The Role of Culture in English Language Teaching Essay Example for Free

The Role of Culture in English Language Teaching Essay English Language is traditionally viewed as a code made up of words and a series of rules that connect them together. Language learning here, involves only vocabulary learning, and the rules for constructing ‘proper’ sentences. In most schools in Meghalaya, grammar is being taught at a very early age and students are expected to understand complex idiomatic phrases at the secondary level. Linguistic terminologies, rules of grammar, complex vocabulary, proverbs and their meanings have to be learnt by heart for them to overcome their board examinations. Such a situation only confuses the learners at a very early age and demotivates them from learning any further than what they have to write in their examinations. This narrow understanding of language sees it as a body of knowledge which is fixed and finite and does not explore the complexities involved in using language for communication. When language is seen as ‘open, dynamic, energetic, constantly evolving and personal’ (Shohamy, 2007:5) it acknowledges the rich complexities of communication. Language is no longer a thing to be studied but rather, a way of seeing, understanding and communicating about the world and each language user will use his language differently to do this. Such an expanded view will make the educational process more engaging. The communicative approach to teaching emphasizes elements of communication, including negotiation of meaning, expression, and interpretation (Brown 2000). Speaking is not the only skill that communicative language teaching focuses on but also involves reading, writing, grammar, and culture (Lee VanPatten, 2003). Brown (2007) also adds that students in such classrooms need to use the target language in a meaningful context. The purpose of Communicative language teaching is to improve the learners’ knowledge of the second language, as well as how to use it appropriately in a given context (Li Song, 2007). Learners acquire the second language through interaction with others rather than rote memorization and grammar rule learning. Language is first and foremost a tool for purposeful communication and this involves learning the vocabulary and the rules of how to use them in various cultural contexts. Hence, language does not imply a body of knowledge to be learnt but a social practice in which to participate (Kramsch, 1994). It is something that people do in their daily lives, something that they use to express, create and interpret meanings and to establish and maintain social and inter-personal relationships. Learners can no longer be seen as passive recipients of knowledge, but rather, active participants in a dynamic, complex, personal communication system. Language learning should involve them talking analytically about language, exploring and discovering the ways in which it works in order to create and convey meanings. On the surface, culture can be seen as a body of knowledge that we have about a particular society. These may include cultural artefacts, tools, institutions, rituals, dress, food etc. On a deeper level, culture is a framework in which people live their lives and communicate shared meanings with each other. Creating and interpreting meaning always happens within this cultural framework wherein both cultures simultaneously influence the learners’ understanding. Learning to communicate in English involves an awareness of the ways in which culture inter-relates with language whenever it is used. Many scholars today believe that culture and language are inseparable and culture learning must be an integral part of language learning. According to Kramsch (1993) there are three ways how language and culture are bound together. Firstly, language expresses cultural reality (people express ideas, facts and reflect their attitudes through words). Secondly, language embodies cultural reality (it helps people give meaning and understand their own experiences). And thirdly, language symbolizes cultural reality (it serves as a social identity for people). Learning a second language necessarily involves comparison with the learners’ first language, but the latter is generally perceived as causing ‘interference’ in the learning of the target language. So, students are taught to imitate, practice drills, and create speaking habits without addressing the larger complexities of language learning. In the language classroom, learners do not only learn about a culture but they try to understand themselves in relation to that culture. This process entails the transformational engagement of the learner in the act of learning. Students bring with them their own conceptions, misconceptions, experiences, feelings and understanding to the classroom, and as they interact with another culture, their views will continue to change and shape their learning as well as their identity. The diverse cultural understandings and experiences of the students are highly influential and therefore need to be taken into account. There are many approaches to teaching culture in language learning. Saluveer (2004) has divided them into two broad categories: Those that focus only on the culture of the target language (mono-cultural approach) and those that are based on comparing the learners’ own and the other culture (comparative approach). Risager (1998) describes four approaches to teaching of culture, namely, the intercultural approach, the multicultural approach, the trans-cultural approach, and the foreign-cultural approach. Of these, the intercultural approach seem most appropriate for a study on Khasi-dominated classrooms as it draws upon the idea that culture is best learned through comparison of the target and the learners’ own culture. Though the main focus is on the target culture, the intercultural approach emphasizes the connections between the two cultures, thereby developing the learners’ intercultural and communicative competences, and enabling them to act as mediators betwe en the two cultures. Saluveer (2004) points out two categories of foreign language textbooks used in English language classrooms: Global textbooks which cover issues which appeal to people from different cultural backgrounds and include topics that can be set anywhere; and Locally produced textbooks which include materials which are consistent with the requirements of the national curriculum and such books usually foster learners’ awareness of both their own cultural identity and the target culture. Analysis of the current English textbooks being used by schools would prove to be very useful for the study. According to the National Curriculum Framework (NCF), 2005 the goals for a second language curriculum are attainment of basic proficiency and the development of language into an instrument for abstract thought and knowledge acquisition through literacy. It believes that children learn much better in holistic situations that make sense rather than a linear and additive way that often has no meaning. Rich and comprehensible input is necessary for acquisition of the different skills of language. The NCF (2005) encourages a multi-lingual approach to schooling right from the beginning of a child’s education. It states that the success of â€Å"English medium† schools shows that language is learnt when it is not being taught as a language but rather, through exposure in a meaningful context. It is also of the opinion that input-rich communicational environments are essential for effective language learning. This includes learner chosen texts, parallel