CULTIVATING CROSS CULTURAL-UNDERSTANDING

(CCU) OF PRE-SERVICE ENGLISH TEACHERS IN

SOUTHEAST ASIA (SEA TEACHER)

(A Proposal)

by

Asti Siti Nurazizah

(1907141)
Class A

ENGLISH EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATES
UNIVERSITAS PENDIDIKAN INDONESIA
2021

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 APPROVAL PAGE

ASTI SITI NURAZIZAH

1907141

CULTIVATING CROSS-CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING OF

ENGLISH TEACHERS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA (SEA TEACHER)

Approved by:
Academic Supervisor

Dr.Sri Setyarini,M.A.,Ling
196312291990022001

Head of English Education Program

Prof. Dr. H. Didi Suherdi, M.Ed.

196211011987121

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 CULTIVATING CROSS-CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING OF PRE-
SERVICE ENGLISH TEACHERS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA (SEA
TEACHER)

Abstract

SEA Teachers Project is one of SEAMEO’s international collaboration

programs held by several universities in Southeast Asia to increase students’
cultural awareness and pedagogical experience to be international teachers.
Their experience as international teachers in other countries is expected to
develop a greater sense of cross-cultural understanding (CCU), especially in
education. This study aims to investigate the outcome of the international
teaching internship experience of Philippines, Indonesian and Thai pre-service
English teachers who participated in the ‘SEA-Teacher’ program in developing
their cross-cultural understanding. The result will also addressee the effect of
cross-cultural understanding on their English teaching practice. A qualitative
case study will be used as the research design which employs two data
collection techniques consisting of questionnaires and interviews. The result of
the data will find the benefits of their experience of teaching English as a
foreign language or second language toward their cross-cultural understanding
and its implication in English teaching.

Keywords: Cross-cultural understanding, pre-service teachers, SEA

Teachers

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 I. INTRODUCTION

This chapter covers background of the study, research questions, objective of

the study, significance of the study, scope of the study, and definition of terms.

1.1 Background of The Study

Nowadays, globalization has blurred the geographical boundaries all

over the world, where virtually all countries are connected. It involves all
aspects of life such as social, cultural, economic, and education. In today’s
world, there are many opportunities to involve or create a new international
organization to engage as world citizens. Those organizations can cover
industrial, business, transportation, society, and education. In today’s world,
there are many opportunities to involve in international organizations to engage
as world citizens. Those organizations may work in the industrial, business,
transportation, society, and education sectors. One of the international
organizations is the Southeast Asian Minister of Education Organization
(SEAMEO) is a regional intergovernmental organization established in 1990 to
promote regional cooperation in education, science, culture and religion. The
purpose of SEAMEO is to enhance regional understanding and cooperation for
a better quality of life in Southeast Asia.

One program that promoted by SEAMEO is Southeast Asian Teacher

(SEA Teacher) where teachers from ASEAN countries have the opportunity to
teach across the country in Southeast Asia. SEA Teachers has been conducted
since 2014 serving one of the seven priority areas ‘Revitalizing Teacher
Education’ to improve the quality of education in Southeast Asia. According to
the SEA-Teacher Guidebook (2018) cited in Salcedo (2018), the objectives of
the project is fourfold: (1) to enable the pre-service teachers to develop their
teaching skills and pedagogy, (2) To encourage the pre-service teachers to
practice their English skills, (3) to allow the pre-service teachers to gain a

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broader regional worldview, and (4) to expose future teachers to diverse
teaching and learning situations and opportunities. The participant of SEA
teachers is the undergraduate students (pre-service teachers) from several
universities that must join internship in another country. Referring to the
purpose of the SEA teachers program, is students are expected to have teaching
multicultural experience and cultivating cross-cultural understanding. As the
result, they can see cultural diversity from a different perspective.

Intercultural communication is the ability to interact with people from

another country and culture in a foreign language. In other words, cross-cultural
understanding is “the ability to recognize the (cultural) differences, make
correct interpretation and react properly to people or situations in the
communication with these communities (Sugirin, 2009). Cultivating cross-
cultural understanding is considered to be able to recognize the differences
between people with different cultural background such as religion, ethnics, and
belief. It is important in communication by different nationality and cultures. It
means that people from different cultures know about the value and the culture
between the speaker and the addresser when they conduct interaction. Cross-
cultural understanding is needed wherever there are cultural differences, it
would seem most appropriate to focus on the development of a way of thinking
about human behavior and its cultural determinants (Parsons, 1962). Cultural
differences are the main issues in cross-cultural education (Grant & Lei, 2001).
Moreover, Corbett (2003) also defined cross-cultural understanding in
teaching English context as “the ability to understand the language and
behavior of the target community and explain it to members of the home
community–and vice versa” For example, English language educators should
have an ability to understand the rules and attitudes of the target culture to teach
their learners both the language and the context of the language, which is
culture, as they move between target and native cultures. Therefore, learners
and educators need to recognize and value the similarities and differences

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between native and target cultures and languages, and along the way, acquire “a
more objective view” of their own culture (Corbett, 2003).
In education, learning a foreign language for example English can be
considered as cross-cultural education. In English teaching, the teachers teach
not only linguistic competence but also the society’s culture that uses the
language that is learned. Cross-cultural understanding should be cultivated. Its
goal is to help teachers acquire attitudes, knowledge, and skills needed to
successfully function within their micro-culture, mainstream culture, and the
global community (Sinagatullin, 2003). This process means improving cultural
awareness and cultural sensitivity in the practice and learning a foreign
language.

