BIBLLIOGRAFICAL REFERENCES

§  Bowerman, Melissa and Levinson, Stephen. Theories, language, and culture: Whorf without  wincing pp. 45-69. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge books Online.

§  Griffiths, Carol. (2009). Lessons from Good Language Learners. Culture and good language learners. pp. 131-141.

§  Jourdan, Christine and Tuite, Kevin.  (2009). Language Culture and Society. Interpreting Language Variation and Change. Cambridge University Press.

§  Language, Culture and Learning.

§  Section 1. Defining Language and Culture. Retrieved in October 13rd, 2013 From.

§  Sepora, T and Moghaddas Jafari (2012).Language and Culture. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science. Vol. 2 No. 17.UniversitiSains Malaysia. Malaysia

§  Svetlana, Yezhitskaya and Kazakh-American Free University, Kazakhstan.(2011). The importance of the development of students’ sociocultural competence at the Kazakh-American Free University.

§  Thanasoulas, Dimitrios. (2001). The Importance of Teaching Culture In The Foreign Language Classroom.

 

The Importance Of Teaching Culture In The Foreign Language Classroom

Teaching a foreign language doesn't consist only on teaching grammatical structures , vocabulary, idiomatical expressions, and things of this kind, but also about cultural aspects, for today language is not longer considered a code or collection of rules and strings of sentences to form phrases and propositions. Now language is being studied in relation to society.

Also, is important to keep in mind that to have an effective communication is not enough to have language proficiency by itself, but also is vital to have cultural and critical awareness, which includes customs, beliefs, assumptions, life styles, system of values from other countries, and our diplomatically and courteous approach toward these things. However, teaching culture doesn't consist only on transmitting information about the people from a certain community or country, even though knowledge about a certain group is important.

To have a communicative competence of the foreign language doesn't guarantee a knowledge of the different manners of expressions or the historical background they have on certain English speaking countries or societies. This is another important thing to keep in mind. Now, it is very effective to expose language learners with foreign literature to familiarize them with the physical and emotional aspects of the foreign language and culture because rather than being a fifth adjunct to the four skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening), culture can best find its expression through the medium of literature.

Therefore, we have seen that cultural knowledge is not only an aspect of communicative competence but an educational objective on its own, and "to foster cultural awareness by teaching culture means to bring to the learner's conscious the latent assumptions and premises underlying their belief and value systems," (Humphrey, 1997: 242) and show them that their own culture predisposes them to a certain worldview.

Let's not forget that any language is a social construct shaped by society at large or in particular, like the "cultural niches". In the same way the social and cultural context changes with time so does language. This reminds me of many English native people, I have seen interpreting wrongly the meaning of certain texts because they don't know or don't keep in mind the cultural and social context of previous centuries, therefore even though they are reading English, the connotations and meanings of certain words are not the same as today's. And this not only happen with English but almost with any other language. It is important to keep in mind that language varies according to social variables, such as sex, age, social class, location, therefore, the concomitant register differences should not go unnoticed.

Language teaching is culture teaching and this makes us realize as English teachers that we would be doing a great disservice in placing emphasis on the former to the detriment of the latter. This tell us that as English teachers we must be good readers of literature as well, and knowledgeable enough to be able to master an English class and introduce a cross cultural environment in the class.

"Culture and communication are inseparable because culture not only dictates who talks to whom, about what, and how the communication proceeds, it also helps to determine how people encode messages, the meanings they have for messages, and the conditions and circumstances under which various messages may or may not be sent, noticed, or interpreted... Culture...is the foundation of communication."

Now, as future English Teachers we must also become quite knowledgeable about the cultural aspects of the language, and in our efforts to teach culture we must awake our student's awareness of their own culture and value, to be able to cultivate in them an objective approach toward cross-cultural analysis, and made them understand the target culture from an insider's perspective, which is their own culture, to interpret cultural behaviors. Because "by exploring their own culture, discussing the very values, expectations, traditions, customs, and rituals they, according to Straub, they unconsciously take part in and become ready to reflect upon the values, expectations, and traditions of others ‘with a higher degree of intellectual objectivity’.

