FOSTERING CULTURAL IDENTITY IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING THROUGH TARGETED MICRO-CURRICULAR RESOURCES

This study explores the design of micro-curricular resources that integrate socioeconomic, cultural, and tourism elements of the rural parish San José del Chazo, aiming to strengthen cultural identity and promote contextual relevant and multicultural English language teaching and learning. Guided by interpretative and social critical paradigms, the research employed a qualitative-descriptive approach. Data was collected and analyzed from official parish documents, scientific literature, and Ministry of Education sources with the help of a bibliographic matrix which contemplated reference metadata, research characteristics, conceptual and theoretical insights, and relevant contextual information. Initially 53 documents were identified then only 20 were intentionally selected, constituting the non-probabilistic sample of the study. Findings indicate that incorporating elements such as local flora, fauna, gastronomy, festivities, traditional games, and agriculture practices into educational materials enhances the meaningfulness and contextualization of learning, while reinforcing students’ sense of belonging and appreciation of cultural heritage. Furthermore, theoretical frameworks, including culturally relevant pedagogy, ethnopedagogy, place-based learning, and symbolic interactionism, provided a solid foundation for language instruction with learners’ cultural identity. The study concludes that the designed micro curricular resources are contextually pertinent, accessible, and adaptable, offering a replicable model for rural context that supports both English language learning and the preservation of cultural heritage.