Through cross-cultural understanding, they emphasized the kinds of

values, attitudes, behaviors, and skills to be fostered through teaching and
learning about peace and diversity, but the delivery varied from country to
country through specialized or carrier subjects. Intending to prepare the next
generation as early as possible, teaching is at the forefront to stimulate
intercultural communicative competence in pupils (Cushner, 2009). They have
a huge task in getting the next generation ready for the awaiting global issues
and they are therefore key instances to accomplish that aim (Cushner, 2009).

Further, due to the ever-growing multiculturalism on a global scale

teachers are more than ever exposed to multicultural diverse school
environments (Santoro & Major, 2012). It is highly relevant that teachers are
prepared for such dynamic conditions, that they can face challenges linked to
this tendency, and that they work competently in those educational spheres. In
short, they have to act as so-called multicultural effective teachers (McAllister
& Irvine, 2010). According to Coryell (2016) having abroad experiences, such
as study, traveling and international internship will foster their global
citizenship. Sea teachers are one of the international programs for teachers to

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teach in another country. Along with this program, it explores the work culture
of a new organization or company and a new country.

There are several of previous researches which proved that international

internship for pre-service teachers provided a lot of good effects in cultivating
cross-cultural awareness. Moreover, Cushner and Mahon (2002) who studied
the impact of international teaching internship on 75 American students joining
Consortium for Overseas Student Teaching (COST) program which placement
took place in many countries like Australia, New Zealand, England, Ireland,
Greece, Japan, Mexico, Switzerland, and Turkey. It showed that student who
teaches English has good intercultural understanding and have open-minded
toward the differences in term of habit, attitude, etc. even if those are some
cultural from the host country who backstab with a culture where they come
from.

Dina (2019) also examined the teachers' experience of Indonesian pre-

service teachers who teach English in the Philippines, from the research it can
be seen that there are three kinds of benefits in terms of global mindedness,
those are understanding a different culture, strengthening global-networking
and promoting respect. Teaching global experiences make them learning the
culture in their host country and respect the differences. It can be said through
international teaching experience, their understanding about a new culture,
which is one aspect of cross-cultural understanding.

Furthermore, Santoro, Drajadi, & Sarosa (2019) researched Indonesian

pre-service who had international teaching practice in Australia and Thailand
for a month. It was found that pre-service teachers had developed their
Intercultural awareness. Both pre-service teachers had developed their basic
cultural understanding in which they were able to articulate their cultural
perspectives on certain things, such as how students of their cultures learn in an
ELT classroom. Furthermore, they were able to extend their perspective to
comparisons with other cultures. They were also able to find common ground

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despite differences in lingua-cultures and to understand the possibilities for
mismatch and miscommunication between specific cultures.

Meanwhile, Czura (2018) examined teachers who participated in an

international internship in Poland and those who did not. The result indicates
that despite some minor discrepancies in the understanding of cross-cultural
understanding between both of them. It showed that having experience abroad
was not embracing their cross-cultural understanding. Still, regardless of the
time spent abroad, the participants seemed to lack the practical skill to develop
this competence in the classroom. It can be said, that to develop their cross-
cultural understanding, they need longer time in international teaching
internship.
However, there were still limited researches about the impact or the
benefits of international teaching internship program on SEA teachers. Those
researches were examined pre-service teachers in the country who use English
as a second language in communication. The others researchers investigate the
experience of pre-service Indonesian teachers who teach in another country.
Yet, this study will focus on Philippine pre-service teachers who teach English
as a foreign language in Indonesia. This study tries to observe not only pre-
service English teachers from Indonesia but from other countries. In this case
Indonesian, Philippine, and Thailand pre-service teachers. Since those who
participated in the SEA teacher program for several years
This present research aims to explore how SEA teachers’ experiences
contribute to the cultivating of cross-cultural understanding and what is the
effect of their understanding of ICC on their English teaching. The SEA
Teacher Project or the “Pre-Service Student Teacher Exchange in Southeast
Asia” is a program that has purposes to provide the opportunity for pre-service
student teachers from universities in Southeast Asia to have teaching
experiences (practicum) in other countries around Southeast Asia.
I.2 Research Questions

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 Concerning the background and thesis statement above, the problems were
formulated follow:
1. How do pre-service English teachers’ experiences cultivate their
cross cultural understanding?
2. What are the effect of cross-cultural understanding toward their
English teaching practice?

