英语论文On_the_Necessity_of_Leading_Cultural_Knowledge_in_English_Teaching.doc

语言学课程论文 西北师大知行学院外语系 英语专业07级（6）班 秦文玉On the Necessity of LeadingCultural Knowledge in English TeachingQin WenyuAbstract:This paper is to discuss about the necessity of leading cultural knowledge in English teaching.This article elaborates emphatically the importance of cultural teaching in English teaching and gives a set of classroom-teaching methods for the purpose of enhancing the cross-cultural consciousness of students. And it introduces some methods to improve the cross-cultural consciousness and the sensitivity of students in English teaching, and the methods to improve the cross-cultural communicative ability from different channels. At the same time, this article discusses some existing problems and the counter solutions in the process of English cultural teaching.Key words: culture background knowledge, English teaching, cross-culture communication1. INTRODUCTIONLanguage is a part of culture and affects culture. Some sociologists think that language is the foundation of culture. Seeing from another aspect, language is affected by culture. In a word, language and culture affect each other; if someone would like to comprehend a language, he must know of culture of that language first, at the same time, if he wants to comprehend culture, learning the language is the first step. For learning a foreign language, persons should not only master pronunciation, grammars, vocabulary and idioms, but also know how to use the language to express their thoughts, habits, and action.With English as an international language, in China, more and more people learn English, but the main purpose of many people learning English seems to be communicated in order to overcome language barriers. However, compared to language barriers, cultural barriers are more difficult in cross cultural exchange, which in turn is often neglected by language learners. In fact, there are three major elements of English, basic knowledge of language, language skills application and cultural background knowledge , which are complementary and closely related to the teaching of English,and it is not only a professor, but also should include the dissemination of cultural knowledge.To get students to learn English, three are indispensable.Therefore, how to enhance the sensitivity of students between Chinese and foreign language and how to enhance their cross-cultural communicative ability are worth of thinking over by the English educators.2. PROBLEMS AROUSED BY NEGLECT OF CULTURE BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE2.1 Thanks and GratitudeGenerally speaking, Chinese people rarely use among family members, Thank you. If used, sound will be strange, or the mutual relations with distance. In the English-speaking countries Thank you. is used for all occasions, even though parents and children, brothers and sisters are no exception. Send a bottle of drink, prepare a table meal, the other will say Thank you. In the public places, no matter who helps you, you have to say Thank you., which is the most basic courtesy. When somebody asks you would you like something to eat / drink? ,we usually accustomed to polite about it, replied: No, Do not bother and so on. According to the English countries habits, if you want, you do not decline, say Yes, please. If you want, just say No, thanks. This fully demonstrates the Chinese people magnanimous subtle and straightforward English-speaking countries of different styles.2.2 PrivacyChinese people ask about age, marital status, income at the first meet to express care you, but English people are more disgusted with this, they think these are related to personal privacy. In the foreign countries people wants to appear full of energy, eternal youth in the each others eyes, their actual ages are often secrets to the other people, especially women. Another example is the Chinese people care about the Where are you going? and What are you doing?, which are spied on the others privacy and monitored other peoples words without hearing popular in the English country.2.3 GreetingChinese people often ask: “Have you had your dinner?” in the daily life. If you ask English people like this, they often think you would like to invite them to dinner. In the foreign countries usually greeting weather, health, transport, sports and hobbies for the topic.3. THE NECESSITY OF LEADING CULTURE KNOWLEDGE3.1 Culture Differences Are Barriers to Cross-cultural CommunicationThe process of modernization has accelerated the flow of moral and material products ,and the various nationalities into a common Global Village, the cross-cultural communication as each nation an integral part of life. However, cultural differences are barriers to the cross-culture communication, overcome communication barriers caused by cultural differences has become a common problem facing the world.3.2 The Use of Language Education Is to Achieve the Key Language of Communication Is Inseparable from Social and Cultural Knowledge AppropriatenessCultural linguistic research shows that the language is stored in all the social experience, to reflect all the characteristics of the national culture. Therefore, the application of language and language from the culture can not exist. Foreign language teaching should not only introduce the language knowledge, but should extend this study into the culture of teaching and training carried out in the background, the development of communicative competence is the ultimate goal of English teaching.4. THE CONTENTS OF ENGLISH CULTURE TEACHINGWhen teachers lead cultural background knowledge in class, to choose which kinds of culture can not be neglected.4.1 Custom and Social Politeness of English CultureCultural customs contain the life ways, the thinking habits, and the value thoughts of English-speaking countries. Social politeness includes greeting, regards, expressing thanks, making apologies, saying goodbyes, giving telephone calls, requests, invitations and so on. English learners should learn some standard usage of words and learn some forbidden sentences in the daily life. Then they can comprehend