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EXPLORING STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF CULTURAL DIFFERENCES AND
SIMILARITIES THROUGH ENGLISH LANGUAGE DISCUSSIONS
A azbeko a Fo imakhon Zami bek’s daugh e
S uden o Namangan s a e uni e si y
Email: o imaa azbe[email p o ec ed]
Phone numb+998949170604
Abs ac . In my a icle, I explo e how English discussions help s uden s unde s and bo h he
di e ences and simila i ies be ween cul u es. Today, English is no only a subjec o s udy bu also
i ’s a ool ha allows s uden s o iew he wo ld h ough di e en cul u al pe spec i es. By using
class oom obse a ions, in e iews, and s uden s’ own e lec ions, I show how guided discussions
gi e lea ne s he chance o exp ess hei hough s, challenge s e eo ypes, and be e unde s and
cul u al di e si y. The esul s o my s udy also e eal ha hese con e sa ions help s uden s g ow
mo e empa he ic, cu ious, ole an , and con iden when communica ing wi h people om o he
cul u es.
Keywo ds: in e cul u al compe ence; cul u al di e ences; cul u al simila i ies; EFL discussions;
s uden pe cep ions; global awa eness; ole ance; iden i y.
ИССЛЕДОВАНИЕ ВОСПРИЯТИЯ СТУДЕНТАМИ КУЛЬТУРНЫХ РАЗЛИЧИЙ И
СХОДСТВ В ПРОЦЕССЕ ОБСУЖДЕНИЙ НА АНГЛИЙСКОМ ЯЗЫКЕ
Авазбекова Фотимахон Замирбековна
Студентка Наманганского государственного университета
Электронная почта: [email p o ec ed]
Телефон: +998949170604
Аннотация. статье исследуется, каким образом обсуждения на английском языке помогают
студентам осознавать, сравнивать и глубже прочувствовать культурные различия и сходства. В
современном образовательном пространстве, где английский язык играет роль универсального
средства общения, студенты не просто изучают грамматику или лексику — они учатся видеть
мир глазами представителей разных культур. Исследование основано на наблюдениях,
полуформальных интервью, письменных рефлексиях студентов и тематическом анализе.
Полученные данные показывают, что обсуждение культурных тем способствует развитию
эмпатии, терпимости, критического мышления и способности вести диалог в межкультурных
ситуациях.
Ключевые слова: межкультурная компетентность; культурные различия; культурные
сходства; восприятие студентов; дискуссии на английском языке; глобальная осведомлённость;
толерантность; культурная идентичность.
INTRODUCTION
In ecen yea s, globaliza ion has changed how people communica e, in e ac , and e en shape hei
iden i ies. English now plays a majo ole in b inging di e en cul u es oge he , which makes
in e cul u al compe ence an essen ial pa o language lea ning. Today’s EFL lea ne s need mo e han
g amma and p onuncia ion — hey also need o unde s and how cul u al alues in luence
communica ion, beha io , poli eness, and he way people see he wo ld.
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English class ooms na u ally ga he s uden s wi h di e en backg ounds and expe iences. E en when
s uden s a e om he same coun y, hei exposu e o media, echnology, a el, and amily adi ions
can a y widely. This c ea es a ich en i onmen o cul u al lea ning. Th ough guided discussions,
s uden s can sha e hei ideas, lis en o one ano he , cla i y misunde s andings, and build a deepe
sense o cul u al unde s anding. These con e sa ions help hem no ice bo h cul u al di e ences and
he uni e sal simila i ies ha connec people ac oss he wo ld.
In my a icle, I explo e how s uden s expe ience cul u al di e ences and simila i ies du ing English-
language discussions. I also aim o show how in e cul u al dialogue suppo s hei pe sonal
de elopmen , social awa eness, and communica ion skills.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Resea che s ag ee ha language and cul u e canno be sepa a ed. As K amsch [4] explains, language
e lec s he cul u e behind i , o be mo e speci ic, i s alues, belie s, sense o humo , emo ions, and
way o seeing he wo ld. This means ha lea ning a o eign language is no jus abou s udying
g amma ; i also in ol es en e ing a new cul u al space. By am [1] adds ha in e cul u al
communica i e compe ence includes being able o compa e cul u es, unde s and un amilia
beha io s, and in e ac espec ully wi h people om di e en backg ounds.