I.3 Objectives of The Research

Based on the questions above, the objectives of the research are:

1. To investigate the impacts of the SEA Teacher participation in

Indonesia in terms of cross-cultural understanding.
2. To explore effect of their cross-cultural understanding toward their
English teaching practice.

I.4 Significance of the Study

This research is hopefully useful for both theoretically and practically:

1. Theoretically
The result of the study is expected to support the theory of
experience teaching abroad will give a good impact on cross-
cultural understanding and improving their teaching practice.
2. Practically
a. The result of the study can be used as a reference for lecturers
and teachers in evaluating the way of teaching English as
international language.
b. The result of the study is expected to be used as guidance for
further researchers who want to conduct the research related to SEA
teachers’ experience in cultivating their cross-cultural
understanding

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 I.5 Scope of the Study

This study is qualitative research which focuses on investigating the

pre-service English teachers internship exchange from Indonesia,
Philippine, and Thailand under SEAMEO WHICH cooperating with
schools and universities in Southeast Asia countries, exploring the outcome
pre-service English teachers toward their cross-cultural
understanding.  This research will be limited to only Pre-Service teachers
who joined this program in the eight batches and nine batches. The batches
were chosen considering that these were the most recent ones, so the
participants in this research may provide the most relevant information. 

I.6 Clarification of Key Terms

In order to avoid misunderstanding, some terms used in this

research are defined as follows:
a. SEA Teachers Program
For this research, the author defined an international teaching
internship as the teaching practicum enrolled by Indonesian English
department students in an international setting outside of Indonesia.
The overseas teaching program intended by the author in this
research is The Sea Teacher Project or also called as ‘Pre-Service
Student Teacher Exchange in Southeast Asia held by SEAMEO
cooperating with schools and universities in Southeast Asia
countries.
b. Pre-service English Teachers
The intended definition for pre-service teachers in this study
are students from the English language education department of
teacher training faculties from all around Indonesia who took
teaching practicum under the program Sea-Teacher project.
c. Cross-cultural Understanding

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 Grant & Lei (2001) claim that cultural differences are the main
issues in cross-cultural education.” Without recognizing differences in
traditions and habits among people of different ethnicities, religions,
localities, regions, and countries or nations, confusion and
misunderstanding will continually recur in communication with other
communities. It is the ability to recognize these differences, make
correct interpretations and react properly to people or situations in the
communication with these communities that constitutes the essence of
cross-cultural understanding.

I.7 Thesis Organization

Chapter 1 shows the background of the study, research question,

objective of the research, significance of the study, the scope of the study,
definition in terms, and the organization of the proposal’s chapter.
Chapter 2 reviews the information of SEA teachers program and
the literature related, also includes the issue of Philippine pre-service
English teachers, the definition, concept, and framework of cross-cultural
understanding.
Chapter 3 discusses the method that will be used in the research. It
includes the design, site, participants, data collection technique, and data
analysis.

I.8 Concluding Remarks

This chapter has discussed the introduction of the research. It

includes background of the study, research questions, and purposes of the
study, also the significances and the definition in terms.
The following chapter will review the relevant literature of the
study which involves concept SEA teachers program, including the aim
and the goal of its program and also how their experience as pre-service

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 teachers cultivate their cross-cultural understanding and its effect toward
their teaching practice.

II. LITERATURE REVIEW

This part of study deals with a description about relevant literatures. The
chapter explains some components, those are the framework of cross-cultural
understanding, pre-service English teachers, and SEA Teachers.

2.1 Cross-cultural Understanding Definition and Conceptual mode

Before defining cross-cultural understanding that is very important to
know about the definition of culture first
II.1.1. Culture
a. Definition of Culture
Based on the opinion of Levine (1992), the notion of culture is a
shared background for example national, ethnic, religious from a common
language and communication style, customs, beliefs, attitudes, and values.
Culture is something created by a group of society and has a deal with it.
In Many definitions of culture, Olivier (2008) defined culture in its
broadest sense, as the total of society‘s distinctive ideas beliefs, values,
and knowledge. It exhibits the ways humans interpret their environments.
Based on the explanation of Olivier, the environment can describe a
culture, people can exchange their story, knowledge, and values in the
environment. When the people interact with each other without release it,
there created a culture. In social interaction, they will use a language,
language is a part of a culture as Sapir in Rahayu (2011) stated there is a
connection between cultural norms and linguistic patterns.

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b. Element of culture
Griffin & Pustay in Ramadhan (2014) mentioned the basic
elements of culture were divided into five elements. They are social
structure, language, communication, religion, and values and attitudes.
The interaction of these elements affects the local environment in which
international businesses operate.

