eltport

A Review on the Article:

 

Name of the Article: The Place of ‘Culture’ in

Language Classroom:  A Reflection:

 

Written by : Ramona Tang {National Uni. of Singapore}

 

 

 

 

Preface:

I referred the site ‘iteslj.org. where I found number of articles pertaining to teaching English as a second language. Most of the writers of different articles highlight on the techniques of teaching language in the classroom, the vital task of the teacher, and the sort of activities that can bring about profitable transformation in teaching and consideration of students requirements and finding out the best promising solutions for them. However, I read the article “The place of Culture in Language Classroom’ and preferred to write an appraisal on that. The reasons behind electing this particular article are:

 

ü  Existing debate over language and culture

ü  My own curiosity in reading sociolinguistics.

ü  For preparing oneself to undertake cultural obstacles in teaching language.

The following are the things that are offered in the article by Ramona Tang with evidences and through quoting linguists concerned.

 

 

Tang focuses on the following two central issues related to language learning in the classroom curriculum.

 

1. Integrating incentive to language learning.

2.     Instrumental incentive to language learning.

 

This article begins by claiming that “language and culture are inextricably linked”. There is a prolonged dispute over addition or barring of culture especially in English as foreign language curriculum. Moreover, deliberate fascination versus non-deliberate exposure is some of the areas of concern which are still up in the air and it is indispensable to determine them.

 

 

Importance of Teaching both Language and Culture:

As majority of personals rooted with this area of language teaching and learning insist on teaching both language and culture in the classroom and not merely language. Conversely  to this notion there is a raisin g voice against it and many masters still suspect on this sort of relationship and therefore there is a question always lifts its head and that is: Weather the language and culture are two diverse field of examination and implementation in terms of teaching in the classroom.  In the area of research, the relationship between the knowledge of language and the knowledge of culture is underscored nowadays. I has been constantly claimed that,

 

“Knowledge of culture from which a language can be originated”

On the other hand, the question of ‘culture’ is often relegated to the end of a language teaching plan. Furthermore, it is worth to note that as it is more forcefully highlighted in this write up, Cultural awareness’ and the ‘teaching of a culture is a bonus for the teacher, if he/she manages to introduce the foreign language into the classroom atmosphere.

 

 

How can we Teach Culture?

Ramona Tang has endeavored to put on show some of the fundamental ways of teaching culture. Before evaluating them in our own way let’s have a look at them closely:

 

ü  Introducing dance and music relevant to the foreign language culture at the end of the final lesson.

ü  If resources are obtainable and if it is convenient to the teachers, the authorities and more importantly the learners, the learners can be asked to spend a month to the particular nation and try to submerge into that culture.

Certainly, one can make the learners aware of any culture i.e. British culture through playing music of that culture and it is highly feasible that this sort of innovation and interesting activity may stimulate the learners and their curiosity can be awakened. However, we can not assure that all the students would cooperate in this context. Similarly, in order to know culture the best way is to realize the routines, the people behavior as well as their liking and disliking of the foreign language culture. Yet, once again there is a strong question of available facilities and afford ness and readiness for undertaking challenge to send the learners to the foreign country just to know culture. In addition to that we can never expect from the learners to come across all the cultural norms within a short period of time.

 

 

Challenges while Teaching Culture:

The most difficult question to answer is “How much it is necessary to integrate language and culture? Once again, it should be noticed that due to students’ diverse culture and community the teachers find it difficult to manage themselves to understand each and every head in the classroom. It is likely that number of learners in the classroom may remain far away from the culture of the language they are learning, or they have wrong perception for the language they are language and that’s the reason why they may retreat from knowing that culture. Some students are “physically immersed but ‘experimentally and psychologically distant from it.” Tang, then quotes Gardener and Lambert ( 1972)

 

“The learners have two kinds of motivation-1. Integrative motivation and 2.Instrumental motivation”.

Integrative motivation as it refers to the desire of language learners to acquire the language while immersing them into the whole culture of that language in order to identify them with and turn out to be a part of it. Thus, in and all there is a societal intention behind this motivation. On the contrary, in Instrumental motivation there is always a purpose of accomplishing functional needs to secure job or a place at a universe. Therefore some instrumentally motivated learners are neither worried about culture nor they cultivate any kind of affection or identity towards it.

 

 

Counterargument:

Tang goes on claiming that “language can be separated from the culture”. In this context, it is required to be introduced in the classroom as a distinct part of lesson plan. According to what Tang says , language and culture are inextricably linked, the question arises: “whether or not it is essential to include culture in the syllabus as an integral part for the learners” Furthermore, IF we really committed to incorporate culture in the classroom then how much of culture we should teach to the learners who are learning foreign language is also an altogether a distinct debate . Tang, then after postulates language as a culture through illustration. I.e. if you are learning French language it means you are not only absorbing that language but also everything to do with French either it might be the attitude of the people, their liking and disliking and even their behavior. Thus, in one way or another language comes with some king of cultural links. One needs to be align to the language in order to learn that language.

