Ronda's corrected verson: Language/Culture Connection

Record 1 of 10

Wesche, Mari. 2004. Teaching Languages and Cultures in a Post-9/11 World.
The Modern Language Journal, 88, 2. 278-285.

Abstract
Given the prominence of linguistic & cultural differences in the
conflicts of the world after 11 Sep 2001, the language teaching
profession needs more than ever before to help students to communicate
effectively with speakers of another language by acquiring the ability
to understand their perceptions & reactions, ie, to see the world
through others' eyes. The initial teaching objective in the foreign
language classroom is the development of the open attitude of a
sympathetic observer of other cultures; the goal of cultural literacy
calls for transcendence of instrumental attitudes to aim at
cross-cultural understanding. The cultural content appropriate for
English as a second language courses is explored in the context of the
decoupling of the English language from Western culture & the
possibility of inculcating interculturality to enable the use of
English for intercultural communication. 16 References. J. Hitchcock


Record 2

Yates, Lynda. 2004. The 'Secret Rules of Language': Tackling Pragmatics in the Classroom. Prospect, 19, 1. 3-21.

Abstract
In this article, I would like to focus on how we can help learners to
understand what one exasperated student once referred to as "the
secret rules of language" (Bardovi-Harlig, 2001), ie, the norms
of interaction which experienced members of a speech community follow
as they use language in their day-to-day business. These relate to
such apparently mundane activities as how appropriate it is to say
"thank you" to particular speakers in particular contexts,
how much to soften the impact of what you are saying, how long to wait
before you answer a question, how informal to be in a particular
context, etc. It can be most frustrating for learners who have made
great efforts to master the vocabulary, syntax, & phonology of a
language only to find themselves misunderstood because of their
failure to heed some of the less visible, but nonetheless crucial
& systematic, principles which underpin "appropriate"
interaction in a culture. Indeed, until some miscommunication occurs,
many learners - & native speakers - are not only unsure of what
these secret rules are, but may even be only vaguely aware of their
existence. I begin by considering the nature of these "secret
rules," why they are important, & what some of them might
look like for speakers of Australian English. I then explore how such
aspects of language usage can be addressed in the classroom &
suggest some approaches & activities designed to help adult
learners preparing to enter the workforce. 76 References. Adapted from
the source document

Record 3

Connor, Ulla; Rozycki, William; McIntosh, Kyle. 2006. Culture in an English-Language Training Program. Asian Journal of English Language Teaching. 89-112.

Abstract
The received notion of culture as a monolithic national identity has
in recent decades given way to a new conceptualization. Culture is
increasingly viewed as dynamic & multidimensional. Culture can
include national or ethnic, but also disciplinary or professional,
institutional, consumer, technological, & individual dimensions.
This new understanding of culture plays a role in analysis of
relationships in the English language classroom between students &
instructor, & in negotiation between students &
administrators. The dynamics of a 6-month program in English, offered
at an American university for Chinese participants, is better
understood through the emerging model than through the more limited
& traditional concept of ethnic interaction. In particular, the
new model of culture explains the otherwise unexpectedly strong power
negotiation by students in the program. Adapted from the source
document

Record 4

Yoshimoto, Mika. 1998. The Dilemma of Perceptual Changes: A Case Study of Three Japanese ESL Students. Carleton Papers in Applied Language Studies. 15, 41-64.

Abstract
The influence of the environment within an English as a second
language (ESL) class on Japanese students' decision-making,
self-confidence, & academic performance is examined. Interviews
with 3 Japanese students enrolled in an intensive ESL course at
Carleton U were conducted & measured students' motivations for
taking an ESL course, their use of specific learning strategies, &
students' awareness of the cultural influences on language-learning.
It is revealed that the students possessed different intrinsic &
extrinsic motivations for taking an ESL course, eg, the desire to
communicate better. In addition, the findings demonstrated that
students used metacognitive, affective, social, compensation, &
cognitive learning strategies. In addition, the study indicated that
only one student crossed cultural borders & interacted with
non-Japanese students in the ESL classroom. It is concluded that the
learners' decision-making was influenced by multiple factors (eg,
psychological problems & cultural influences) & that the fear
of losing their Japanese heritage created significant changes in their
self-perceptions. 18 References. J. W. Parker

Record 5

Sarmento, Simone. 2004. Teaching Culture in the Foreign Language Classroom.
Revista Virtual de Estudos da Linguagem - ReVEL 2. 2.

