Новости
09.05.2023
с Днём Победы!
07.03.2023
Поздравляем с Международным женским днем!
23.02.2023
Поздравляем с Днем защитника Отечества!
Оплата онлайн
При оплате онлайн будет
удержана комиссия 3,5-5,5%








Способ оплаты:

С банковской карты (3,5%)
Сбербанк онлайн (3,5%)
Со счета в Яндекс.Деньгах (5,5%)
Наличными через терминал (3,5%)

ENGLISH AND CULTURE IN LANGUAGE LEARNING

Авторы:
Город:
Кемерово
ВУЗ:
Дата:
31 декабря 2017г.

Abstract: the article is aimed at the concept of “culture” in intercultural communication of English learners. The article deals with the definition of culture and its reflection and application in education process of future specialists. Culture is regarded as a way of lifestyle of human societies of the English speaking countries. Much attention is paid to chief criteria of communicative and proficient competence in professional environment in the sphere of culture.

Keywords: culture, concept, customs, traditions, way of life, lifestyle, beliefs, way of thinking, proficient competence, professional environment.

The theme which I am going to research is closely connected with the future professions of graduates of our Institute of culture. Being specialists in different aspects of culture: socio – cultural activities, librarian and information technologies, heritage of museum objects and historical significance of monuments, choreography, drama, music and singing, our students should get acquainted with the culture, traditions and customs, lifestyle, heritage of literature, art and music of the English speaking countries.

There are many definitions of culture, but the first thing that comes to our mind is connected with literature, art and music. Culture is regarded as a way of life of a particular society including patterns of thoughts, beliefs, customs, traditions, behavior, language, celebrations and dress. So, culture is a complex concept with some different definitions which must be understood and accepted by the students.

Taking into consideration the concept that culture is a way of life and spiritual human activities, students read, translate and discuss various sources of information that have been written, said, thought and performed in the world. So, English teachers have approached the idea that it is extremely important to make educational context relevant to needs of the students of the Institute of culture. The actual task is to comprehend and use our professional and human skills to develop cultural competence of graduates in their professional environment connected with culture and society. If we draw the mental map of the concept “culture” we will be able to show what information sources are available to learn more about peculiarities of the English language and realities of culture of origin countries. It is necessary to mention that original texts by the authors of the English speaking countries are very useful and reliable to fulfill that task. Reading authentic texts is an essential part of language learning. It improves language skills, increases cross – cultural communicative abilities and develops proficient competence. Thus, our future specialists are aimed at applying cultural competence and language skills in their professional environment.

Reading is above all sources of information from the viewpoint of quality. Students are aware of complex mental manipulations in the reading process. Reading original texts students acquire the knowledge about the country which language they are learning. The English textbook “Global English” written by Lindsay Clandfield enables students to learn through English and about English in its most international form. The reading texts are taken from a wide variety of sources and a wide range of tasks encourage students to interact with the texts themselves. Some texts are written by a modern famous British writer David Crystal. It is worth mentioning that his credo “Learning about culture is part of learning a language” is used in his texts about English as a world Language, exploration of history, preserving traditions, use of cultural information.

The topic “Art & Music” of Global English presents a piece of biography of well – known British writer Oscar Wilde and the extract of his wonderful novel “The Picture of Dorian Gray”. The novel is centered round problems of relationship between art and reality. The ideal of Art for Art’s sake proclaimed by Oscar Wilde was hardly ever consistently put into practice. His main character Dorian Gray, a rich and brilliant aristocrat is in search for new sensations and ways of eternal state of being young. But under poisonous influence of upper class he sinks deeper and deeper into degradation. Other extract such as “A Tale of Two cities” by Charles Dickens, the greatest English novelist, shows the situation of people in Victorian England. It is a historical novel about great changes in Europe and Britain. The novel “Beach” by a contemporary writer of novels Alex Garland became a classic and it was made into a film. Reading these original extracts and doing a variety of different exercises which are arranged according to the principle “from the easy to the difficult” are aimed at acquiring language skills, developing communicative and proficient competence.

The English textbook by Evsyukova T. V. presents some original extracts of famous English speaking countries. For instance, the extract from the novel “The Moon and Sixpence” by well known English writer William Somerset Maugham due to the writer’s skill in using every nuance of the language reveals people’s attitude to art.

The writer managers to involve readers into events of the story about poor artist Strickland who made no particular impression on the people who came in contact with him in England, Paris and Tahiti during his life. After his death it turned out that he is genius and his strange pictures are masterpieces. Learners conclude that the idea of the novel is expressed in the title: the genius of the artist is compared with the Moon as a unique object and sixpence symbolizes people who want only to buy or sell his pictures for the reason “There’s money to be made”. In the conclusion, the students of decorative applied art and design discuss the topic “Life is short, art is long”.

Thus, Reading original texts, special texts or reading for pleasure enlarge students’ outlook and supply with additional knowledge of culture and life style of countries of official or spoken English.

Some aspects of culture are observed through places of interest having historical associations during the evolution in the developing world. Students are capable and good at making interesting and instructive presentations of history, culture and traditions of the English speaking countries. Introducing the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand they first mark features which these countries have in common: the members of the Commonwealth, the Queen Elizabeth II is at the head and of course,the spoken English language. Taking into consideration future professions students are concentrated on searching information according to their post – graduating environment. Students of design, decorative applied arts and museum management are concerned about Art galleries, museum objects and architecture of the origin countries. The most popular sights and the most attractive buildings such as Westminster Palace of Gothic style architecture in London, the Empire State building in New York, the CN Tower in Toronto, Sydney Opera House and Auckland’s Sky Tower are shown and described. Students of socio – leisure activities find the ways of spending free time of young people, their participation in charities and celebrations of holidays. Students of librarian and information technologies are aimed at functions, collections and exhibitions of well known libraries: the British library, the Library of Congress, the Ottawa Carnegie library, the National library in Canberra, the National library in Wellington. Students of music department are interested in contemporary British composers and discuss what feelings their music causes: happiness, excitement, relaxation or sadness.

In conclusion, I want to say that I am fully agree that link of culture and English assists to research and explore the functions, connections and associations within its social and cultural contexts. It is worth exploring aspects of relations between language and culture and paying attention to local culture, traditions and customs. Combining various teaching methods and educational forms of language learning the usage of original texts, plays, poems, songs and newspapers improve language skills and develop socio-cultural competence of our students.

The text “Towards a definition of culture” from the intermediate textbook of Global English defines two kinds of culture: culture with a capital C and culture with a small c. Culture with a capital letter C refers to music, literature and arts. Culture with a small c refers to values, traditions, beliefs and the everyday life of a particular community. So, I am looking forward to discussing this complex phenomenon in my future teaching work with students of the Institute of culture.

 

Literature

 

1.       Artermova A.F. Great Britain. The book for reading texts: /A.F. Artermova. – M.: ACT: East – West. 2006. – 499 p.

2.       David Crystal / Sentence first strancarey.wordpress.com/tag/

3.       Intermediate book Global by Lindsay Clandfield & Rebecca Robb Benne / www.macmillanenglish.com/global