Teaching English culture in the EFL classroom: goals, principles and techniques

Abstract

Language and culture are intrinsically tied: they cannot be separated without the loss of their nature and significance. Language is a means of interaction that exists within a given sociocultural framework .Without language, interaction would be very limited; without culture, there would be no interaction at all .A key implication is that one cannot be learned without the other .This article is intended to discuss prominent issues in teaching culture to second and foreign language students. The concepts of language and culture will be defined, respectively. The relationship between language and culture will also be pointed out. Besides, various views on culture in language learning will be explored. Next; the selective goals for teaching culture will be presented. In addition this paper is to shed light on the principles of teaching culture in the foreign language class, drawing on seminal works in the field of language and culture teaching / learning. Adopting a convincing stance towards this issue is, no doubt, a prerequisite for effective teaching / learning. In addition, commonly techniques used in teaching language and culture including authentic material ,culture capsules, culture assimilators ,role play, literature, micrologue, research kinesics and body language will be discussed, compared and contrasted. Moreover, facts about the role of both teachers and learners that have an impact on the success and failure of teaching and learning of culture in second or foreign language classrooms will be examined. Finally, some discussion and conclusion will be made.