The role of cultural awareness in the EFL classroom

© 2021, Abdullah Kuzu. All rights reserved.Language learning involves four skills named as reading, listening, writing, and speaking for learners to practice both in and outside the classroom. Interaction in the class may be limited to the backgrounds and common values of its members, but once learners are outside the class, pragmatic skills are required to engage in social and cultural aspects. This study aims to examine the qualitative and quantitative studies about cultural awareness in EFL classrooms in a systematic way. Therefore, the meta-synthesis procedure is used as a research design. After applying four specified criteria, 50 studies about cultural and intercultural awareness in EFL classrooms were included to meet the aim of this meta-synthesis. There are two main themes called foundations and acquirements that emerged as a result of the analysis of the studies about cultural and intercultural awareness. Foundations of cultural awareness have four codes named lesson components, interaction, dynamic and personal connection. Furthermore, acquirements of cultural awareness have four codes as conversational competency, cognitive competency, cultural competency, and global involvement