INTEGRATING CULTURE INTO ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING

Abstrak

This article examines the importance of integrating culture into EFL teaching and analyzes the relationship between language and culture. The paper discusses major theoretical perspectives proposed by scholars such as Edward Sapir, Michael Byram, Claire Kramsch, and Dell Hymes, who emphasize the inseparable connection between language and cultural understanding. Furthermore, the article explores the role of cultural awareness in improving learners’ communicative competence, motivation, and global interaction skills. Different approaches to cultural integration in the EFL classroom are compared and critically analyzed. The article argues that effective English teaching should include cultural elements in order to prepare learners for authentic communication in multicultural contexts. Finally, the paper highlights practical implications for teachers and educational institutions, stressing the need for culturally responsive teaching methods. The study concludes that integrating culture into EFL instruction contributes significantly to learners’ linguistic, social, and intercultural development