1. Language
Every human communicates by language. Language is important to
convey a message to other people. There are many languages in this world
different from others. According to Hofstede (2014) language is the most
clearly recognizable part of the culture. Language can describe someone‘s
culture. We are able to know the culture of people by their language.
Inline to quoted Chomsky in Wen (2014) emphasizes the biological basis
of human language and sees it primarily as a mental faculty, which is a
unique development of the human brain. So, human language is innate,
universal, and different from other animal communication. The language
used by a human is different from animal language.
2. Communication
According to Martin (2013) communication undoubtedly, one
of the most important features of a global manager‘s, job is to
effectively communicate with people from other parts of the world.
Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions, or emotions
by two or more persons.
3. Values and Attitudes
Johansen (2014), culture gives affects the values and attitudes of
the members of a group. Values are principles and standards accepted
by the members; attitudes mean the actions, feelings, and thoughts that
result from that values. Every group of society has a deal such as values

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 that have to be kept strong and they are attitude and value. It is because
they operate together in a group of society.
4. Religion
Every human or group of society will fill their spiritual that is
worship to the God with the worship by their belief. According to
Ramadhan (2014), religion is an important aspect of most societies.
Religion can be defined as any set of attitudes, beliefs, and practices
about supernatural power. They have their own belief in God and do not
disturb the belief of the other, that is called tolerance.
5. Social Structure
Samovar (2014) described that the organizations referred to as a
social system or social structure, represent the various social units
contained within the culture. These are such as institutions including the
family, government, schools, and even tribes. A human cannot be
separated by another human, they need each other. They cannot live by
their self they need helps from others because human is a social being.
II.1.2.Cross-cultural understanding
Based on the guidelines from The Education Department of the
Indonesian Government gave guidelines, (the 2003 act of the Republic
Indonesia on National Education System), stated that Cross Cultural-
Understanding (CCU) is a compulsory subject in all language and literature
degrees in universities in Indonesia, it discusses the obstacles in communication
between cultures and languages and how to overcome them.
Cross-Cultural understanding usually refers to recognizing the value and
behavior of cultures that are different from one‘s own. Miller, D. (2003) also
claimed that cultural differences are the main issue in cross-cultural education.
Without recognizing differences in traditions and habits among people of
different ethnicities, religions, localities, regions, and countries or nations,
confusion and misunderstanding will continually recur in communication with
other communities. It is the ability to recognize these differences, and make

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correct interpretations and react properly to people or situations in the
communication with these communities that constitutes the essence of cross-
cultural understanding. Therefore, CCU is needed in communication not only
by people of different nationalities but also between different ethnicities.

Byram (2002) mentioned that sociolinguistic competence, which

determined how one used language in a particular socio-cultural context, was
based on communication where members shared the context and thus did not
guide conversations between intercultural speakers who may interpret
communicative acts according to their cultural understanding. Hence, he
proposed an intercultural communicative competence model in which he
identified knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential for successful
communication across cultural boundaries. These are the following:

According to Byram, Gribkova, & Starkey (2002) three components

feature the skills deemed necessary for successful communication across
cultures and languages:

1. Knowledge, in the distinction, knowledge has small sub-elements. To

be called competence in culture, pre-service teacher should have
knowledge about her social groups, their products, practices and the
interlocutor countries’ culture and general process of society and
individual interaction (Byram, Gribkova, & Starkey, 2002).
2. Skill, in intercultural competence consists of four types. They are
interpreting and relating, discovery and interaction. The experience of
pre-service teacher indicated that interaction is the most sequential skill.
Interaction refers to ability to operate knowledge, attitude and skill
under the constraints of real-time communication and interaction
(Byram, Gribkova, & Starkey, 2002).
3. Attitude, Curiosity, openness, and readiness to suspend disbelief about
other culture and belief about one’s own is considered as attitude in

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 intercultural competence. The pre-service teachers signified some
attitude while she was participant at teaching practicum.
In short, cross-cultural understanding (CCU) is the ability to understand,
appreciate, accept and incorporate cultural differences. It can be concluded that
cross-cultural understanding is the interpersonal understanding of the culture
and experiences between people of different cultures. Because of living
together in any differences. Cross-cultural understanding is more than realizing
another culture is different from ours. To get a deep understanding and the way
to cross-cultural understanding is to learn and to recognize individual
differences and to gain an appreciation, respect, and knowledge of other
cultures.

