A Comparative Approach In The Cultivation Of A Correct Cultural Attitude In Cross-Cultural Communication

As a result from a general observation of current foreign language practice and a survey of 91 copies of lesson plans by graduate students from Capital Normal University, which reveals that there is a prevailing attitude among most learners as well as some teachers that it is the target culture helps promote language learning, while the role of the home culture in this process is often disregarded, the present author advocates a comparative approach to introduce home culture in the cultivation of correct cultural attitude in cross-cultural communication. The thesis is divided into three parts, the normally what, why and how. The first and second chapters begins with the definition of culture, cultural attitude and the three cultural attitudes ascending the historical stages and illustrates that the advocacy of the correct cultural attitude is in compliance with the current call of the era. The third and fourth chapters serve as the theoretical basis to support the topic presented by the current author. The third chapter focuses on the reasons why the EFL learners need the correct cultural attitude. It deals with this theme from the following three aspects: the ultimate goals and functions of foreign language education, the relationship between communicative competence and the correct cultural attitude and the inspiration drawing from the theory of post-structuralism. Chapter four sheds lights on the reasons for the application of the comparative approach, that is, an introduction of EFLVIlearners' home culture as the basis to make comparison with the target culture. The schema theory traditionally used in the field of research on reading is introduced to prove the role of the preexisting background knowledge, in other words, the preexisting schemas in a successful cross-cultural communication. And the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis is picked up once more by the current author to clarify that cultural differences in the semantic associations are evoked by seemingly common concepts and culture is expressed through the actual use of the language. It is because of the existence of cultural difference that the home culture can be served as the basis to make comparisons with target culture, thus further revealing main characteristics of the target culture and in return promoting a deeper understanding of the essence of both home culture and target culture. Through the adjustment of cultural psychology, EFL learners can develop a positive attitude toward the foreign language and its culture. Chapter five is an analysis based on the survey carried out by the current author on 91 copies of lesson plans for a reading article. And in Chapter six a tentative suggestion of the specific classroom activities in EFL is made by the current author. These activities are summarized into three categories: tutor-oriented, learner-oriented and the application of computer assisted language learning. Chapter seven, as a matter of fact, is the summary of the whole thesis, and it also brings forward some questions left over in this field for the followers to solve.