 

 

How does  Mind Help in Language Learning?

It is not very explicit that why Tang suddenly begins to discuss on the role of mind in language learning. In other words he stresses on “language and thought relationship as a powerful system and goes on with the cognitive e aspect of learning a language.”

 

“Thinking in French means almost taken on a French identity.” {Brown, 1994, Littlewood-1984}  By the virtue of this statement, we can say that the power and the core of the language can best be achieved through thinking into that language. However, let’s put these sorts of arguments aside and think upon “to what extent an able teacher should teach culture to the students. Some teachers avoid teaching it and against the claim that teaching culture means teaching language. If one learns language, it does not mean he is aware of “social and community norms, regulations, behaviors, attitudes and rules and regulations of the target language”.

 

Conclusion:

After such a long description Tang is still not content and the questions that are raised are even not wholly resolved. However, let me wrap up this by saying that there should not be any doubt regarding the relationship between language and culture. If we think on the current paradigm of language teaching and the actual demand of communication in outside world then the learners must be introduced to the culture of the foreign language they are learning.

Pronunciation in English Language:

 

 

Introduction:

               

            As in the present world, information travels almost at the speed of light, every human is directly affected by happenings and events around him or her. Therefore, in these circumstances   , there   is an urgent necessity to possess a language which can function as a link or medium among the people of diverse culture and of different nations. The article, mainly stresses on pronunciation and   its problems as well as its importance in classroom curriculum and possible ways of teaching.

 

Importance of Teaching sounds:

 

          Pronunciation also deals with ‘rhythm’ of the language, and in order to create the particular rhythm, Combination of distinct syllables play a significant part as far as spoken proficiency is concerned. In this sense, the following are the possibilities:

 

•  Combination of stressed syllables with long clear vowel sounds.
•   Combination of unstressed syllables with ‘Schwa vowel’

 Such combination is an extremely supportive to create musical or rhythmic effect in English language. By the virtue of this, it becomes easier to distinguish words.( Schwa sound refers to sound produced with the tongue in the middle section of your mouth i.e. uh…….

                For instance: wom#n

                                             Brekf#st

                                        Rec#nt etc. { # indicates schwa sounds}

 

 

 

 Pronunciation in Classroom Curriculum:

 

   Although, number of experts considers teaching pronunciation as a primary need in language, a very little attention is given to this facet of language especially in ESL countries. If more emphasize is given to this particular feature then there are immense possibilities of effective language learning to take place. Thus, it is precondition to design a sort of criterion to teach pronunciations bearing in mind the level of the learners so that it can meet the various needs of the learners. At the very basic level or elementary level, the tiny heads should be occupied in “repetition exercises” of conflictive sounds and listening. At this juncture, it is to be noted that, listening activities have been verified to be the most helpful in terms of teaching pronunciations. Nevertheless, this could be done more profitably through employing various accessible multimedia resources.  The subsequent are the most useful ways to teach pronunciation to the students at the elementary as well as intermediate and advance level to meet their needs,

                 

•  Listening to Audio speech :

  

             At the initial level the teacher, can make the learners to listen any recorded speech on exciting story or incident but not necessarily foreigner’s speech. However, speech quality can only be improved if such exercise is repetitive. In this context any movie conversation in English, English news, cricket or football commentary or if possible, face to face talk with the foreigner may bring about profound result. The most prominent reason behind doing this is to make the learners realize the ‘transfer presses’ i.e. the same sound can be manipulated in both the languages without baffling for meaning. In that way the learners may get aware of similarities of certain sounds between their MT and English.

 

Factors Responsible for Mispronunciation:

 

 

As RP (Received Pronunciation)-is considered as the most acceptable in terms of precision in utterances. However, some factors are obtrusive and quite active in this process. They are:

• §         Regional and social norms and system
• §          Home environment
• §         Medium of Educations
• §           Lack of available multimedia resources in classroom context.
• §         Lack of motivation to initialize
• §         Adhering on traditional approach of practicing language.

 

Conclusion;’.

                Thus, as it has been presented throughout this article, pronunciation teaching in classroom curriculum must be facilitated. It is   least reasonable to  make  the learners competent in exact RP ,but their speech quality should be improved up to certain level so that undertake global challenges in language around them

 

 

 

 

 

                    

 

 

 

 

 

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