Cultural Teaching In English Lessons At Junior Middle Schools

Language is a part of culture; language serves and reflects cultural needs. As cultures differ from one another, failure to understand cultural differences tends to result in failures in communications. Undoubtedly, the teaching of a foreign language is inseparable from that of a foreign culture. This thesis is intended to prove and highlight the importance of and the specific methods for transmitting cultural knowledge in the process of foreign language teaching at secondary schools in China.First, this thesis presents its introductory part, which includes the scope of culture teaching, a brief summary of relevant literature, the reasons for the selection of the topic, the purposes and methods of the research, as well as the main content and arrangement of the thesis. Next, the thesis discusses the issue of language and culture, concentrating upon the definition of culture, the relationship between language and culture and that between language teaching and culture teaching. Then, the thesis moves on to investigate the necessity and operation feasibility of transmission of cultural knowledge in the process of English teaching at secondary schools. By analyzing the textbooks, the author finds that as the textbooks in use (the new century series) contain much cultural knowledge they can appropriately serve as the major source of cultural input in the EFL classroom. Meanwhile, it is emphasized that the textbooks should be used creatively. Finally, the thesis expounds the major principles and specific methods for teaching cultural knowledge and narrates its content. The author illustrates how a series of activities can be designed to develop the students'competence, thus making the teaching of culture an integral part of English lessons.The author intends to show that the teaching and learning of the target culture can contribute to enhancement of the students'foreign language proficiency. In addition, the author aims to highlight the point that along with the universal adoption of communication-oriented approaches, the EFL teachers should realize the importance of the teaching of cultural knowledge and try every means to develop the students'cultural awareness and strengthen their intercultural communication competence.