2.2 Cross-cultural Understanding in Teaching Practice

In the context of foreign language education, cross-cultural understanding
is linked to communicative competence in a foreign language. A modern
approach to language education has shifted the aims of language learning from
communicative competence to intercultural competence. As Baker (2011)
stated, cross-cultural understanding has been identified as ‘one approach to
systematically conceptualizing and investigating the knowledge, attitudes, and
behavior associated with successful cross-cultural understanding. It means that
to be successful in it, students need to develop their cross-cultural
understanding. It brings new requirements for a foreign language course
(teaching and learning).
Cross-cultural understanding requires learners to develop relevant
knowledge and skills regarding target language and culture and their cultural
awareness and to be reflective and transferable among different languages and
cultures. As Sercu (2004) summarized, there are two dimensions of
intercultural competence identified by recent models: culture-specific
(knowledge and skills about target culture) and culture-general knowledge and
skills (more generalizable in nature and transferable across cultures). Culture-

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general knowledge includes, for example, ‘the nature of cultural adjustment and
learning, ‘the impact of culture on communication and interaction between
individuals or groups’, ‘the role of emotions in cross-cultural, cross-linguistic
interactions’. Culture-general skills refer to, attributes such as ‘the capacity to
display respect for an interest in the culture’, ‘tolerance and patience in cross-
cultural situations’, ‘control of emotions and emotional resilience’. Intercultural
competence requires learners to develop a view of two cultures (their own and
that of target language) and a position where they mediate between these two.
In Byram’s model of cross-cultural understanding, foreign language
teachers in this case English teachers are asked to guide learners through the
process of acquiring competencies in attitudes, knowledge, and skills related to
intercultural competence while using a foreign language. Teachers must lead
students through activities in which attitudes about the “other” are considered,
and ideally transform the learner. The goal for the students is to start by
questioning their preconceived ideas before entering into a process of discovery
about the “other” with the intent of becoming more willing to seek out and
engage with otherness to ultimately experience relationships of reciprocity
(Byram, 2002). As students continue to engage in analysis of other cultures,
certain knowledge must be acquired.
The foreign language educator must allow time to explore the national
identity of the home culture and the target culture with history, geography, and
social institutions (Byram, 2002). Once learners have taken time to discover the
similarities and differences between their culture and that of the target culture,
the teacher must craft activities that will prepare students to build relationships
with people of diverse backgrounds and languages (Byram, 2002). Next,
foreign language students must be provided the time and the space to develop
skills in interpreting and relating. When students begin to identify ethnocentric
perspectives and misunderstandings related to cross-cultural situations, they
become able to understand and then explain the origins of conflict and mediate
situations appropriately to avoid misinterpretations.

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 In English teaching goal Byram (2002) suggests that the focus of learning
English should not be solely on preparing students to communicate without
mistakes, but to communicate openly, forging relationships that will allow them
to thrive in the foreign cultural context. The teachers need to help students
develop intercultural awareness and provide activities where the “other’s”
culture, values, and behaviors are considered (Byram, 2002). To allow students
to learn about themselves and others we can use stereotypes, but only to
deconstruct them and address misperceptions.
The future teacher must also understand the cultural context and
conventions like intercultural discourse, distance, and different cultures need
nonverbal communication codes. Successful teachers implement recognition of
diversity as a legal and moral duty, essential to enhancing the working
environment, morality, innovation, and productivity.

According to Byram, at al (2002) three components feature the skills

deemed necessary for successful communication across cultures and languages:

1. Skills of interpreting and relating (savoir comprendre): The ability

to interpret a document or event from another culture, to explain it and
relate it to documents or events from one’s own.
2. Skills of discovery and interaction (savoir apprendre/faire): The
ability to acquire new knowledge of a culture and to operate this
knowledge in real-time communication.
3. Critical cultural awareness (savoir s’engager): An ability to evaluate
critically and on the basis of explicit criteria, perspectives, practices and
products in one’s own and other cultures and countries.

This conceptual structure is seen by many as a representative model of

what elements the process of intercultural learning should strive to establish in
learners (O’Dwod, 2003). Of these components, we believe that critical cultural
awareness is an essential concept in an intercultural approach to language

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 teaching (Agudelo, 2007). The implication of the language teacher can integrate
a cultural component into their language teaching is developing the intercultural
dimension in language teaching involves recognizing that the aims are: to give
learners intercultural competence as well as linguistic competence; to prepare
them for interaction with people of other cultures; to enable them to understand
and accept people from other cultures as individuals with other distinctive
perspectives, values, and behaviors; and to help them to see that such
interaction is an enriching experience (Byram at al, 2002).

2.3 International Teaching Internship and Cross-cultural Understanding

International teaching internship has the goal to prepare for teaching
both locally and internationally, the necessity of developing teachers’
international knowledge and skills increases (Zhao, 2009). It is claimed that this
knowledge and skill will be helpful for them in teaching their students about
global perspectives in the future. As a future teacher, a pre-service teacher
needs to complete the teaching practice before graduate. A teaching practicum
is a core basis essential course for teacher education. It is important for all
novice teachers to the preparation for teaching (Yunus, Hashima, Ishaka, &
Mahamoda, 2010). A teacher trainee would do some assignments during the
teaching practicum such as teaching, observing in the language classroom, and
working a report gradually in the certain number of hours (Isihara, 2005).
An initial well-known exchange program namely SEA-Teacher Project
has given an opportunity to experience teaching practicum in the other country
of ASEAN for student teachers since 2016. The program has approximately one
month for duration. It opens annually. Ideally, pre-service teachers who already
joined this kind of teaching practicum would be ready to become a teacher.
They are having experience to help them to solve any problems that may appear
in the classroom. However, although teacher students have finished the teacher
training, there are still many pre-service teachers who are unready with the

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challenges of teaching students in the classroom (Yunus, Hashima, Ishaka, &
Mahamoda, 2010). Their preparation during the teaching practicum seems to be
not really effective for all pre-service teachers. It is believed that challenges
during teaching practice play a key element to determine the output of pre-
service teachers.

