researchonthecultureeducationofenglishteachinginmiddleschools.doc

毕 业 论 文论文题目Research on The Culture Education of English Teaching in Middle SchoolsResearch on The Culture Education of English Teaching in Middle SchoolsxxxxxA thesis submitted to School of Foreign Languages ofxxxx University in partial fulfillment of the requirementsfor the degree of Bachelor of ArtsUnder the supervision of xxxxxxxxx UniversityJune，2010ContentsAbstract.i摘 要.iiI. Introduction.11.1 Literature review.11.2 The definition of culture and language.31.3The relationship between culture and language.4II .The importance of culture education in middle schools.62.1 The need of language learning.62.2 The need of intercultural communication7III. The problems of culture education in middle school.83.1. Lacking awareness of culture education.93.2The methods of the culture education are too single.10IV. Approaches to put culture education into English teaching in middle schools.114.1 Studying culture-loaded vocabulary.114.2 Comparing culture differences.134.3 Using role-playing teaching method.154.4 Making good use of multimedia.154.5 Reading literature works and newspapers.16V. Conclusion.18Works Cited.20Acknowledgements.22AbstractIn traditional English teaching, language knowledge is paid too much attention to, and words, sentences and grammar are taken as the dominant factors, separated from the culture. English teachers, especially those in middle schools, neglect culture teaching intentionally or unintentionally, because of lacking cultural knowledge themselves. In this paper，the first part the author definite the meaning of culture and language in detail . The second part it refers to the importance of culture education in the middle schools English teaching. The third part the author summarizes two main problems: Lacking awareness of culture education; the methods of the culture education are too single. The fourth part, the author proposes the following solution: Studying culture-loaded vocabulary; Comparing culture differences; Using role-playing teaching method; Making good use of multimedia; Reading literature works and newspapers .Therefore, this thesis points out that language should be taught with culture even at the beginning. English teachers ought to familiarize the students with culture knowledge through different channels so as not only to enrich and improve English teaching, but also to help students to communicate with English native speakers of in a correct, proper and decent way.Key words: English teaching; Culture education; Approaches摘 要在传统的英语教学中，教师授课注重语言知识的学习，词，句，语法的学习被作为教学的重点和文化的学习相分离。尤其是中学的英语教师，由于自身缺少对文化知识的了解，有的甚至认为没有必要进行文化教育，因此有意无意忽视文化教育。在本文中，第一部分对文化及语言的定义做了详尽的分析，第二部分提到文化教育对于中学英语教学的重要性。第三部分结合其他学者对于这一问题的探究，从中总结出两点问题：老师和学生缺乏进行文化教学的意识；文化教育过程中存在严重的单一性。第四部分针对以上两点主要问题，提出了以下几点解决方案：从词汇的基础上来了解和学习文化；对比文化的差异；运用角色扮演的教学方法；注重运用多元化的文化教育；阅读大量的文学作品和报刊。所以，本论文的目的意在指出从起步学习英语的同时就应该将语言教学与文化教学统一起来。让学生在多种形式下多角度了解英语文化，并以此丰富和完善英语教学，从而增强文化意识，从而使学生能准确合理，得体的与英语母语者交流。关键词:英语教学；文化教育；途径 .IntroductionLanguage and culture are inseparable. Language is the most important carrier of culture. Learning a language is learning a culture. Therefore, to learn English well, we need to understand the characteristics of the English language and its cultural background. Mistakes have often been made when we use English, owing to our lack of the knowledge of English-speaking countries culture. The new English Course Standards (2002) for middle schools has added culture teaching as one of its main parts; From the 1950s, quite a few scholars，both at home and abroad, have researched cultural factors in English teaching. But what and how to teach it in middle schools still needs systematic study. Nowadays we notice the importance of cultural factors in English teaching. Teaching language also involves teaching culture. We cannot learn a language without learning the culture in which the language deeply rooted. Language is just like the running water. It changes in every moment, for culture changes from time to time. If language is a flower, culture will be the soil for this flower. 1.1 Literature reviewSince the 20th century, culture has been illustrated by many philosophers, socialists, anthologists, historians and linguists. According to Brown (1987) “Culture is a collection of beliefs, habits, living patterns and behaviors which are held more or less in common by people who occupy particular geographic areas.” Eugene.A.Nida, a famous linguist, translator in the world, defined culture as “the totality of beliefs and practices of a society.”(1998) “culture is the evolving way of life of a group of persons, consisting of a shared set of practices associated with a shared set of products, based upon a shared set of perspectives on the world, and set within specific social contexts”. So culture seems to contain everything in the world, including customs, habits, ideas and beliefs. Culture doesnt come out in one day. When people live in a certain area in groups, their way of working, entertainment, communication or other regular activities appeared. As time went by, these things gradually fixed and shared by the members. Therefore, everything that a person experienced is part of his or her culture.It is also generally accepted nowadays that “culture” can be interpreted in its broad sense and narrow sense. That is, the traditional notion of culture in language education has been expanded from “culture with a big C” to “culture with a small c”. Most scholars support that “culture with a big C” focus on all the achievements and contributions to civilization: art, music, literature, architecture, technology, scientific discovery and philosophy. And “culture with a small c” includes “the behavior patterns of the life style of people: when and what they eat, how they make a living, the way they organize their society, the attitudes they express towards friends and members of their families, how they act in different situations, which expressions they use to show approval and disapproval, the traditions they must observe, and so on”.Meanwhile, scholars in China also have different definitions about culture. According to Zhang Zhanyi (1990), culture can be divided into knowledge culture and communication culture in accordance with its function. Knowledge culture includes a nations politics, economy, education, religion, law, arts and literature etc. Communication culture is composed of language and non-language factors including greeting, appreciation, title, euphemism and taboo. It reflects peoples values and beliefs, social customs, psychological statement and the mode of thinking, which is hidden in the linguistic system. 1.2 The definition of culture and language.1.2.1 The definition of cultureWhat is culture? The definition of culture varies from person to person. Culture is a large and evasive concept, which is very complex and difficult to define.Culture means the total body of tradition borne by a society and transmitted from generation to generation. It thus refers to the norms, values, standards by which people act, and it includes the ways distinctive in each society of ordering the world and rendering it intelligible. Culture is.a set of mechanisms for survival, but it provides us also with a definition of reality. It is the matrix into which we are born, it is the anvil upon which our persons and destinies are forged. (Robert Murphy. Culture and Social Anthropology: An Overture. 