CULTURAL COMPETENCY AND LANGUAGE LEARNING: EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF ENGAGING WITH CHINESE CULTURAL EVENT ON LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY AND CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE ACQUISITION

Abstract

This study explores the interplay of declarative, procedural, and conditional knowledge in the regulation of cognition among non-native learners of Chinese, specifically through their engagement in a Chinese cultural event. Utilizing a quantitative methodology, a structured questionnaire comprising 24 items across eight cognitive dimensions was administered to 52 participants. The event, “Mandarin: A Festival of Language and Culture,” held at UiTM Kedah, included activities such as an interactive cultural race, traditional attire design, and a culinary workshop on dumpling and ketupat preparation. Findings revealed that learners demonstrated high proficiency in conditional knowledge and debugging strategies, with mean scores of 4.44 and 4.35 respectively, indicating strong cultural adaptability and problem-solving abilities. Conversely, information management strategies received the lowest mean score (4.06), suggesting variability in learners' abilities to organize and retain cultural knowledge. The results affirm that structured cultural experiences significantly enhance learners’ metacognitive awareness, language proficiency, and cultural understanding. These insights inform pedagogical practices by emphasizing the integration of cultural events into language learning curricula to promote cognitive and cultural competency.