2.4 Pre-service English Teachers

Teachers are one of the important components of the education system.
Amin (2016) mentioned that teachers are agents of change in society as they are
the centre of the education process. Due to, the teachers hold a very important
role in education, it is crucial to prepare future teachers professionally. Based on
the statement above, it can be concluded that the teachers need to be trained well
to get a good teacher in education. It is one of the reasons why the teacher
training or teacher education program is conducted. Araya (2013) stated that
teacher training or teacher education is a core of any educational system. To
support this idea, Tadesse and Meaza (2007) pointed that a well-designed
teacher training program would produce teachers who are academically
competent, professionally skilled, and ethically committed to being teachers.
Teacher training program such as universities or colleges has a major role in
preparing the pre-service teachers.
Students who select educational majors will need to implement teaching
and learning theory in real situations, they called pre-service teachers. The term
pre-service teacher is known as student-teacher or teacher candidate. It refers to
university students who are engaged in an assigned student teaching internship
(Johnson and Perry, 1967, as cited in Agustina, 2014). To sum up, pre-service
English teachers are student teachers who are registered in an English education
program and have to take a teaching internship program as English teachers in
formal schools. They will do field-based teaching experiences supported by
mentorship. They must take a teaching practicum as a required course for them
to graduate from their university.

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 Before conducting the internship, commonly they were trained in
university. The student teachers are trained professionally in teacher training
faculty so that they can be confident and knowledgeable about teaching practice
and able to teach in various settings. They learned about theories of teaching in
teacher training faculty then practice their teaching skill in the school as a
required course to graduate.
2.5 Pre-Service Teachers Exchange in Southeast Asia (Sea Teacher)
SEA Teachers program is an organization under SEAMEO that provides
the exchange of pre-service teachers to have an international internship in
teaching practicum. According to Araya (2013), a teaching practicum is an
organized program for pre-service teachers, in which student-teachers practices
the learned skills they got from teacher training faculty in schools under the
supervision of schools’ teachers. Masadeh (2017) defined practicum as a course
in the university that equips pre-service teachers with practical knowledge about
the real context of teaching. It also helps them to be familiar with the teaching
process and challenges. The practicum program provides opportunities for
student-teacher to test their ability as well as learning from expert teachers’
experience.

Many reasons drive institutions or governments to do partnerships and

create international teaching practicum programs, the first and the most popular
one is because of globalization. Globalization is the concept of competitiveness
in ‘world class’ (Moloi et al, 2009). Nowadays, the teaching profession faces
several challenges like the global economy, competitive market, advanced
technologies, and changes in the demographics of students. In the age of
globalization, there is a great demand for teachers to have global knowledge and
cross-cultural learning (Cushner and Mahon, 2002).

Therefore, Blair (2002) cited in Shiveley and Misco (2015) stated that
teachers training faculty need to involve their students in international and
global experiences so that the future teachers would become more sensitive

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and understand diverse students that in the future will be found in many
classrooms. Furthermore, as cited from Lee (2011), Heyl and McCarthy (2003)
in (Paik, Ganley, Luschei, Kula, Witenstein, Shimogori, & Truong, 2015)
claimed that it is essential to graduate future teachers who think globally, have
international experience, speak a foreign language and can integrate a global
dimension into the teaching-learning process.

There are some previous studies about teaching international programs,

Kabilan (2013) researched international teaching practicum experience for six
pre-service teachers for six weeks in the Maldives. It showed that pre-service
teachers had developed their professionalism in teaching, especially in media
for English learning. Quizda and Stachowski in their research also found that
International teaching abroad experiences have the potential to help beginning
teachers better understand other cultures (Quezada, 2004; Stachowski, 2001),
gain a greater appreciation for the strengths and weaknesses of their
educational system, and develop the skills, perspectives, and dispositions to
incorporate a global dimension into their teaching (Quezada, 2004).

As pre-service teachers examine their own culture along with

previously unquestioned values, they develop a criticality of assumed
educational practices, as well as their own biases and prejudices (Stachowski,
2001). Pre-service teachers with study abroad experiences may be better
positioned to develop the pedagogical skills to teach their students appreciation
of multiple points of view and understanding issues from multiple perspectives
(Longview Report, 2009; Moseley, Reeder, & Armstrong, 2008).

