Cross-Cultural Perspectives in EFL Education
Exploring Indonesian Students’ Narrative Experiences through Local Folktales
Abstract
This study examines the experiences and interpretations of cross-cultural perspectives by English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students through narrative writing inspired by Indonesian folktales. This research, rooted in Byram’s Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) framework and Narrative Inquiry theory, investigates students' capacity to maintain cultural identity in English and the obstacles encountered in cultural-linguistic expression. A qualitative descriptive design was employed, utilising data from 50 student-authored English narratives, which were analysed through rubric-based coding corresponding to ICC dimensions (cultural accuracy, use of local terminology, translation techniques, and intercultural misunderstandings) and narrative inquiry criteria (voice, structure, and reflection). Research indicates that the majority of students exhibited cultural awareness and adaptive linguistic strategies: 86% maintained cultural accuracy, 90% retained local terminology, and 78% employed adaptive translation methods. Furthermore, 86% had a logical structure, reflective significance, and an individual voice. Nonetheless, 22% shown dependence on literal translation, while 14% revealed intercultural misinterpretation or narrative disjunction. These findings confirm that culturally rooted narrative writing improves linguistic development and intercultural understanding. The research provides empirical support for the incorporation of local culture texts into English as a Foreign Language training and advocates for instructional scaffolding in metaphor, pragmatics, and narrative discourse.
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