PERCEPTIONS OF TAMIL VERNACULAR PRIMARY ESL TEACHERS ON CULTURAL RELEVANCE IN THE COMMON EUROPEAN FRAMEWORK FOR REFERENCE FOR LANGUAGES (CEFR)-ALIGNED TEXTBOOKS: A SURVEY

ABSTRACT: This study examines how Tamil vernacular primary school teachers view the cultural relevance of the CEFR-aligned English textbook used in Malaysia. Existing research on CEFR-aligned textbooks often overlooks the unique perspectives of local school teachers, who must grapple with the complexities of integrating local identities into the European CEFR framework Given the substantial impact that textbooks have on pupils’ language learning, classroom participation, and knowledge of culture, the purpose of this study is to ascertain how teachers view the cultural components in the textbooks. Using a survey design, the study collected data from 37 in-service ESL teachers and interviewed 4 teachers in 4 Tamil vernacular primary schools located in two different states. By utilizing a descriptive and thematic approach to analyze the questionnaires and in-depth interviews’ data, this study enquires three research questions: teachers’ difficulties incorporating cultural content, their opinions on the cultural relevance of CEFR-aligned textbooks, and recommendations for enhancing these materials. The findings indicate a significant discrepancy between the diverse cultural backgrounds of Malaysian pupils and the CEFR-aligned textbooks’ predominantly westernized content. Teachers listed a variety of challenges, such as a lack of resources, time constraints, curricular limitations, and insufficient professional development, that hinder the effective integration of cultural perspectives. In response, they suggested additional time for curriculum modification, improved support and guidance, local culture-focused legislative reforms, and targeted professional development in order to improve cross-cultural integration and support curriculum creation and language instruction for a diverse pupils’ population, highlighting the value of professional development and additional resources.

KEYWORDS: Cultural relevance, CEFR-aligned textbooks, Tamil vernacular schools, Teacher perceptions.