Universal Teaching and Learning Journal (UTLJ) is an international peer-reviewed and scientific journal that explores the science and practice of education, pedagogy, and learning methodologies across various disciplines and contexts. UTLJ welcomes researchers, academicians, and practitioners to submit well-written manuscripts of original research, reviews, and case studies with insightful topics related to teaching and learning. UTLJ aims to theoretically and practically contribute to the advancement of educational science and effective teaching practices.
Published
2025-09-03
Articles
The role of language and culture in Italian language teaching
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the interrelationship between language and culture in the process of teaching Italian as a foreign language and to evaluate how the integration of cultural components enhances educational effectiveness and communicative competence.
Research Methodology: The study employed a mixed-methods approach. Data were collected through surveys distributed to Italian language teachers and students, complemented by classroom observation. In addition, the cultural content of textbooks and teaching materials was systematically analyzed based on contemporary linguistic and linguoculturology theories.
Results: Findings indicate that incorporating cultural context in the teaching of Italian substantially improves learners’ communicative competence and engagement. Specific practices—such as the use of realia, exploration of cultural stereotypes, and reliance on authentic materials—proved particularly effective in fostering intercultural communication skills.
Conclusions: The research concludes that language teaching is most effective when combined with cultural integration, as it strengthens both linguistic proficiency and intercultural awareness. Italian language education benefits significantly from adopting culturally informed methodologies.
Limitations: The study was limited by its focus on a specific group of teachers and students, which may restrict the generalizability of findings across broader contexts and other foreign languages.
Contribution: This research contributes to the field of foreign language teaching methodology by emphasizing the essential role of cultural integration in achieving communicative competence, offering practical strategies that can inform curriculum design and pedagogical practices.
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Pages: 75-86
5 views | 2 downloads
Linguistic features of advertising videos created in Spanish language
Purpose: This study aims to conduct a comprehensive linguistic analysis of Spanish-language advertising videos, focusing on phonetic, morphological, syntactic, and semantic features. It seeks to identify how linguistic strategies, stylistic devices, and cultural elements shape the effectiveness of advertising discourse.
Research Methodology: The research applied advertising discourse analysis based on Cook’s framework, examining a corpus of 450 commercials broadcast in Spain, Argentina, Mexico, and other Spanish-speaking countries between 2020–2024. The materials were categorized by medium (television, social media, online platforms) and product type (food, automotive, cosmetics, banking, telecommunications, etc.).
Results: The findings reveal that Spanish advertising discourse is characterized by rhythmic sound patterns, frequent use of imperative verbs, evaluative and emotional lexicon, concise sentence structures, and multimodal integration. Phonetic devices such as assonance and alliteration enhance memorability, while clitics “te” and “se” strategically influence persuasion. Cultural values—particularly family orientation and national identity—emerge as central themes, distinguishing Spanish advertising from other linguistic contexts.
Conclusions: Spanish advertising discourse combines emotional appeal, cultural identity, and pragmatic linguistic tools to maximize consumer impact. The balance of multimodal features and linguistic creativity ensures high effectiveness and brand recall.
Limitations: The study is limited to Spanish-speaking countries and does not compare results directly with advertisements from other languages.
Contribution: This research contributes to linguistics, marketing, and translation studies by providing empirical evidence of how cultural and linguistic features interact in advertising. It also offers practical insights for international marketing strategies and Spanish language pedagogy.
Pages: 87-98
4 views | 1 downloads
The formation of islamic character through the student-led conference (SLC) program (in grade 9 smp insan cendekia madani boarding school development Serpong, South Tangerang City)
Purpose: This study aims to examine the implementation of the Student-Led Conference (SLC) program for grade 9 students at SMP Insan Cendekia Madani BSD, Ciater Village, Serpong District, South Tangerang City, analyze its role in developing Islamic character, and identify supporting and inhibiting factors.Research methodology: The research employs a descriptive-qualitative approach, with data collected through observation, documentation, interviews with relevant stakeholders, and triangulation to ensure data validity.
Results: The findings reveal that the SLC program, implemented through structured stages, effectively fosters Islamic character traits such as independence and responsibility among students. Supporting factors include strong commitment and collaboration from the school, parents, and students. Inhibiting factors include parents’ delays or absence during scheduled SLC sessions, difficulties in understanding students’ presentations, and overlapping school programs requiring simultaneous completion by teachers.
Conclusions: The SLC program serves as an innovative strategy for character education, particularly in enhancing students’ independence and responsibility in line with Islamic values. Successful implementation depends on consistent parental involvement, clear communication, and effective time management at the school level.
Limitations: The study is context-specific, focusing solely on grade 9 students at SMP ICM BSD, and may not fully represent other institutions or grade levels.
Contribution: This research provides empirical insights into integrating SLC into Islamic character education, offering practical recommendations for educators to optimize parental engagement and manage program scheduling effectively.
