ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the question of how students can learn about culture while learning a new language. It focuses on a study which was conducted in Central Java, Indonesia, with English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers who had all graduated from the same university’s English teacher education program. The study used qualitative methods to learn about how Indonesian EFL teachers teach about unfamiliar cultures. Culture is a central and essential aspect of language study because culture and language are inextricably linked—language use is a cultural practice, and culture is expressed through language. Despite the deep connection between language and culture, in many contexts, education policy does not support the integration of cultural content in language classrooms. In Central Java, Javanese is the most commonly used language in homes and social settings. English is designated the “first foreign language”, and is compulsory in secondary school, when students receive between 5 and 11 hours of weekly English instruction.
