreign language curriculum.
In Vietnam, in recent years, English as a foreign language has gained considerable attention It has become a compulsory subject in the syllabus of many schools, colleges and universities However, the fact is that the combination of culture and English teaching-learning process has not been effective yet, especially that in gifted high schools like Lam Son Gifted High School- Thanh Hoa province. There are still many English gifted students who have low motivation in learning English and cannot understand English-American culture.
As a teacher of English at Lam Son Gifted High School, the researcher is concerned about the teaching methods to promote her students' motivation in learning English and understanding American culture She also realizes that movie is the product of a series of modern technology, containing elements of art, language and culture, so movies can be viewed as a useful tool for teaching and learning culture Language and culture are two factors that cannot be separated In order to learn a foreign language, we have to learn the culture along with perceiving the language Among English – speaking countries, American culture is more abundant than other cultures in England, Canada… Thus, the researcher decided to introduce American culture to 11 th form English gifted students through theAmerican movies presented in English class at Lam Son Gifted High School Also, among different teaching methods, using American movies into the lessons is considered a method that is worth trying and investigating.
Aims of the study
The purpose of the study is to investigate the effectiveness of usingAmerican movies in lessons to promote 11th form English gifted students at LamSon Gifted High School - Thanh Hoa province to learn and understand American culture.
Scope of the study
Although there are many ways to motivate students to learn English and to understand American culture, a single thesis cannot cover them all Due to word limits and the study’s timeframe, the researcher focused on investigating the use of American movies as a way to motivate 11th-grade English gifted students to understand American culture at Lam Son Gifted High School The study involved 40 students from two Grade 11 classes at the school.
Methodology
This study was conducted as action research using a mixed-methods design that integrated quantitative and qualitative data, employing survey questionnaires for students and for English teachers, along with systematic classroom observations to triangulate findings and guide iterative cycles of practice improvement.
The thesis is divided into three parts: the introduction, the development, and the conclusion
Part A : Introduction – presents the basic information including rationale, aims, significance, research methods, scope, and the structure of the thesis.
Part B: Development – consists of three chapters.
Chapter 1 provides a literature review on motivation in second language learning, detailing how learner motivation influences effort, persistence, and achievement in acquiring an L2 It also explores culture's role in language teaching and learning, showing how cultural knowledge, values, norms, and social contexts shape instructional approaches, classroom interaction, and learner engagement Furthermore, the chapter examines the relationship between teaching culture and students' motivation, considering how culturally responsive pedagogy, teacher expectations, and classroom culture affect students' willingness to participate, goal setting, and sustained effort in language study Together, these themes reveal how motivation, culture, and instructional practice interact to impact L2 outcomes.
Chapter 2 reports the study’s setting, states the research hypothesis, and details the participants, instruments, data collection procedures, and the analysis methods used, while also presenting the detailed survey results and a critical, comprehensive analysis of the collected data that links findings to the hypotheses and underlying research objectives.
Chapter 3 : Findings – shows major findings and discussions and offers recommendations for motivating students to understand American culture through using American movies in English lessons.
Chapter 4 : Implications on using American movies in motivating 11 th
English gifted students at Lam Son gifted high school to understand American culture.
Part C, the conclusion, provides a concise summary of the study and clearly presents the main findings and conclusions It also discusses the study’s limitations and their potential impact on interpretation, and it offers concrete recommendations for future research to address gaps, validate results, and advance understanding in the field.
PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW
Incorporating culture in an ESL/EFL classroom is inevitable for three core reasons First, culture and language are inseparable: Politzer, as cited in Brooks (1968), argues that language is a cultural tool shaped by social norms and practices, so understanding language requires cultural insight Second, culture provides the context for meaning-making in communication, influencing pragmatics, discourse patterns, and expectations around politeness and turn-taking that learners must master Third, cultural awareness builds intercultural competence and motivation by connecting language study to real-life contexts, making learning more relevant and helping students navigate diverse communicative situations Together, these factors make culturally informed teaching a foundational element of effective ESL/EFL instruction.
As language teachers, we must engage with culture—not merely to teach the culture of another country, but because culture is integral to language instruction Teaching language without also teaching the culture in which it operates yields meaningless symbols, or symbols to which learners attach the wrong meanings; unless they receive cultural instruction, learners will associate foreign symbols with American concepts or objects (p 85–86).