books and materials in more than one language, multi-media, â€Å"authentic materials† and so on. It states that a variety of materials should be available to provide an input-rich curriculum which focuses on meaning. The textbooks of Meghalaya have been recently revised as per the directives of the NCF 2005 wherein the focus is on developing an activity-based communicative approach towards teaching and learning. They have tried to incorporate culturally authentic materials which are relevant to the immediate environment of the child. The NCF 2005 has suggested the use of locally available resources such as folklore, storytelling, community singing and theatre. Listening should also be enriched with music such as folk, classical and popular compositions. Today, there is a unanimous agreement amongst scholars that teachers should integrate language and culture into their classrooms and they should not perceive them as two separate entities. Language is seen as part of culture and culture a part of language, which is why they cannot be separated and should be taught together. (Brown , 2007) Hence, we need to better our understanding of learners, recognize differences in their social and cultural worlds – their experiences, motivations and aspirations, and incorporate this diversity into our teaching and learning. When students communicate in such a classroom, they become both participants and observers of ideas, expressions, feelings and experiences, thereby engendering a greater awareness of themselves in relation to others. Research Problem Students of Shillong vary widely in terms of language use in their homes and communities depending on their socio-economic backgrounds. A major challenge faced by teachers today is enabling economically-disadvantaged tribal students to communicate effectively in English at the school level. The ones who are privileged enough to attend expensive multicultural English medium schools communicate exceptionally well compared to the under-privileged majority of students. The word-knowledge before they come to school also varies accordingly and greatly influences how they perform in the later levels of school. If there is a significant gap in the vocabulary at the primary level, it will widen as the student progresses. Such students become poor readers and consequently, they read less, thereby learning fewer new words. They usually do not develop fluency even in the later stages of education, either in speaking or writing. On the other hand, students with good vocabulary generally read more, thereby learning more words and improving their reading skills (Stanovich, 1986). This downward spiral is especially true with students from rural areas. They are hardly exposed to any English text except those which are essential in school and there is no opportunity for them to converse in English. Similarly, urban English-medium schools which are predominantly mono-lingual harbour secondary level students who generally avoid using English, except in situations when they have to. An inferiority complex coupled with intense peer pressure usually seals their mouths shut whenever an English-speaking situation emerges. To further complicate the situation, students from rural areas usually migrate to such schools at the elementary and secondary level. A study into the real or actual classroom situations and the effectiveness of ELT methods and approaches used in such schools would give a clearer understanding of the problems that are hindering the acquisition and learning of English. English language teachers have to cater to the context of the target students and since the problems of underprivileged Khasi children are similar to some extent, a clear understanding of the teaching-learning relationship between them can be achieved. Hence, language learning should build on the students’ prior knowledge, conceptions and misconceptions through an interactive and communicative process. Utilizing culturally â€Å"authentic† materials that students are already familiar with will encourage discussion and meaning making in the classroom. Audio-visual aids and other multimedia materials which are relevant to the immediate environment of the students have great potential for motivating the students to participate more actively in the language learning process. The current methods, strategies, and evaluation of teaching English do not give importance to integrating the students’ culture into language learning. The researcher believes that investigating the selection of textbooks, assessing the textbooks themselves, the teachers’ use of culturally relevant materials, and their creation of a learner-centered classroom environment for social interactive learning is a worthwhile enterprise not only for pedagogical purposes but also for insights into second language learning for monolingual classrooms in general. Area of Study The study focuses mainly at the elementary level. It will select 8 schools; four government schools and four private schools within the semi-urban areas of Shillong. The schools selected will be the schools following the MBOSE syllabus. Aims and Objective The main goal of the present study is to find out if integration of culturally relevant material into the teaching and learning of English as a second language would help promote communication skills in semi-urban English medium schools. The main objectives of the research are: †¢ The textbooks: A description of the textbooks in terms of its aim, content, approach and design will be presented in the study. †¢ If there is integration of culturally relevant materials in the textbooks, the study will examine how integration is being carried out: I. in actual classroom situation. II. in the audio-visual aids or tools available in actual classroom situation. †¢ The study will also examine the evaluation and assessment tools commonly practiced in the schools. †¢ The study will also provide a brief description of the teacher training programmes. †¢ Since the study focuses mainly on integration of local cultural materials to promote communicative skills, it will also document available materials to be incorporated appropriately at the elementary level. †¢ Tools and techniques incorporating culturally relevant materials to test development of communication skills for children at the elementary level. Methodology Both primary and secondary resources will be adopted in the study. For collection of Primary data, the study will incorporate the following methods: 1. The participant–observation method. This method will be used to examine the teaching practices, audio-visual aids, common language assessment strategies adopted in actual classroom situation. 2. The questionnaire method: This method will be used for analyzing the textbooks, and teacher training programmes. 3. The interview method: Interview schedule will be adopted for a study of teacher’s and student’s background. 4. Tools and techniques incorporating local and culturally relevant materials for testing communication skills. For secondary data, the study will try to collect materials from educational institutions, such as teacher training institutes, University libraries, and the State and National institute of school education. Fieldwork for the study will be carried out in the 8 selected schools located within the semi-urban areas of the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya. Tentative Chapterisation 1. Introduction 2. Contemporary methods of English language teaching 3. Methodology 4. Data Analysis and Presentation of Materials 5. Summary and Future Projections of the Study