S uden s o m hei cul u al iews h ough many in luences such as amily, school, media, social
ne wo ks, and pe sonal expe iences. Dea do [3] poin s ou ha hese ac o s shape how lea ne s
in e p e cul u al beha io and whe he hey eac wi h in e es o discom o . Misunde s andings
o en come om s e eo ypes, o e simpli ied ideas, o lack o exposu e. In EFL class ooms, whe e
eal in e cul u al con ac may be limi ed, guided discussions play an impo an ole in expanding
s uden s’ cul u al awa eness.
English discussions also gi e lea ne s eal communica ion p ac ice. Richa ds and Rodge s [6] s a e
ha dialogue-based lea ning helps s uden s sha e opinions, hink c i ically, in e ac na u ally, and use
language mo e c ea i ely. S udies show ha discussing cul u al opics can:
• inc ease mo i a ion
• encou age empa hy and ole ance
• make language lea ning mo e meaning ul
• help s uden s hink mo e lexibly
• lowe communica ion anxie y [5]
The e o e, class oom discussions suppo bo h language de elopmen and s uden s’ social and
emo ional g ow h.
METHODOLOGY
In my s udy, I used a quali a i e app oach o explo e how s uden s pe cei e cul u al di e ences and
simila i ies du ing English-language discussions. I collec ed da a h ough semi-s uc u ed g oup
discussions and pe sonal e lec ions om 30 uni e si y s uden s om di e se cul u al backg ounds.
I also used open-ended ques ions so ha s uden s could eely sha e hei expe iences and ideas.
I eco ded all he discussions, yped hem ou , and ca e ully coded he da a o iden i y common
hemes. Using hema ic analysis, I g ouped he in o ma ion in o meaning ul ca ego ies such as
communica ion s yles, cul u al alues, and sha ed expe iences. Th oughou he s udy, I ollowed s ic
e hical p inciples: s uden s ga e hei in o med consen , hei in o ma ion was kep con iden ial, and
pa icipa ion was comple ely olun a y.
ANALYSES AND RESULTS
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The da a collec ed om 30 uni e si y s uden s we e examined h ough hema ic analysis. This helped
me iden i y clea pa e ns in how s uden s unde s ood cul u al di e ences and simila i ies du ing
English-language discussions. I ocused on se e al key a eas: communica ion s yles, a i udes owa d
cul u al di e si y, sha ed expe iences, and challenges ha appea ed du ing in e ac ion.
One majo heme was he di e ence in how s uden s communica ed. Some came om cul u es whe e
being di ec is no mal, so hey sha ed hei opinions openly. O he s, who we e used o mo e indi ec
communica ion, exp essed hei ideas ca e ully and poli ely. A i s , hese di e ences caused small
misunde s andings. Howe e , as he discussions con inued, s uden s began o unde s and each o he ’s
s yles be e . Many old me hey became mo e espec ul, pa ien , and open o al e na i e ways o
exp essing ideas.
S uden s also ecognized bo h di e ences and simila i ies in hei cul u al alues. They men ioned
ha hei adi ions and cus oms some imes a ied, bu hey s ill sha ed common alues such as
espec , coope a ion, and he desi e o lea n. Some e en said hey we e su p ised o ind unexpec ed
cul u al o e laps du ing he discussions. These momen s helped hem challenge and mo e beyond
s e eo ypes hey p e iously held.
When i comes o he discussions, s uden s o en e lec ed on hei in e ac ions. Se e al admi ed ha
hey had misin e p e ed someone’s beha io a i s , only o la e ealize ha i made sense wi hin ha
pe son’s cul u al backg ound. I ound hese e lec ions especially powe ul because hey showed how
he discussions encou aged eal empa hy. S uden s we e no jus p ac icing English, Wha I mean by
his is ha , hey we e lea ning how o unde s and o he s on a deepe le el.