Chapter 4 by Giselle Bautista Garcia

Language, Culture and Learning

"If the language learning program focuses on the code, then it models a theory of language in which the relationship between two languages is simply a matter of code replacement, where the only difference is a difference in words. If the language pedagogies focus on the interpretation and creation of meaning, language is learned as a system of personal engagement with a new world, where learners necessarily engage with diversity at a personal level." (Language and Culture and Learning page 17)

This brief passage, if applied in the field of English teaching, can produce not only good language learners but also excellent interpreters and translators. All of us begin by learning words, vocabulary, and rules for constructing sentences, expressions, etc. However, good translator or interpreters are not the ones that translate literally what is being said, because even if they know the equivalent words in the target language, words by themselves are not enough, for it is crucial to know the language and cultural characteristics of the person who is speaking to transmit the same ideas and concepts to the language and culture of the other individual.

Knowing the people to who we are translating to is also important because it can help us to transmit better the meaning, concepts and ideas in the other language, without having to use a literal or word for word translation. Expressions and sayings differ in language and culture, some have its equivalents but others don't. This is why the forms of language are not enough to convey meaning, it is the language in its cultural context what creates meaning, because creating and interpreting meaning is only possible within a cultural setting or framework.

This make us realize that to be language proficient we also need to become readers of many areas of interest like those of daily life, science, literature, news, etc. Language is a way of seeing, understanding and communicating about the world we perceive, which means that each individual has his/her own peculiar way of expressing their own thoughts, thru a code called language, which may be different from other people, but all trying to do the same, that is, to establish and maintain social and interpersonal interactions.

In the area of teaching, it is important to remember that teachers are also social beings, and as a result they will share what they know with others, and construct their knowledge, based on the values and methodologies they received when they were students. Even though contemporary models and practices exist to teach English, they may tend to teach in the same way he/she was taught, with a more traditional flavor, but is vital to implement the contemporary approach and try to balance theory with practice.

It is important to acknowledge that the role of language in all areas of learning is vital, not only we learn new languages but we also use languages as a medium of study and learning. Although, it doesn't exist a "complete learning theory", as teachers we can use several approaches due to the circumstances, contexts and needs. For example: Behaviorism is more appropiate for translation and grammatical methods; the sociocultural perspective highlights that all learning, including language, is based on social interactions, keeping the cognitive and constructivist approach that new learning is constructed and linked to previous knowledge. There are others few methodologies to learn language that combine a few different approaches, and keeping in mind the use of metacognition elements in the process of learning. It is important to also know how we learn new information. 

Chapter 5 by Giselle Bautista Garcia

Theories, Language and Culture & Culture and Good Language Learners

THEORY THEORY

The Theory theory talks about the development of cognitive and semantic, the idea that babies and small children, as well as scientists, learn about the world forming and revising theories. This proposal constitutes a perspective of the origins of knowledge and meaning that has broad implications for cognitive science.

The Theory theory is used to provide a framework to understand the semantic development and to demonstrate the acquisition of language in change of theory in children. Changes of theory in science influence the first semantic development of children from the moment in which the infant cognition has to do with the form of the earliest words and motivates its use. In addition, the children pay attention to the language they hear to their around and it restructures their cognition and leads them to reorganize their theories.

LANGUAGE, CULTURE, AND THEORIZING

The development of the language begins with ordinary processes of learning where children acquire forms, meanings and uses of words and expressions of the linguistic input. The method in which language skills are developed is universal. There are two main views to syntactic development, an empirical tale by which children learn the syntax rules of the linguistic input, and a nativist approach whereby some of the principles of syntax are inborn and are transmitted through the human genome.

