Paper Ccu

PAPER
CROSS CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING
BY:
MARYAMAH
2019.05.01.00007
Constructed By: Mrs. Linta Wafdan Hidayah, S.S., M.Pd.
ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION FACULTY
UNIVERSITAS ISLAM MADURA
2021
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INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of Study

Language and culture are two interrelated aspects that cannot be separated. In the
case of teaching and learning English as a foreign language, cross cultural
understanding becomes one of the most important aspects that must be recognized by
language learners. Sugirin (2009:1) states that for the success of English Language
Teaching (ELT), the teachers must have good understanding of the Indonesian cultures
and qualified competencies of English as well as the cultures of English speakers. One
of the ways in balancing students’ competencies in both language and culture,
especially those learning English as a foreign language, is by giving Cross Cultural
Understanding (CCU) course. For the students of English Education Department, the
insight of cross cultural understanding would be very crucial as they would also be
English teachers giving lessons about English language and culture in the future.
Furthermore, by understanding both the language and the culture, the language learners
would be able to use foreign language appropriately, i.e. the ability of using foreign
language based on the grammatical rules as well as the context of situation.
Considering the aforementioned needs, creating conducive and interactive
classroom setting would be a good strategy to enhance students’ understanding and
invite students’ excitement toward the course. In order to establish these kinds of
situations, active learning strategies equipped with integrated steps would be potentially
advantageous. By using active learning strategies, students would not only be
considered as the receivers. Furthermore, the classroom activities provided by the
lecturers would not be monotonous where lecturers are considered as the central of
information (the senders).
This paper proposes some active learning strategies in teaching cross cultural
understanding for the students of English Education Department. The main purpose of
these strategies is to give understanding about the importance of cross cultural
understanding for ELT. Other purposes are correlated with teaching skills, i.e. to train
students’ ability in delivering materials and encourage students’ creativity in creating
classroom activities with cross cultural understanding aspect on it. Establishing these
purposes hopefully would also be beneficial in preparing the students’ role as future
English teachers.
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1.2 Problem of Study
1) What is definition of Cross Cultural Understanding?
2) Why CCU it so important in learning English?
3) What is the benefit of CCU for teaching?
1.3 Purpose of the Study
1) To know definition of Cross Cultural Understanding?
2) We can know the reason why CCU it so important
3) To know about the benefit of CCU for teaching
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DISCUSSION
2.1 Definition of Cross Cultural Understanding

Cross Cultural Understanding (CCU) is one of required courses in English
Language Teaching which aims at connecting language and culture so that language
learners can use foreign language appropriately, i.e. appropriate forms of language for
appropriate context of situation. However, some obstacles usually occur during the
course, for examples: students’ lack of understanding that lead to opinions stating that
this is a boring and useless course, and large number of students within a class where
lecturer must teach more than 40 students in one class. Considering the importance of
CCU course as well as the needs to overcome the problems during this course, this
paper proposes some particular teaching strategies to help students in apprehending
CCU materials through students’ active participations. Active learning strategies are
preferred by means of raising students’ participation and critical thinking so that the
class would run more effectively. Other consideration in composing the strategies is to
prepare English Education students to be future English language teachers by training
their ability in teaching performance as well as connecting language and culture in
English Language Teaching (ELT).
Cross-cultural understanding is needed wherever there are cultural differences, it
would seem most appropriate to focus on the development of a way of thinking about
human behavior and its cultural determinants (Parsons, 1962). Cultural differences are
the main issues in cross-cultural education (Grant & Lei, 2001). Recognizing the
differences between people with different cultural background such as religion,
ethnics, belief is a must. Cross-cultural understanding is the ability to recognize
the (cultural) differences, make correct interpretation and react properly to people or
situations in the communication with these communities (Sugirin, 2009). Cross-
cultural understanding is important not only in communication between people by
different nationality or language but also people of the same nationality but have
different culture.
Cross culture understanding plays a significant role in communicating with
people from different countries. Language and culture are inseparable. Therefore, when
learners are learning a language, at the same time they should learn the culture of the
country and the people of where the language is from, in order to avoid
miscommunication and misunderstanding. Cross cultural understanding simply refers to
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the basic ability of people to recognize, interpret and correctly react to people,
incidences or situations that are open to misunderstanding due to cultural differences.
Reynold (2004: 57) if we are to communicate successfully across cultures, we
must recognize the power of language. Think of how language can be charged with
feeling, how it can galvanize and cause upheaval.
The guidelines to use language effectively and sensitively to facilitate
communication (see: Reynold,2004:63)
 Be aware
Non native speaker are often unfamiliar with idiom and confuse by the shades of
meaning of words. Pretending to understand when you don’t is often dictated by
culture’s desires to be courteous, to seek harmony and conversation-free
relationship, and to avoid embarrassment. After all, needing to ask a question
means that they didn’t understand.
 Choose words carefully
Words are powerful: they can hurt or support. To communicate cross-culturally,
avoid words that disrespect or belittle others. Remember that jokes can also wound,
especially the kind that make fun of a people or their beliefs. Finally, remember
that many cultures that communicate indirectly may find directness rude or
threatening.
 Avoid idioms, slang, jargon, acronyms.
These expressions are seldom taught at school or in formal language courses.
 Respect the basic rules of correct grammar and standard syntax.
Most people who learn second languages know their grammar.
 Be polite and formal
Indonesian people are not as casual as other people from different countries. Be
polite. Avoid informality.
 Avoid jokes and humor
Be ware of sharing the latest joke. Humor, often based on word play, puns, or
shared cultural references, is one of the most difficult things to translate. Also,
remember that laughter in many cultures signifies embarrassment or nervousness.
 Listen
Listening is a very powerful communication tool : it involves putting aside your
own self- interest so that you can step behind another’s eyes and see things from
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that perspective. This is a great compliment to the person with whom you’re
communicating as well as tangible proof of your commitment to understanding.
 Value Silence
Try to become more comfortable with silence. For example, many Asian cultures
appreciate periods of silence and do not like to be hurried.
2.2 The Importance of Cross Cultural Understanding

