Research on the Path and Practice of Integrating Hainan Local Culture into Foreign Language Teaching in Vocational Undergraduate Colleges under the Theory of Fusion of Horizons

Abstract

This study investigates the pedagogical integration of Hainan local culture into foreign language instruction within vocational undergraduate colleges, grounded in the theoretical framework of the fusion of horizons. It examines how culturally embedded content---drawn from Hainan's linguistic diversity, intangible heritage, maritime traditions, and indigenous knowledge systems---can be systematically incorporated into English curricula without compromising linguistic rigor or professional relevance. Through a mixed-methods design involving classroom observation, instructor interviews, student reflective journals, and curriculum mapping, the research identifies three core pathways: thematic integration, translational scaffolding, and community-anchored project work. Findings indicate that students demonstrate measurable gains in pragmatic competence, intercultural awareness, and motivation when learning contexts explicitly connect target-language tasks with locally meaningful cultural referents. Instructors report increased confidence in designing context-responsive materials once provided with structured frameworks for cultural selection, linguistic alignment, and assessment adaptation. The study further reveals that successful integration hinges not on volume of cultural content but on its functional coherence with communicative objectives and vocational outcomes. Challenges persist in balancing standard language expectations with authentic local expression, particularly in assessment design and textbook adaptation. This research contributes a practice-oriented model for culturally situated foreign language education in applied higher education settings, emphasizing horizon development as an iterative, co-constructed process between learners, educators, and regional cultural ecosystems.