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Cultural Teaching in College English Education in China

Jie Chen
1

Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, China
Abstract: This article intends to illustrate the importance of cultural teaching and how to apply cultural
teaching into college English teaching. Since language and culture are equally important, English language
teaching should not only focus on linguistic competence, but also on cultural teaching, especially at higher
levels of education. Its hoped that the present study will help the English teachers improve their teaching,
and help students cultivate the cultural awareness. Firstly, some issues involved in cultural teaching are
explored, in particular the relation between culture and English teaching, as well as the importance to
combine cultural teaching with English teaching. Secondly, it reports on the findings of a survey regarding
cultural teaching in English teaching. Finally, based on the survey and the Constructivism theory, teachers
are suggested to organize learning situations, such as, design activities, provide opportunities, tools and
environments so as to encourage metacognition.
Keywords: Cultural Teaching, college English education in China, intercultural competence
1. Introduction
China used to be backward in foreign language teaching, but has made considerable progress. Thanks to
the reform in higher education, there are considerable changes in curriculum and teaching methodology.
However, cultural teaching is not given enough attention in China. The focus of this article is to illustrate the
importance of cultural teaching. This paper proposes that college English teaching should not only focus on
developing linguistic competence of students; priority should also be given to cultural teaching.
2. Language and Culture
Since language and culture are equally important, English language teaching should not only focus on
linguistic competence, but also on cultural teaching, especially at higher levels of education. There is a
gradual shift from emphasizing only linguistic competence to including also socio-cultural factors. At early
stages, linguistic competence was believed to be the focus of language teaching. In the 1970s,
communicative competence was proposed. It was believed that the primary function of language is to
communicate. Thus, the purpose of language education is to enhance students communicative competence.
According to Van Ek, communicative competence is comprised of some components, including linguistic
competence, socio-linguistic competence, discourse competence, strategic competence, social competence,
as well as socio-cultural competence. (Van Ek, 1986) Based on the above, cultural teaching is an inseparable
part of English language teaching.
The importance of cultural teaching in language teaching has been the great concern of many teachers
and scholars ever since 1950s and 1960s. As Politzer notes, [i]f we teach language without teaching at the
same time the culture in which it operates, we are teaching meaningless symbols or symbols to which the
student attaches the wrong meaning(Politzer, 1959,p.100-101). That remark is further illustrated: In
reality, what most teachers and students seem to be unaware of is the fact that knowledge of the

This paper is periodic achievement of Research Fund for Social Science at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics
(V0996-1201). Author's Information, School of Foreign Languages, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics( Nanjing,
China) Tel.:86+13951756139 E-mail address:jennifernuaa@hotmail.com


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2011 International Conference on Languages, Literature and Linguistics
IPEDR vol.26 (2011) (2011) IACSIT Press, Singapore
grammatical system of a language [grammatical competence] has to be complemented by understanding of
culture-specific meanings [communicative or rather cultural competence] (Byram, Morgan et al., 1994,p. 4).
Some researchers in China also realized its importance, as Chinese professor DENG Yan-chang said,
Learning a foreign language well does not simply mean mastering its pronunciation, grammar and
vocabulary. In fact, the learning of a language is inseparable from the learning of its culture(Yanchang
Deng, Runqing Liu et al., 1989, p.160). In view of this, it is reasonable to assert that cultural teaching should
be viewed as an integral part of college English teaching. However, there are few researches conducted
concerning the application of cultural teaching into college English teaching, so the following part aims at
justifying the practical implementation of cultural teaching that is supposed to be regarded as an important
factor in College English teaching.
3. Data Collection and Analysis
In order to provide advices on how to apply cultural teaching, first of all, it is important to find out the
students perceptions regarding cultural teaching in English education. A survey was conducted in which 5
questions are presented in the questionnaire. The questions are designed in the form of non-structured
(open-ended) question in order to get more insight into the respondents' thoughts and ideas about the subject.
The study was conducted in 2011 and there were 20 respondents from 3 different classes. The respondents in
this research came from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (China) and all enrolled in the
freshman English course (class year 2010). The English course is compulsory and there are two English
classes per week for freshman. Although the number of respondents was quite small, this pilot study intends
to provide an initial perspective. The survey was conducted after the English Class by the writer. It took
students about 10 minutes to finish the questionnaire.
Table 1: the Questionnaire
Question Topic
1 Are you interested in English courses? Why?
2 Do you think you have a better understanding of foreign cultures and your own
culture through English courses? Why?
