A Critical Review on Informal Digital Learning of English: Key to Develop Intercultural Awareness For EFL Students

Abstract

Looking for overseas job opportunities can be done at home right now. However, it requires English and communication skills. Communication skills with various people need speakers’ awareness of intercultural, for instance, how students handle miscommunication, different cultural background, and their openness. Nevertheless, promoting intercultural awareness (ICA) in class for English as foreign language (EFL) students may face many challenges because EFL students mostly have limited access to English and intercultural speakers in their schools. In response to this situation, this study attempts to promote ICA through the Informal Digital Learning of English (IDLE) concept. Many studies on IDLE reported that students who had participated in IDLE activities developed their willingness to communicate in English and developed cross-cultural understanding. However, there was scant evidence on IDLE continuum model, including in-class, extracurricular, and extramural with a specific design for ICA. Conceptually, in-class IDLE attempts to promote the theory, concept, and practice of essential IDLE and cultural awareness. During extracurricular IDLE, students shift from theory into practice to develop their advanced IDLE and cultural awareness, but teachers still monitor this stage. Finally, extramural IDLE expects that students who develop ICA could initiate and design their own IDLE activities to continue their IDLE activities and empower their ICA. The pedagogical will also be discussed.