TEACHING CULTURE IN THE 21ST CENTURY LANGUAGE CLASSROOM

Teaching culture in the 21st century language classroom

“The digital revolution is far more significant than the invention of writing or even of printing. It offers the potential for humans to learn new ways of thinking and organizing social structures.”

Douglas Engelbard (1997)

Culture has a vital role in language classrooms and it is fundamental for the L2 learning process. It is an important objective for instructional and communicative purposes.

There is a close relationship between language and culture, and they are best acquired together. Language acquisition is also the acquisition of a second culture.

Time proportion used to teach culture(Strasheim, 1981)

10%

90%

Time proportion used to teach culture(Moore, 2006)

“The true content of the foreign language course is not the grammar and the vocabulary of the language, but the cultures expressed through that language” (National Standards in Foreign Language Education Project, 1999)

How to integrate culture and language so learners can communicate and collaborate effectively in the 21st century?

Components that need to be incorporated in the teaching of culture

• 3 Ps
• Inquiry-based instruction
• Technology

Products, Practices, Perspectives (3 Ps)

A triangle model of the cultural framework represents how products, practices, and perspectives are interrelated, and allows teachers to see the relationships among the three elements of culture to consider when planning instructional lessons.

Inquiry Teaching Approach

In inquiry-based teaching, the students are engaged in meaningful learning that fosters higher-order thinking to assist students in uncovering and exploring the hidden meanings and significances embedded in L2 culture. According to Tang (2006), “not only should students know the what and how about a culture, but also the why.

Technology in Teaching Culture

Technology promotes socially active language in multiple authentic contexts due to its “accessibility, flexibility, connectivity speed and independence of methodological approach” (Gonzalez, 2009). It gives foreign language teachers various opportunities to create better and more effective instructional materials to teach not only the language structure, but also the target culture.

Technology incorporated in the existing 3P model can expand teaching opportunities and offer new venues for the learners through which they can build their language and culture knowledge.