Culture in English Language Teaching: A Comprehensive Review of Current Research
Subject Areas : Journal of Applied Linguistics Studies
1 - Trinity Language Center, Trinity Western University, Canada
Keywords: culture, EFL, Language Skills, ESL,
Abstract :
As a second or foreign language cannot be learned without knowledge of the cultural context in which it is used, it is generally accepted that language learners must also become cultural learners. Culture acquisition is as universal and natural as language learning. The ability of the individual to accept and learn new ways of doing and saying things determines how easy or difficult it will be for them to integrate into the new culture and language in EFL/ESL situations. The most readily apparent and accessible manifestation of a culture is its language, which serves as a medium for communication among its members. A person's worldview, sense of self, ways of acting, feeling, and communicating can all be affected negatively by a culture shock. Similar to how one must be able to think in a language in order to speak it well, mind is a very potent tool. Language is the lifeblood of the nation and its citizens. Since language and culture are closely interwoven, we should instead consider the pros and cons of intentional vs accidental exposure to culture rather than whether it should be taught as a subject in the foreign language curricula. In a word, culture is a way of life.