The e we e also challenges. Some s uden s ound i ha d o exp ess complex cul u al ideas in English,
which some imes limi ed how much hey could say. Bu hese di icul ies pushed hem o adap . They
used examples, ges u es, and simple analogies o make hei meaning clea . Su p isingly, many
s uden s disco e ed simila i ies hey did no expec , such as simila jokes, sha ed conce ns abou
s udies, and amilia social expec a ions. These disco e ies helped educe he sense o cul u al
dis ance.
All hings conside ed, he analysis showed ha English-language discussions a e a powe ul ool o
helping s uden s explo e bo h cul u al di e ences and sha ed alues. S uden s lea ned o app ecia e
di e se pe spec i es while also inding common g ound. This combina ion o di e ence and
simila i y made hei in e ac ions iche and mo e meaning ul. Including s uden s’ own quo es in he
analysis allowed me o be e unde s and how hey nego ia ed cul u al pe cep ions in eal ime.
CONCLUSION
In his s udy, I ound ha English-language discussions c ea e a li ely and meaning ul space whe e
s uden s no only p ac ise hei language skills bu also widen hei unde s anding o di e en cul u es.
When s uden s a e gi en he chance o alk openly abou cul u al di e ences and simila i ies, hey
begin o see global di e si y in a clea e and mo e hough ul way. Many s uden s old me ha hese
discussions helped hem lea n new hings abou hei own cul u e as well as o he s’, which shows ha
in e cul u al dialogue encou ages eal sel - e lec ion.
I also no iced ha discussion-based lea ning helps s uden s challenge s e eo ypes, ques ion hei
assump ions, and app oach cul u al issues wi h mo e ca e. These con e sa ions s eng hened s uden s’
empa hy — a skill ha is becoming mo e impo an as people om di e en backg ounds in e ac
e e y day. Th ough guided discussions, s uden s lea ned o hink mo e lexibly, compa e cul u al
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iewpoin s, ecognize sha ed human alues, and unde s and ha cul u al no ms come om his o y
and adi ion.
F om a language-lea ning pe spec i e, I saw ha cul u al opics made lessons mo e engaging and
meaning ul. S uden s became mo e luen , lea ned new ocabula y, and el mo e con iden
exp essing complex ideas. Because hese discussions a e simila o eal-li e communica ion, hey
p epa ed s uden s o u u e in e cul u al expe iences in wo kplaces, uni e si ies, and in e na ional
en i onmen s.
Howe e , I also obse ed se e al challenges. Some s uden s had limi ed exposu e o o he cul u es,
while o he s s uggled wi h he ocabula y needed o alk abou cul u al issues. S e eo ypes also
appea ed a imes. These challenges showed me he impo ance o ca e ul eaching such as
in oducing key ocabula y, guiding discussions hough ully, and c ea ing a sa e and iendly
a mosphe e whe e s uden s eel com o able sha ing.
O e all, my esea ch con i ms ha including in e cul u al dialogue in English lessons is no only
help ul bu necessa y. I suppo s s uden s’ o e all g ow h by imp o ing language skills, cul u al
awa eness, emo ional in elligence, and global ci izenship. As English con inues o se e as a b idge
be ween cul u es, I belie e i is ou esponsibili y as language eache s o help s uden s become no
jus luen speake s, bu also empa he ic, open-minded indi iduals who can communica e espec ully
in a mul icul u al wo ld.
REFERENCES
1. By am, M. (1997). Teaching and Assessing In e cul u al Communica i e Compe ence.
Mul ilingual Ma e s.
2. C ys al, D. (2019). The Camb idge Encyclopedia o he English Language. Camb idge Uni e si y
P ess.
3. Dea do , D. (2006). “Iden i ica ion and Assessmen o In e cul u al Compe ence”. Jou nal o
S udies in In e na ional Educa ion, 10(3).
4. K amsch, C. (1993). Con ex and Cul u e in Language Teaching. Ox o d Uni e si y P ess.
5. Ma suo, M. (2020). “Cul u al Discussions in EFL Class ooms: Impac on S uden Mo i a ion”.
Language Teaching Resea ch, 24(6).
6. Richa ds, J., & Rodge s, T. (2014). App oaches and Me hods in Language Teaching. Camb idge
Uni e si y P ess.