Brown (1994) argues that language is part of culture and culture is part of language, with the two so closely intertwined that separating them would undermine the significance of both This inseparability means that any discussion of language inherently involves its cultural context Consequently, when we talk about language—and especially language teaching—it is natural and essential to address cultural dimensions as integral to understanding and learning a language.
American history began with waves of immigrants who brought their cultures and traditions to a vast new land The trajectory of American culture has been toward multiculturalism rather than assimilation, with immigrant populations transforming the United States into a true cultural mosaic rather than blending into a single norm Today, this mosaic comprises diverse cultures and regional identities, each with its own distinct characteristics and flavors.
1.2 The role of culture in foreign language teaching
Language is both a facet of culture and a driver of cultural development, with many sociologists treating it as the keystone of culture Without language, culture would lack its means of transmission, while language itself is continually shaped by cultural norms and values Consequently, culture plays a central role in language teaching, a view widely acknowledged in English-education circles Since Hammerly’s 1982 work, researchers have shown a close relationship between language learning and the perception of national cultural development, illustrating that language emerges from and is inseparably linked to culture In short, language and culture cannot be separated, and learners must acquire the culture embedded in the language to learn it effectively.
Linguists and anthropologists have long shown that the forms and uses of a language mirror a society’s cultural values Simply attaining linguistic competence is not enough for true communication in a new language; learners must also master culturally appropriate ways to address others, show gratitude, make requests, and navigate agreement or disagreement They need to understand that behaviors and intonation patterns acceptable in their own community may be interpreted differently by speakers of the target language For successful intercultural communication, language use must be integrated with culturally appropriate behavior and social norms.
Culture is largely learned implicitly through the linguistic forms students study, so teachers can raise awareness by making cultural features an explicit topic of discussion alongside the language forms being taught By analyzing how language encodes social relationships, educators can explain the different terms of address that vary with age, gender, and the degree of intimacy between speaker and listener, and show how these choices reflect cultural norms In Indonesian culture and society, using the appropriate term of address is important for respectful and effective communication Without understanding the cultural background behind the vocabulary, learners may encounter communicative hiccups or misunderstandings.
Cross-cultural awareness shapes successful foreign-language learning because cultural differences can trigger awkward situations if not understood For example, in Indonesian culture, standing with arms akimbo can be seen as impolite or arrogant, making the learning of local body language and gestures essential to prevent misunderstanding In this context, Byram (1989) placed cultural studies at the core of foreign language education and proposed a four-component model—language learning, language awareness, cultural experience, and cultural awareness (p 64) Byram and Morgan (1994) further argued that cultural learning should be an integral part of language learning, and vice versa (p.97).
Culture is an integral part of foreign language teaching and a key driver in achieving communicative competence within schools By weaving cultural elements into language lessons, educators help learners understand not only the linguistic content but also the cultural context in which communication occurs, enabling more authentic and effective interactions Recognizing these cultural factors enhances foreign language learning by supporting learners to interpret meaning, navigate social norms, and convey messages accurately in real-world conversations Consequently, language learning goals should emphasize both mastery of vocabulary and grammar and the deeper meanings embedded in cultural information This holistic approach to language education fosters true communicative competence.
1.3 The role of movies in teaching and learning culture
When students do not have the chance to experience the culture of the target country, one effective approach is to have them watch films from that culture In his book Movie and Television in Education, Robert Watson (1990, p.3) stated that “the culture provided by all the mass media, but particularly by movie and television, represents the most significant environmental factor that teachers have to take into account.” This underscores how mass media—especially cinema and TV—can be the primary avenue for cultural exposure, helping learners grasp the norms, values, and social practices of the target culture even when travel isn’t possible.
Movies are one component of a broader family of modern, technology-driven learning tools They are a means of expression, a language, and an art form grounded in contemporary technology By watching films, students’ understanding of the target culture is deepened, and their interest in related cultural fields is nurtured Groves (1996) supports this view, and Thorold’s (1964) findings—quoted by Groves—show that it is only when exploring cinema’s potential for language learning and cultural understanding that students begin to discuss a wide range of aspects—historical, philosophical, linguistic, psychological, sociological, geographical, and architectural—that can be found in a single movie This highlights cinema as a powerful tool for cultural literacy, language development, and interdisciplinary inquiry in higher education.