Abstract
Notions of culture, intercultural communication, & the role of
culture in foreign language instruction are explored in a review of
the insights & fundamental principles enunciated by a wide range
of authors representing approaches that differ in the method,
quantity, & topics recommended for a cultural component of foreign
language classes. As the lingua franca of the present time, English is
no longer the property of its native speakers, with the result that
instruction in English norms has doubtful value for learners who will
use it to interact with representatives of very different cultures;
cultural topics may be incorporated into lesson plans, or culture may
be taught spontaneously as opportunities arise in the classroom.
Students' cultural awareness must be developed in tandem with critical
consciousness to permit the student to take responsibility for words
& actions & to choose when appropriate between cultural
accommodation & preservation of identity. References. J.
Hitchcock

Record 6

Eoyang, Eugene. 1999. The Worldliness of the English Language: A Lingua Franca. Past and Future. ADFL Bulletin, 31, 1, Fall. 26-32.

Abstract
As English is neither universal nor transparent or easy to use, its
world dominance is attributed entirely to its comprehensiveness; ie,
English is more responsive than any other language to new ideas &
concepts & is therefore expanding its lexicon more rapidly than
other languages, as witnessed by the massive incursions of English
loanwords into Japanese & French. One source of the strength of
English is its motley character, illustrated by an analysis of the
Lord's Prayer that claims its beauty emanates from a mixture of Latin
& Anglo-Saxon cursus forms. As the native speakers of English
worldwide are outnumbered by the learners of English as a second
language in China alone, possible entrees into English for the new
learner are explored; to develop multiple selves, it is recommended
that beginning instruction focus on xenonyms, ie, the authentic
English words that denote places familiar to the student. 19
References. J. Hitchcock


Record 7

Arden-Close, Christopher. 1999. Taiwanese University Freshmen's Difficulties with Reading in English Reading in a Foreign Language, 12, 2. 325-354.

Student essays are analyzed to identify the difficulties Taiwanese
university freshmen have in their English reading. The analytic
framework used embraces the concept of receptivity to the target
language & culture. Students' previous learning of English reading
in secondary schools & its effect on their present learning is
examined as well as their attitudes toward the English-speaking
culture vis-a-vis their own Taiwanese culture, & to the English
language. These are seen as important determinants of their present
difficulties. Finally, their present difficulties are examined via
their attitudes to the methods of teaching used in the university. It
is concluded that reading in a foreign language involves much more
than what happens in the classroom & that further studies casting
such a wide net should be made. 30 References. Adapted from the source
document

Record 8

Fitzgerald, Saira. 1999-2000. Large Plans and Vague Ideas. Carleton Papers in Applied Language Studies. 16-17. 113-125.

Abstract
Personal experience in teaching English at an Islamic institute in
Indonesia, under an agreement between the Indonesian religious affairs
ministry & World University Services of Canada, is recounted.
Although the need for English instruction was created by an upgrade of
the degree programs of six Islamic institutes, no further planning or
implementation occurred in the country once the agreement was reached;
teachers arrived without prior preparation for the local situation
& faced students unable to use English for any purpose due to
years of English instruction in a word-based tradition of language
teaching. Private teacher-student dialogue journals & the
development of situations for language yielded progress in basic
English communication skills before the project was unjustifiably
cancelled; 1 year afterward, local institute officials reported that
the students, who were no longer on campus, had all successfully
passed their English requirements & gone on. 5 References. J.
Hitchcock

Record 9

Girvan, Anita. 1999-2000. Learning from Curricular Disjuncture. Carleton Papers in Applied Language Studies, 16-17. 126-138.

Abstract
Disjunctures between the theory & practice of English instruction
at the secondary level in Japan are described in a report based on
personal experience as a Canadian assistant language teacher on
contract with the Japanese Exchange & Teaching Program, which is
overtly geared towards internationalization of Japanese students &
communicative language teaching. Among other contradictions, the
program makes no formal mention of the all-important English
examinations, which have a crucial gatekeeper role at many points in a
student's life & emphasize reading & grammar to the exclusion
of all other language skills; students' need to pass these
examinations cannot be set aside to indulge in communicative
approaches to English, which also run afoul of students' strong
motivation to avoid self-expression for fear of peer censure. As
English is a compulsory subject, students' levels of interest &
responsiveness vary widely; Japanese English teachers in the program
receive insufficient support from the system & no extra allowance
for supervision of assistant language teachers. 14 References. J.
Hitchcock

Record 10

Kuperman, Michael. 2001. The Leaves, the Trees, the Forest: Language, Text, and Culture in The Joy Luck Club. Cauce, 24. 239-258.

Abstract
Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club is a model text for ESOL students. This
paper will discuss how The Joy Luck Club contains language, text,
& culture in a potent mixture that is relevant for any ESL or EFL
student, especially in the ever-expanding international community of
English learners. After introducing The Joy Luck Club, the paper will
commence with an examination of culture & its role in the TESOL
classroom. Then it will discuss TESOL reading in general & how a
text is created by & with language, supporting the use of books
such as Tan's. Next, the synthesis of language, text, & culture
will highlight the strengths of the narrative. Finally, the paper will
conclude with pedagogic information on how to teach The Joy Luck Club,
based on experience using the novel as a textbook in an advanced
reading class in Taiwan. 15 References. Adapted from the source
document