Learning English as a Foreign Language and its Impact on Learners’ Cultural Identity: The Case of 3rd year English LMD Students at BELHADJ BOUCHAIB University Centre

Abstract

The relationship between language and identity has been for years a subject of considerable debates in academic writings. However, theories regarding this connection have been tested in the field of EFL learners. The present research is an attempt to examine the area of learning English as a foreign language and its psychological impact on the learners‟ cultural identity. Moreover, this extended essay is set to scrutinize and provide a deep understanding to the correlation between language, culture and identity and how the exposure to a foreign language can contribute in the emergence of bicultural and a hybrid identity. Finally, it examines the learners‟ current perception of their Algerian identities and what changes it has undergone since the start of the learning process of English language and whether the change is conceived as positive or negative. The research was carried adopting a mixed method approach; the data were elicited by means of two research instruments, a questionnaire and an interview were administered to third year EFL students in Belhadj-Bouchaib university center. The findings indicated that the impact encountered almost all aspects of identity rather than just the cultural one. Furthermore, the results indicated that learning English has a strong impact on learners‟ world views where learners‟ perspectives have drastically changed over the years. The majority of participants exhibited a strong inclination to the western lifestyle and beliefs reflecting to a high extent the formation of a bicultural identity combining both Algerian and western traits which validate the research hypotheses.