Home Culture Attachment and Comprehending L2 Written Texts: A Study on EFL learners in Iran

Abstract

Most research on second language and culture concentrates on learning the target culture in order to better understand the second language. This survey study looks at culture from a different perspective i.e., from the learners’ own culture point of view. It focuses on the relationship that exists between attachment to one’s home culture and comprehending written texts in a foreign language. This study clarifies some of the hindering factors that are involved in miscomprehending or not comprehending the L2 written passages which can be noteworthy both for L2 teachers and L2 learners. In this study 228 homogeneous L2 learners participated. They took TOEFL reading tests and filled out a Home Culture Attachment questionnaire. This study found that among the underlying factors of the scale, Religious and Nationality attachments had negative relationships with the reading score of the learners. It can be inferred from the findings that being biased towards some beliefs may limit the flexibility of the mind in the process of comprehending L2 passages.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n4s3p383