Noam Chomsky´s view 

The nativist Theory proposed by Noam Chomsky, says that language is a unique human achievement. Chomsky says that:

* All children have what is called LAD, it is an innate language acquisition device. The LAD is an area of the brain that has a set of syntax rules that are universal for all languages. 

* The LAD provides the ability to build new sentences using learned vocabulary to children.

* This theory is based on the view that what children hear is insufficient linguistic contribution to explain the way in which come to learn the language.

* The linguistic input from the environment is limited and full of errors. 

* It is impossible for children to learn the language information exclusively from their environment.

Jean Piaget´s view 

Empirical theory suggests that there is sufficient information on the linguistic input to children therefore; there is no need to assume an existing natural language acquisition device. Instead of a LAD that was developed specifically for language, empiricists believe that the general processes of the brain are sufficient for the acquisition of language.
 

* Empiricism is a general method, and sometimes goes hand to hand with the interactionist approach.

* During this process, it is necessary that the child will participate actively with their environment.

* A child learns language, parents adopts a particular way to properly communication with the child, it is known as speak to the child.

DEVELOPMENTAL RELATIONS BETWEEN LANGUAGE AND COGNITION 
There are some relations between language and cognition. Gopnik says that:



* The child develops the concepts first and then assigned a label.

* There is an existence of a two-way relationship between the development of the language and cognitive development and suggest that these skills can be important for the same understanding of the false belief which supports the argument that children develop an integrated theory of mind.

* The acquisition of language is a process similar to the scientific development, providing a useful model for the study of the relationship between linguistic and conceptual skills.

* Semantic and cognitive development emerge at the same time so none of the two types of development precedes another, they advance in parallel each area helps the other since the beginning of the language.

Chapter 2 by Sandra Patricia Genoy

 

 CULTURE AND GOOD LANGUAGE LEARNERS 

As we teach a new language, we as teachers must take into account the different cultural, ethnic and national characteristics from where students come from, so we can be prepared and give a good class that achieves an optimal learning process from students who come from different cultural, ethnical and nationality backgrounds, which are concepts difficult to separate.

When looking at studies on the role of culture in schooling it is important to remember that research into learning and teaching is inevitably culturally biased by the minds of those who develop the instruments and tests, and the bias is created by different underlying values, attitudes, and beliefs about what is considered “good” behavior and action.It also needs to be considered on a more subtle, sub-cultural level, taking into account the diversity of ethnicity, culture, language, religion, political viewpoint, philosophical belief, sexual orientation, age, and gender.

 

Relationship between culture and language learning. There might be considerable cultural differences in cognitive learning style. In some societies, listening until the entire code is absorbed and one can speak perfectly is a reported form of learning; in others successive approximation to native speech is used as a learning strategy; while in still others rote learning is the most common learning strategy.

Good language learners may be able to make insightful contributions to the reasons for their learning difficulties and to their preferences for particular methods. It is important to consider different cultural values and beliefs attributed to learning in general and to plurilingualism and language learning in particular as they play a crucial role in how language learning is pursued.

 

                                               

We need to consider that the cultural competence construct is highly complex and multi-faceted. It is dynamic, constantly changing and includes the affective and cognitive dimensions, It is connected to cultural sensitivity, cultural awareness, and empathy, as well as the ability to change perspectives and put oneself into the other person’s shoes. These qualities allow the good language learner to “navigate smoothly between different cultural and linguistic worlds.”

For children and adults from different parts of the world, teachers should familiarize themselves and seek new and different learning methods to help teaching diverse populations taking into account the students' cultures, languages, personalities, learning styles, identities and their inner self. It is important for teachers to remember that culture influences learner characteristics and behavior such as prior knowledge and prior experience, learning style, beliefs, motivation, strategies, autonomy, and attitudes towards a particular learning situation. 

Chapter 6 by Aura Lilia Lasso
Complemented by Giselle Bautista Garcia