3 Will you take part in activities intended to promote cultural teaching?
4 What are the reasons you will (or wont) take part in cultural activities?
5 How do you think to enhance your cultural teaching?
Most of the respondents found difficulties in communicating with native speakers due to the lack of
either linguistic competence or cultural knowledge. Regarding question 1, 18 out of 20 respondents are
interested in English courses. Their reasons vary. The most popular answer (11 entries) was that English was
a useful tool for people to communicate.5 respondents pointed out that they liked English courses because
they were fascinated by American culture. 2 students even mentioned that English courses helped them to
pass College English Test so that they might find a good job in the future. 2 students who said they didnt
like English courses attribute the reason to the dullness of the class and difficulty in keeping up with the
classmates. With regard to the second question, 12 students gave positive answers. They mentioned that they
got to know the cultural differences between China and the West through English learning. 6 respondents
said that their cultural knowledge was limited and 2 respondents didnt give reasons. 11 respondents gave
yes to third question while 6 said no and 3 with ambiguous answers (their answer is dont know). As
to the fourth question, 5 students mentioned that their English was poor so they had no confidence in
participating in any kind of activities. 5 students said it depended on what kinds of activities. 10 respondents
mentioned that they would like to experience different cultures. Regarding the last question, 9 students
suggested that they should watch English movies or read English novels. 4 indicated that to chat with native
speakers might do them good. 5 mentioned that to travel abroad is helpful to them. 2 said that the teachers
should tell more cultural notes in the class.
On the whole, the findings of this study display a general framework of those 20 students perception on
the issue of cultural teaching in English education in China. More data entries will be needed for further
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investigation. However, this pilot study could help teachers become aware of its importance and incorporate
cultural knowledge into teaching based on the respondents expectation and advice.
4. Practical Implementation
Based on the above literature review and the survey, the following part will provide practical
implementation of cultivating cultural teaching in English education. As is known to all, the study of the
foreign language is a tedious and unrewarding task. Then the question remains: how can we incorporate
cultural knowledge into the foreign language curriculum, with a view to foster cultural teaching? In the
following part, some advices based on Constructivism theory are put forward to educators on how to
cultivate cultural teaching in college English teaching. Constructivism theory argues that humans generate
knowledge and meaning from an interaction between their experiences and their ideas. Knowledge
Constructivism provides a theoretical framework for an approach to design, teaching or learning. Jonassen
notes that many educators have applied constructivism to the development of learning environments. He has
isolated a number of design principles and one principle is that create real-world environments that employ
the context in which learning is relevant.(Jonassen, 1991,p. 28-33) According to the above principle, a better
approach is to provide real-world learning environments, rather than pre-determined instructional sequences.
If teachers create situations which would stimulate the students interests, they may generate a high quality
of engagement with language which in turn will construct their own analytical knowledge. In general,
teachers are suggested to organize learning situations, such as, design activities, provide opportunities, tools
and environments so as to encourage metacognition. More specifically, in the class, teachers could improve
students sensitivity to culture by the following means, so that they can initiatively and willingly absorb it.
4.1. Openness to other cultures
An openness towards other cultures is a prerequisite. Successful language learning requires an openness
towards other cultures. Only when openness is cultivated, can one display positive attitudes and tolerance to
different cultures. Prejudice and stereotypes quite often may be the communication barriers and openness
may help remove those barriers. Openness contributes to the awareness of ones own culture and readiness to
adjust ones attitudes and perspectives so as to understand the differences and similarities between the native
culture and target culture. With the advancement of globalization, openness has become a required attitude in
the global village. However, not all the students hold such openness. Cultivation of openness relies on the
joint efforts of both learners and teachers. Language teachers have a responsibility to help students foster an
attitude of openness to the target culture. In the classroom, teachers may offer opportunity for reflection and
discussion on issues relevant to attitudes to different cultures. Through such mediation, there is a possibility
that students should step back and reflect on their own culture, thus gradually develop an openness to other
cultures.
4.2. Arousing students interest
Cultural teaching involves the knowledge of cultural values, beliefs and perceptions. Culture awareness
should be taken into account in designing English language teaching syllabi. Traditional forms of classroom
instruction are far less informative and definitely boring. In order to improve students sensitivity to culture,
teachers should broaden the range of teaching materials as well as diversify their teaching methods. Interest
assumes an important role in acquisition. Spencer notes that there is urgent need to devote attention to
students interest in language learning. He argues that it is this force which enables the teacher to bridge the
gap between students mind and vast mass of systematic material which he has to learn(Spencer & Jago,
1951, p.103 ) In teaching practice, teachers should, first of all, arouse learners interest. Interest plays a
positive role in English teaching, which changes students traditional opinion towards learning. If students
interest in the target culture are aroused, their involvement rate and enthusiasm in English and practical
performance may be promoted greatly. Through various types of media sources, students interests are
aroused, thus, they are willingly involved in interacting and participating. For example, teachers could make
full use of visual aids, such as posters, pictures, maps, and video clips to help students develop mental
images. Apart from classroom teaching, another effective and stimulating way is to ask students to explore
certain culture knowledge by themselves through some extracurricular activities.
