Investigating the Compatibility of ELT Material with Pakistani Culture

Abstract

This mixed-methods study explored the role of cultural representation in English Language Teaching (ELT) within the Pakistani context and examined its impacts on language learning. Specifically, it investigates the cultural compatibility of intermediate-level ELT materials to record the impact of ELT texts, the influence of the texts on language learners’ perceptions, and to discuss the cultural perspective regarding ELT materials. The study evaluates the textbooks prescribed by the Punjab Textbook Board (PTB) for cultural relevance, highlighting instances of cross-cultural contrasts and elements irrelevant to Pakistani culture. It focused on identifying the cultural relevance in the English textbooks authored by foreigners with limited knowledge about the learners’ culture. A Likert-scale questionnaire was administered to learners to collect data, and the learners’ responses were analyzed using MS Excel and R. The findings revealed that a significant portion of the content lacked cultural alignment, which may influence learners’ engagement and comprehension. These results underscore the need for culturally responsive materials in ELT to enhance relevance and learner motivation in the Pakistani context.