Impact of Culturally Sensitive Materials on the Affective Factors A Study of Mizo ESL Learners

Abstract

Appropriateness has been considered to be one of the key elements in learning a language successfully. As such, making the teaching methodology appropriate for the learners, providing them appropriate and suitable learning materials, and feeding them with appropriate inputs are fundamental in attaining a fruitful L2 teaching and successful L2 learning. However, knowing the appropriate and relevant methods for learners with their cognitive level and emotional needs is one of the major issues that emerge in second language education. Hence, determining the appropriateness and suitability of one of such fundamental components for achieving successful L2 learning is the primary aim of the present study. The present study focuses on exploring the appropriateness and suitability of the teaching-learning materials that are culturally sensitive to the learners of Mizoram. Since the previous studies in the context of Mizoram reported that the materials used to teach these learners were not suitable for them, the present study tries to fill this gap by developing materials which are culturally sensitive to them. Simultaneously, other researchers who have used this type of materials in different contexts reported that the materials have the potential to enhance the reading comprehension skills of the learners (Nayak, 2011 Dokka, 2012), their writing skills (Sree, 2013 Dhammapal, 2013 Wangchuk 2014), as well as their communicative skills (Gurbanov, 2014). As such, using the Affective Filter Hypothesis (Krashen, 1981, 1982, 1985) as suitability criterion, the present study tries to determine the suitability of using culturally sensitive materials for the Mizo ESL learners and as well in trying to explain how and why learners in different contexts could improve more easily when materials based on their cultures are used. Therefore, the present study is based on the premise that learners need to have low effective filters to acquire or learn more of the language they are learning. If their affective filters are high, they will not be able to receive most of the input provided to them.