How to Bring Target Culture into Foreign Language Teaching

    At last, the concepts of time in the UK and the US are different from those in the students' culture.

    First, the teacher can explain to the class that the concept of time is different among different cultures. Then encourage the students to compare the concept of time in the UK and the US with that in their own culture. Before it, the teacher should list some situations on the blackboard. Such as a business meeting, a concert, a school examination, a job interview, a film, a date, a meeting with a friend, a graduation ceremony, a dinner party, a class, a wedding, etc. After that, the teacher could hold a discussion in the class to let the students imagine that these situations take place in the UK or the US, then decide whether they should arrive early, on time or late.

    After finishing the discussion, the students must report their answers. Of course, under the first six situations, you should arrive early, and the other six situations, you should arrive on time. After the right answer is told to the students by the teacher, the important thing can not be forgotten now is to ask the students to compare it with that of their own country. Then talk about what they have learned about the concept of time in different countries.

    Certainly, there are so many patterns in people's everyday life. As a teacher, you should try your best to collect information about different cultures in different countries. You should not only teach your students grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation but also teach them some cultural background about the target language.

4 .  Cultural behavior

In China, English is a foreign language, or we can say it is a second language to us. The purpose of learning a second language is to be able to communicate with individuals from English-speaking cultures. More and more attention is being paid to culturally appropriate behavior--what native speakers of English say and do in specific social situation. So people need to recognize the different cultural patterns at work in the behavior of people from English--speaking countries, and also need to become aware of the ways in which their own cultural background influences their own behavior.

    In this part, three kinds of activities will be introduced to you. All of them show cultural differences among different countries which can provide opportunities for students to increase awareness and sensitivity.

    [1] Teachers can prepare some task sheets about some small special situations in foreign countries before class. Then write down several questions about the situations. Students should finish them in limited time. Of course, these situations should be connected to the different culture. Here is an example:

    ADDRESSING  THE  TEACHER

    Read the situation below, and choose the best answers to the questions. Sometimes more than one answer is possible.

    It was the first day of the English class and the teacher was introducing himself. He wrote his full name, Alan Tones, on the board and said, “My name is Alan Jones. If you like, you can use “Mr” with my name.” Now I'd like you to tell me your names. Let's start with you, he said, indicating a young woman in the front row.

    The young woman answered, “My name is Liliana Castro, but you can call me Lily, teacher.” Then the teacher said, “OK, I will call you Lily, but please don't call me ‘Teacher’. Please call me Alan or Mr. Jones.” Lily looked confused, but the teacher ignored her and continued to ask the students to introduce themselves.

    (1) Why did Liliana call Alan Jones 'Teacher'?

         a. She didn't know his name.

         b. She was trying to show respect.

         c. She couldn't pronounce his name.

         d. She felt confused.

    (2) Why did Alan Jones ask Liliana not to call him 'Teacher'?

         a. He didn't really like being a teacher.

         b. He wanted to be friendly.

         c. In his country, only very young pupils call their teacher “Teacher”.

         d. He thought Liliana was being rude.

ANSWER KEY: (1)(b) In many cultures students, no matter what their age, address their teachers as 'Teacher', in order to show respect.

               2.(c) In British/America, only young pupils call their teacher 'Teacher'.

    This kind of written description can be changed into a short video. In the video there would be a communication problem between a native English speaker and a person or persons from another culture.

    [2]  Role plays.

上一页  [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]  下一页