Beyond Language Proficiency: Investigating Socio-Cultural Communication Practices in English Learning among University Students

Abstract

Learning English in higher education has typically focused on the development of language competence. This study explored the socio-cultural communication in the English acquisition of university students, especially their negotiation of meaning, cultural identity building, responses to diversity and classroom communication adaptability. A qualitative study approach was adopted in an effort to explore the students' communication experiences in the real learning contexts in depth. Data were obtained through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and document analysis. The results highlight the importance of socio-cultural elements in students’ English communication. Learners clarified, repeated, reworded, contextualized and adapted to overcome language and culture misinterpretations. The results indicate that students often employed local cultural experiences and personal identities as tools for meaning-making and participation in classroom activities. Collaborative educational activities, especially dyadic and group dialogs, offered an opportunity for learners to negotiate interpretations and to engage different perspectives. However, the document analysis showed that socio-cultural communication was not routinely specified as a clearly defined learning aim or assessment criterion. This study implies that English language training in higher education should go beyond the narrow focus on linguistic competence and systematically integrate socio-cultural communication into educational objectives, pedagogical strategies and assessment.