EFL Teachers’ Attitudes toward the Integration of Cultural Elements into English Classes

Abstract

English language education in Vietnamese universities has increasingly emphasized developing students’ intercultural competence alongside linguistic skills. However, limited research has examined teachers’ perspectives on cultural integration at the tertiary level. This mixed-methods study explored EFL teachers’ attitudes towards integrating cultural elements into English classes at a Vietnamese public university. Data was collected from 42 teachers through questionnaires and interviews. The findings revealed that the teachers agreed on the importance of cultural elements for communication and intercultural awareness, but faced contextual obstacles such as time constraints and limited resources. They felt motivated to share cultural experiences but had moderate satisfaction with current methods. The study highlights the need for curricular flexibility, teacher training, and resource accessibility to foster equitable cultural integration and intercultural competence in Vietnamese university EFL education.