The other researchers also found that by following international

teaching program will develop new relationships, students who study abroad
often develop a sense of confidence, a stronger value system, and become
more confident in their abilities (Douglas & Jones-Rikkers, 2001; Hartman &
Rola, 2000; Hopkins & Kotabe, 1999). Such teachers will better develop the
pedagogical skills to teach their students, to appreciate multiple points of view,

22
and to recognize stereotyping, among other valuable skills (Longview Report,
2009). They will also develop the ability to understand issues from multiple
perspectives and to be more open-minded and less ethnocentric (Moseley,
Reeder, & Armstrong, 2008).

Meanwhile, Hendra, Mukinin, and Tersta (2019) in their research

explored the experience of Philippine pre-service English teachers who taught
in Indonesia. It showed that they overcame the religious sensitivity, language
barrier, content subject differences, and school climate. It also found that
having experience in teaching different cultures makes the pre-service teachers
having a good preparation to be a globalized teacher who is equipped with
many experiences in teaching the students from different cultures. However, in
cultural issues, this research only addressed the religious sensitivity that
affected their attitude in teaching and the language barrier which make them
needed to be creative to deliver the material so they could easily understand.
Moreover, this research will elaborate deeply about cultural issues not only in
religion and language but also addressee all aspects of social responsibility and
global competence.

23
 III. METHODS

This chapter presents the descriptions of the research setting, research design,
research participants, method of data collection and method of data analysis.
3.1 Research Setting
The international practicum was named ‘Sea Teacher Project’ or the
“Pre-Service Student Teacher Exchange in Southeast Asia”. The program is
managed by the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization
(SEAMEO). SEAMEO is a regional intergovernmental organization that was
established in 1965 among governments in Southeast Asia countries to promote
regional cooperation in education, science, and culture in the region.

SEAMEO has 7 priority areas in the year 2015-2035, those are early
childhood care and education, addressing barriers to inclusion, ensuring
resiliency in the face of emergencies, promoting technical and vocational
education and training, revitalizing teacher education, promoting harmonization
in higher education and research and adopting a 21st-century curriculum. Based
on the point of revitalizing teacher education in SEAMEO priority areas, this

24
organization created the Sea Teacher project for building and strengthening the
capacity of teachers in regions.
The teaching practicum ‘Sea Teacher’ requires last year's students (in the
third or fourth year) to participate in the program with good English skills for
communication purposes. The student teachers that might join were students
from major of math, science, English, and pre-school. The duration of the
practicum was one-month and based on cost-sharing. The student teachers’
roles during one month were observing, assisting in teaching, teaching, and
reflecting. While the host universities' roles were to provide mentors, supervise
and monitor the pre-service teachers during the practicum.

.2 Research Design
In this research, the benefit of international teaching practicum on
Philippine pre-service English teachers on cross-cultural understanding is
intended to be explored. Therefore, a qualitative method is employed. Creswell
(2012) stated that qualitative research was best used when the researcher did not
know the exact variables to explore. The literature reviews did not play an
essential role, but they helped to yield information about the phenomenon.
What matters the most in qualitative research was the view of the participants
about the study.

Specifically, a case study design is used in this research because this

research is attempted to analyse the phenomenon of in-depth knowledge about
the experience of Philippine pre-service teachers on their global citizenship. It
is based on the view of chosen participants by asking them several questions to
gather the data and then present the analyse data (result) in a form of words.
According to Creswell (2012), The case study method “explores a real-life,
contemporary bounded system (a case) or multiple bounded systems (cases)

25
over time, through detailed, in-depth data collection involving multiple sources
of information and reports a case description and case themes.

3.3 Research Participants

In this research, the researcher utilize purposive sampling to select the

participants. According to Creswell (2012), purposive sampling is a sampling
technique based on consideration of a certain aim and on certain criteria or
characteristics that have been set beforehand. Creswell (2012) added that with
purposive sampling, the researcher chose the participants intentionally with the
standard that the participants were information-rich about the topic researched.
It could be concluded that certain criteria and standards needed to be set to get
as much as information from the participants.

Purposive sampling is employed because the researcher set certain

criteria in choosing the participants. They are from English education
department in Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand. The participants take
teaching practicum in Sea-Teacher program and the participants are enrolled on
5th or 6th batch of Sea-Teacher program. With the set criteria, the researcher
contacts the possible participants to ask their consent and found 6 pre-service
English teachers who participated in SEA teachers. The participants consist of
six people from the 7th and 8th batch.

3. 2

3. 4 Method of Data Collection

Data in this study are derived from three instruments: questionnaire and

interviews. What follows is the detail of each instrument.