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4.3. Comparison and contrast of native and target cultures
Cultural teaching consists of perception of our own and other peoples culture. Cultural teaching means
a gradually developing inner sense of the equality of cultures, an increased understanding of your own and
other peoples, and a positive interest in how cultures both connect and differ. (Tomlinson, 2001,
p.5)Therefore, cultivating cultural teaching can be operated from the comparison and contrast between
Chinese and English and introduction of cultural background. At any rate, the aim of teaching culture is to
increase students awareness and to develop their curiosity towards the target culture and their own, helping
them to make comparisons among cultures (Tavares & Cavalcanti, 1996,p.19). Knowledge of the self and
the other and awareness of cultural difference are essential tools in reaching intercultural competence.
Teachers could draw students attention to similarities and differences between Chinese culture and Western
culture. Teachers could use cooperative learning format, eg, the form of lectures plus workshop seminars. As
the saying goes that Practice makes perfect, teachers could give learners opportunities to practice what
they need to learn to facilitate knowledge construction, not reproduction. For example, teachers could
organize certain oral or written activities associated with the difference between home and target cultures.
These comparisons and contrasts, of course, are not meant to underestimate foreign cultures but to enrich
students experience and to sensitize them to cultural diversity.
4.4. Providing cultural encounters
The teachers are supposed to provide cultural encounters for students affective and cognitive
engagement. (Tomlinson & Masuhara, 2004,p.8)Teachers should be aware of the impact of fast-developing
technology upon students social and academic behavior. Students are already employing meta-cognitive
strategies to gain skills and information through their involvement in self-learning. Teachers must not only
be aware of the types of technology but also be willing to determine ways in which those resources can be
incorporated more fully into classroom instruction. There is a great need of teaching materials that in
particular focus on the cultural side of language. Apart from textbooks, literary texts, film and television are
desirable resource of authentic language, from which can provide cultural encounters so as to stimulate
affective as well as cognitive understanding of other cultures. Above all, teachers could make full use of
internet. A lot of students have easy access to internet now and Internet seems to be a window through which
students can easily communicate with the outside world. With the help of Internet, students could increase
their knowledge of the target culture: values, society, history, custom, literature etc. Those cultural
encounters are beneficial to the enhancement of cultural teaching.
5. Conclusion
As the world is shrinking into global village and China is opening wider to the outside world, affairs in
different countries become inseparable. English will continue to be the paramount tool for people to
communicate in the world. It is believed that teaching is an integrated process that under the influence of
diverse and complex factors such as the teacher, the student, the teaching material, the medium and
evaluation. The whole instruction pattern determines that College English Education is a system, in which
entirety, relevance, objectivity and dynamic characteristic are integrated. College English teaching in China
should not only focus on developing linguistic competence of students, priority should also be given to
fostering cultural teaching. In order to achieve the optimization of teaching, overall planning and
coordination are required. Therefore, college English teachers should set a goal to incorporate the teaching of
cultural knowledge into the foreign language curriculum. This paper makes some elementary exploration of
the application of cultural teaching into college English teaching and learning. In the class, cultivating
cultural teaching can be realized through the integration of language and cultural teaching, which can be
operated from some techniques and methods based on Constructivism theory. It is hoped that this paper will
contribute to a better understanding of cultural teaching and its application in college English education.
6. References
[1] Ek, J. Van: Objectives for Foreign Language Learning, Volume 1: Scope, Council of Europe, Strasbourg.
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[2] Politzer, R. Developing Cultural Understanding through Foreign Language Study. Report of the Fifth Annual
Round Table Meeting on Linguistics and Language Teaching, Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press.
1959, pp. 99-105.
[3] Byram, M., Morgan, C. & Colleagues. Teaching and Learning Language and Culture. Great Britain: WBC,1994.
[4] Yanchang Deng, Runqing Liu et al. Language and Culture .Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research
Press, 1989.
[5] Jonassen, D. Evaluating Constructivist Learning. Educational Technology, 1991,36(9), 28-33.
[6] D, H. Spencer & I. B. Jago.ELT Journal, 1951, V (4), 103-108.
[7] Tomlinson, B &Masuhara, H. Seeing More Between the Lines, The Guardian Weekly, Learning English, 2001,June
21-27, 5.
[8] Tavares, R. & Cavalcanti, I.. Developing Cultural teaching in EFL Classrooms. English Forum, 1996,
July-September, 34(3).
[9] Tomlinson, B &Masuhara, H. Developing Cultural teaching, Modern English Teacher, 2004, 13(1), 5-11.
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