A Study On Culture Teaching In High School ELT

Language is a part of a culture, and the carrier of the culture. Foreign language study is not only the process of learning a language but also the process of taking the language as a means of information transmission to comprehend a culture. So foreign language study is actually the process of intercultural study. Since it is"intercultural", the cultural differences are inevitable. In this thesis the introduction of cultural teaching aims at how to deal with the existing differences between cultures.Learning a foreign language, especially English, is the base for intellectual and technological creativity, and the requirement for high-quality talents in the 20th century . It is through the learning of English that students learn more about foreign culture and society, contrast cultural differences, reinforce their consciousness of the world, develop their interest, confidence, strategy and habit of learning, and improve their competence of cross-cultural communication. As is stipulated in the New English Syllabus Standards (MOE 2002: 83), the culture teaching in English teaching involves at least two aspects: one is the imparting of culture knowledge, which is also known as culture transmission, and the other is the fostering of cross-cultural awareness. Through an investigation into the status quo of culture teaching in middle-school ELT, this thesis probes into such problems as the challenges to the integration of culture teaching and ELT. It puts forward the principles and methods of culture teaching in accordance with the requirements for students culture awareness laid down by the Standards, arguing that, as language and culture are inseparable, importance should be attached to culture teaching in the process of ELT.For a long time, the educators and the learners regard English learning as a tool for exams, not for abilities. And the English teaching is a kind of language teaching, neglecting the actual use in context, thus, resulting in communication failure. This thesis analyzes the relationship between language and culture, the contents and goals in teaching foreign language and culture, the existing methods of teaching culture in foreign language education, the textbooks of Senior English for China, and the reasons for causing cultural mistakes. It stresses that culture teaching aims, by inspiring students favorable attitudes (e.g. interest and confidence) to culture, to train their awareness and raise their competence of cross-cultural communication, thereby improving the effect of ELT. This thesis concludes with recommendations for improving culture teaching. Learning a foreign language is inseparable from learning its culture. The knowledge of cultural differences may help students to make less pragmatic errors and to become proficient in cross-cultural communication. So, great efforts should also be paid to the development of the students'cross-cultural awareness, and then the quality of English teaching could be really improved.