3.4.1. Questionnaire

Open-ended questioner will be used to collect the data. Open-ended

questions allow the collection of qualitative answers, and it accommodates

26
participants to describe their social responsibility and global competence during
the program. The questionnaires were formulated to inform about the cross-
cultural experience during participating in the SEA-Teacher program. The items
are open-ended and involve short interpretation or elaboration. This could take
about 30 - 45 minutes to complete the questionnaires online through a google
form. The focus of key questions in this research are demographic info, cultural
practice differences, cross-cultural experiences, and challenges during the SEA-
Teacher Program. (questionnaire attached)
3.4.2. Interviews
To complete the data, the interviews will be administered to 6 pre–
service English teachers to get further information. 6 students were chosen to
get rich and various data and excessive information about their experience
during a teaching in Indonesia, Philippine, and Thailand. Interviews will
explore personal teaching experiences, the challenge of being SEA teachers,
and their significance of global mindedness awareness. The interview will be
conducted for around 30 minutes through the zoom application. The guiding
questions will be focused on the process or the preparation during the program,
the pre-service teachers’ motivation, the activities during the programs, the
challenges they faced, and the moment which influences their development to
be professional teachers. (Interview attached)

3.4.3. Data analysis

This study analyzes data obtained qualitatively. It means that the data
are recorded, summarized, and interpreted accordingly. The process of
analyzing data as follows:

Questionnaire

The participants fill up an open-ended questionnaire, Questionnaire is

administered to identify their cultural awareness, such as beliefs, and how they

27
adapt the culture during SEA Teacher Program. Questionnaires collected from
each participant will be interpreted one by one.

Interview

The results of the questionnaires will be repeatedly checked through the

interview. The interview focuses on concrete events, elicits information that
would allow the chronology of events or processes to be reconstructed (when
did things happen, in what order, etc.). The interview will also analyze the
challenges and difficulties students face in the implementation of teaching
development, which influences students’ development of identity as future
teachers. After investigating the students’ answers, the researcher analyzed the
data. This data analysis allows the researcher to identify commonly recognized
patterns and relationships to respond to the research significantly. This
technique involves seven steps: transcription, reading and familiarization,
coding, searching for themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes,
and finalizing the analysis. The next sections of the example provide practical
experience on how in the thematic analysis a researcher could participate in
those steps (Braun&Clarke 2013).

3.5 Concluding Remarks

This chapter shows the method of this study. The sub-chapters come
under the research design, the research sites, the data collection techniques, and
the data analysis. Chapter IV will reveal the research findings and discussion of
the research. It will be presented in two main sections: the effect of pre-service
teachers experience in SEA teachers’ internship program toward intercultural
communicative competence and how it is implicated in teaching practice.

28
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APPENDIX

Cross-cultural Understanding questionnaires

Instructions.

The questionnaires were devised to learn about your cross-cultural experiences

while participating in the SEA-Teacher program. The items are open-ended and
require short description/elaboration. It may take about 30 - 45 minutes to
complete the questionnaires.

Note: The host community is the community (the school, friendship, host
family,networks, or otherwise) where you stayed during your SEA-Teacher
participation.

33
Home country is the the community/country where you are originally from.

A. Demographic information:
Full name:

Sex:

Home country:

Home institution:

SEA-Teacher Batch/Year:

Host country:

Host institution:

Level of school taught:

-primary/early childhood

-Junior secondary

-Senior secondary

Subject taught:

Length of stay: …. weeks

B. Cross-cultural items

1. Did you enjoy your stay with the host community? Yes – No – not really
2. Did you feel that you were welcome in the host community? -
3. Did you observe that your beliefs, values, and cultural practices were
different from those of the members of the host community? Please
explain your answer briefly.
4. Did ANYONE in the host community ever ask YOU about your beliefs,
values, and cultural practices? Please explain your answer briefly.
5. Did YOU ever ask anyone in the host community about THEIR beliefs,
values, and cultural practices? Please explain your answer briefly.

34
 6. Upon learning the different beliefs, values, and cultures of the host
community, how would you react initially? Please explain your answer
briefly.
7. Did you find yourself easily adaptable to the new situations in the host
community?
8. Did you experience changes (in manners, habits, and cultural practices)
while you were staying with the host community? How did you manage
the changes?
9. Did you experience psychological/emotional distress while staying with
the host community? How did you cope with the psychological/emotional
distress?
10. Was it challenging to build connections with the members of the host
community? Please explain your answer briefly.
11. Do you maintain contact with members of the host community upon your
return home?
12. If there is anything you would like to change about your cross-cultural
experiences while staying with the host community, what would that be?

Part C

Are you available for a 30-minute interview? There will be an additional

incentive for your time.

Yes/No

Interview Section

Key Questions:

How did you become interested in joining the program?

What was the process/the preparation for the program?

What did the first day feel like at school?

Describe a typical day during your stay

Have you ever talk with local people about culture in host country?

After you observe value, believe and attitude in host country, are those affected
your teaching practice? please explain briefly.

35
What were the best moments? Tell me what happened!

What were the lowest moments? Tell me what happened!

Any special day/occasion you’d like to share?

36