Language and the Culture: Language learning through the culture of the target language

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Recommended: The role of culture in language teaching and learning

Language and the Culture

: Language learning through the culture of the target language

Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Winter spring 2010

Language and the Culture

: Language learning through the culture of the target language

As language and culture are interrelated, so that language cannot be taught without culture (Maria, 2002). How many people learn a culture of the target language when they learn a language? Can you say the person who is perfect at one language can fully understand the culture of the language? I would say the one who is perfect at the target language could not be perfect at the culture, but he or she would be better at learning language if they learn in the culture friendly environment.

Introduction

Learning a new language takes long time, I am the one who believe that immersed in the target language’s culture is the most efficient way to learn a new language. I am an example of that believe, after I graduate my high school, I thought that learning a new language will be essential at the future, so that I started to learn English from January 2006. Learn a new language was not easy, because I had merely exposure in the target language before I started to learn. One day, I saw a poster that inform about a Work Camp, which I can do a volunteer service in the Europe. I was thinking that I could improve my English in there, because all the people in the camp from all different countries and the official language were English. I apply as a renovation of an art museum in Eupen, Belgium held by UNICEF (the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund).

I could not speak in English...

... middle of paper ...

...m a class in order the students’ language competency can lead more active discussion.

For the future research, I would like to find some results that the students who learned a language with culture class have positive effects in their consequential learning results.

References

1. Brian Cullen, & Kazuyoshi Sato (2000), Practical techniques for teaching culture in the EFL classroom. Nagoya, Japan.

2. Maria A. Kodotchigova (2001), Role play in teaching culture, Russia.

3. Omaggio-Hadley, A. (1993), Teaching language in context, Boston.

4. Oxford, R. L. (1994), Teaching culture in the language classroom, Washington.

5. Seelye, H. N. (1993), Teaching culture: strategies for intercultural communication, Linconwood.

6. Sysoyev, P. V. (2002), Identity, culture, and language teaching. Iowa City.

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