2nd ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1986: 14)In my mind, culture is a part of life. It is a way of life ,especially the general customs and beliefs ,of a particular group of people at a particular time. 1.2.2 The definition of language What is language? It definite as any means of conveying or communicating ideas; specifically, human speech; the expression of ideas by the voice; sounds, expressive of thought, articulated by the organs of the throat and mouth. Language as a social phenomenon was first described by Ferdinand se Saussure who claimed that providing only historical description of languages (as it was done at his time) should not be the only approach to this complex entity. He maintained that crucial information about language can be obtained from its common users, who in most cases do not posses practically any theoretical knowledge about their native tongue and yet are competent speakers. Moreover, as Saussure assumed language use reflects the contemporary structure which should enable synchronic language analysis (language used at a given point in time) in addition to diachronic analysis concerned with the past linguistic forms. The social aspect of using language, or speech was called parole by Saussure, while the underlying knowledge of linguistic structure was known as langue.So from above contents ,we can make a conclusion that language is a broad category.1.3 The relationship between culture and languageA language is a system of written symbols, with standardized meanings. Language is the outward manifestation of the spirit of people: Their language is their spirit, and their spirit is their language. Through words, we are able to communicate with others and express our own ideas; to learn different kinds of experiences and so on. However, the most important function of language is to develop and transmit culture.It is generally accepted that language and culture are closely related to each other. “A language is part of culture and a culture is part of language; the two are intricately interwoven so that one cannot separate the two without losing the significance of either language or culture” (Brown, 1987:123). Language is the carrier of culture（Su Dingfang，1996:58). An integral part of languages such as word phrase carries a lot of cultural information, which is a portrayal of human social and cultural life. Knowing a language is not only to know the grammar, vocabulary, discourse patterns, but also the culture behind it, which determine whether the language using in a particular context is appropriate. Therefore, we may say, language is a window to the culture. To practice the culture, we also need language. We need to be able to express ourselves and to communicate with members of the culture. We engage with them in many practices and products. In sum, As Seelye (1984) pointed out, “It is becoming increasingly apparent that the study of language cannot be divorced from the student of culture, and vice versa.” It would be difficult to transmit culture from place to place and from generation to generation without languages, it is impossible to understand language without cultural context. The formation and development of language is based on culture. Language can not exist without culture. Culture and language are inseparably interwoven with each other because the language is one aspect of its culture and culture in turn has profound influence on language. In other words, it is necessary and more proper to teach both language and culture in an integrated way. II . The importance of culture education in middle schools English teachingCulture is a very important part in the whole teaching process. culture education as an important way in middle schools English teaching, no matter teachers or students, they both should pay enough attention to the culture education. 2.1 The need of English language learning An increasing number of linguists and foreign language teachers realize that linguistic knowledge does not guarantee mutual understanding unless one gain an understanding of another ones culture. That is to say, no language can be taught in a cultural vacuum. To learn a foreign language well does not only mean to learn the pronunciation, the words and the grammar. They should be familiar with the cultural differences, because people with different cultural background have different customs, and behaviors. “To study language without studying the culture of native speakers is a lifeless endeavor”. (Crawford-Lange & Lange, 1987). Learning a language without culture is boring for most of the students in the class. Cultural understanding promotes greater interest for the students to learn a language. We can use the language appropriately if we have a better understanding of their thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and customs. Culture is often neglected in English teaching or English learning. However, changes in linguistic learning theory indicate that culture should be highlighted as a vital element in language learning. Competence in language use is measured not only by the ability to use it without grammatical error, but also to use language appropriately in a specific culture context, so successful language learning requires learners to know the culture that underlies language.2.2 The need of intercultural communicationNowadays, English is the first foreign language in China. With the development of globalization, intercultural communication became an indispensable part of all nations life. It is very important to improve students foreign language skills. The modern society needs people who can chat with others in English fluently and have profound understanding in different cultures. This requires us to pay more attention to intercultural education in Middle Schools. Sometimes, we find intercultural communication difficult. Even if we overcome the natural barriers of language differences, we may fail to understand and to be understood because cultural differences are the main barriers in intercultural communication. For instance, a harmless statement may cause shock or anger, and a serious statement may cause joy or amusement. For example, when a Chinese student knew his foreign teacher got sick, he visited her and said “you should go to see the doctor.” However, the foreign teacher was very angry about what the Chinese students had said. In China this is a kind of expression to show your solicitude while in American it will be regarded as doubting ones ability, because even the little children know that they should go to see the doctor when getting ill and it is unnecessary to advice people to do so.It seems that Chinese students have a good knowledge of grammatical rules and vocabularies, but they can not communicate appropriately with foreign people, which may result in communicative failures in intercultural communication.The ultimate goal of language learning is to achieve effective communication with the people in target