Language incidents will be the serious problem because language is a means of
cultural transmission, language is what people use to talk about the things that are
important to them, language is a mean of interaction between and among people.
Once we move to a new country or a new culture, the adaption stars; we
subconciously star to get used the new norms as time goes. If unable to communicate
with other people in new country or new culture it will becomes serious problem. Such
problems may becomes obstacles for us in doing activities. Kinds of incidents that will
might face such as culture shock and language incidents.
The importance of learning Cross Cultural Understanding because learning a
foreign language is not a part from learning the culture of the language user. This is to
help them avoid making non-language mistake, and to assist with knowledge to
understand them native speakers of the language, further if they have to opportunity to
go abroad, they may survive a culture shock.
Actually, the Cross Cultural Understanding is the basic of learn a foreign
language (not arrange or choose a word). How to make communication with the owner
of native language, because there are many different expressions, we can not translate
one by one or lexical, because it has the big connection with custom and culture and
also situation and conditions. Cross Cultural Understanding is to understand the
relationship among different countries. It means that Cross Cultural Understanding is
the way to understand the different culture of different country to avoid
misunderstanding.
2.3 The Benefit of Cross Cultural Understanding for teaching

Cross-Cultural Understanding helps us to know other people's perception from
another part of the world. We can know about other people's feelings from another
region in the world, from another country which full of different cultures. It helps us to
make a good relationship or connection to others although we are live from a different
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place with a different culture, beliefs and religions. Cross-Cultural Understanding act as
a guide in our way of communicating with other people.
The point of language teaching is to be able to communicate with others, and by
communicating it’s not only about grammar or pronunciation. Manners in this case also
matter, so Cross-Cultural Understanding will be beneficial to be taught to our students.
So they will be able to communicate with good manners. As the benefits for the
teacher, by studying Cross-Cultural Understanding, it can help us to understand our
students better. Because maybe someday we will have the chance to teach abroad or we
will have students from another country. If it is not from other countries it is also not a
problem, because in Indonesia there are many different cultures, so learning about
Cross Technical Understanding will be important for teachers. The other benefit is we
can increase our respect awareness to others.
This cross-cultural understanding also enriches our culture. We can share with
others and we can get new things that we have not ever heard before. Sometimes we
know that try to communicate with other people with a lot of differences with us is
difficult. So sometimes we need to understand them to understand their perception and
understanding how they think because their sunglasses is not the same as ours. It will
be great if we can look with each other with different sunglasses and It will be amazing
if we can see how people see the world.
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Question Section
1. Please give explanation about definition of CCU!

2. To avoid miscommunication with people that different country we have to........
(Reynold: 2004)
3. Why we must learning CCU?
4. What is the benefit of teaching CCU?
5. Please give an example CCU between Indonesia with other countries!
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REFERENCES
Pratama, Ikke Dewi. 2017. Active Learning Strategies in Teaching Cross Cultural
Understanding for English Education Students. Edulite, Volume 2, Number 1,
2017
Yulianti, Ni Ketut Dewi. 2015. Cross Cultural Understanding in Learning. Denpasar:

isi-dps.ac.id
Farkhan, Al Anfa. 2020. The Benefit of Cross Cultural Understanding.___________:

spada.uns.ac.id
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PAPER

CROSS CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING

Constructed By: Mrs. Linta Wafdan Hidayah, S.S., M.Pd.

ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

1.1 Background of Study

2.1 Definition of Cross Cultural Understanding

2.2 The Importance of Cross Cultural Understanding

2.3 The Benefit of Cross Cultural Understanding for teaching

1. Please give explanation about definition of CCU!

Yulianti, Ni Ketut Dewi. 2015. Cross Cultural Understanding in Learning. Denpasar:

Farkhan, Al Anfa. 2020. The Benefit of Cross Cultural Understanding.___________:

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