Keywords
Cultural Awareness, Intercultural Competence, EFL Learners, Communication Process,
Abstract
This study examines how cultural awareness influences the communicative competence of Sudanese EFL learners. Although linguistic proficiency is essential, effective communication in a foreign language also demands an understanding of the cultural norms and values inherent to it. It explores how students' grasp of cultural elements—including beliefs, social norms, discourse patterns, and communicative behaviors—affects their capacity to interact effectively in English. This study employs a descriptive analytical approach, utilizing a questionnaire as the main tool for gathering data. The study involved 50 undergraduate and postgraduate English majors from the Faculty of Education at the University of Gezira. The gathered data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings indicate that cultural background significantly influences communication practices, and a lack of awareness regarding the target language's culture frequently results in misunderstandings and ineffective communication. The findings also suggest that comparing learners' native culture with the target language culture enhances intercultural communicative competence and improves communication skills. The study concludes that incorporating cultural elements into EFL curricula is vital for fostering students' communicative competence. To facilitate more effective communication in English, it recommends that language instructors integrate cultural content into their materials, foster intercultural interaction, and cultivate positive attitudes toward foreign cultures.