some language phenomenon happening in some special occasion. For example, when they meetwesterners, they will not ask“have you eaten?”4.2 The Cultural Connotation of VocabularyThe cultural connotation of vocabulary refers to the area of words, the emotion color of words and the usage of idioms, the proverbs and the usual phases(Jeremy Harmer, 1999：52). The culture in language reflects on the vocabulary which contains many words having national characteristic. For example, “have a new year” “beginning of spring” and so on are included in Chinese only, but “God” “hotdog” “cowboy” are contained in English which do not exist in Chinese.4.3 The Situation of the Society It contains politics, economy, history, literature, religious philosophy and modern social situation of English speaking countries. For example, knowing the cultural background knowledge of country and society of America, English learners can comprehend the true meaning of“donkey” and “elephant” in election.4.4 Non-Verbal ExpressionNon-verbal expression ways includes hand gestures, figure, clothing and different ideas of time or space and so on. Body language and hand signal language are very common in English-speaking countries; English learners should pay much attention to these. For example, in English and American culture, “V” stands for victory, putting up thumb shows admiration, but in other countries such as in Italy, this kind of action shows disdain. Because of different cultures, they stand for different meanings.5. TRY TO INCORPORATE CULTURE BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE INTO THE CLASSROOM BY MEANS OF COSIDERING SOME METHODSAs weve seen the necessity and importance of the role cultural knowledge plays in the teaching of middle school English, teachers should by all means help students be equipped with cultural awareness.Teachers should make students aware that there are no superior or inferior cultures and that there are differences among people within culture of English-speaking countries, as well. Teachers are not in the classroom to confirm the prejudices of their students nor to attack their deeply held convictions(林铮，1998：230). Their task is to stimulate students interest in the English culture, and help establish English classroom not so much as a place the language is taught, but as one opportunities for learning are provided through the interactions that take place between the participants (Ellis, 1992: 171). The teaching of background knowledge must be commensurate with the dynamic aspects of culture. As Lessard-Clouston (1997:26) notes:Students will indeed to develop knowledge of and about the L2 or FL culture, but this receptive aspect of culture competence is not sufficient. Learners will also need to master some skills in culturally appropriate communication and behavior for the target cultureCultural awareness is necessary if students are to develop an understanding of the dynamic nature of the target culture, as well as their own culture. Students in the middle school should be given the opportunity to enjoy certain information and activities that are part of Chinese tradition, such as national spots, social festivities, or songs, before teachers help them explore those of the English culture. Here, I will focus on the latter. Id propose the following methods.5.1 Teaching MaterialA proportion of English material should be used. From the first day, teachers are expected to bring in the class posters, pictures, maps, and other realia in order to help students develop a mental image of the western culture.5.2 ComparisonThrough exposure to the western civilization, students inescapably draw some comparisons between the home and English culture. Teachers should use comparison, with a view to identifying common ground or even lacunae within or between Chinese and English cultures, present students with isolated items about theEnglish cultural background knowledge, while using books and other visual aids an provide culturalinformation such as a narrative on the etiquette during a family meal.With this narrative as a springboard for discussion and experimentation, students can practice how, and to what extent, the members of the English culture appreciate a meal with friends, and so on.At the same time, in the classroom, teachers should pay attention to proper language forms, as well as suitable use of language. One way of classroom teaching is to ask students to make similar dialogues to the English culture. Singhal sets the scene: students are in a restaurant and are expected to order a meal（张俊杰，1998：15）. In this way, students are given the opportunity to step into the shoes of a member of the English culture.5.3 Extensive ReadingEncourage students to read extensively, including novels, magazines, and newspapers and so on. To most Chinese students acquisition of knowledge of western cultural background knowledge mainly depends on reading material, and literal works is the best way to know certain cultural background knowledge about a peoples psychology, cultural characters, customs, habits and the like. Through enormous reading and teachers guidance, students understanding of English cultural background will become ripe and complete.5.4 Aural and Audio AidsUse good native English videotapes, songs and films in teaching, and then organize discussions. When watching videotapes or seeing a film, students and teachers should pay much attention to the scene of daily life, such as conversations between shopkeepers and clients, dialogues on the telephone, chat in the street and so on. After that, teachers and students may exchange views and replenish each other.5.5 PractiseEncourage students to communicate with native speakers if it is possible. In contact with native speakers, students can be deeply impressed by the differences between two cultures at first hand. Moreover, in such relaxed conversations, students can learn much knowledge, which cannot be learned in the classroom.5.6 Theorie Hold some lectures about cultures and customs, comparing Chinese culture with western cultures.6. CONCLUSIONLanguage is the carrier of culture; language and culture exist togethe