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1、本科毕业设计(论文)论英语教学中的文化因素Cultural Factors in English Learning and Teaching 指导教师： 学 号： 姓 名： 外国语学院（部）英语 专业 届山东经济学院教务处制 Cultural Factors in English Learning and TeachingABSTRACTEnglish plays an essential and significant role in our life. How to teach and study English well has become a public concern. As c
2、ulture has closely associated with language, many an educator finds that cultural knowledge has become an important part in our English learning and teaching.This thesis includes four parts. The first part is about the relationship between language and culture. As cultural difference is an obstacle
3、to English listening, speaking, reading and writing, and our mastery of English knowledge has an important influence on our communicative competence, the author explores why we teach culture in EFL in the second part. What we should learn about the culture covers many aspects. In the third part, the
4、 author talks about cultural contents of English teaching. The last part is the most important part of the whole thesis. It is about suggesting teaching methods in cultural learning and teaching. Keywords: culture; English; learning and teaching论英语教学中的文化因素摘要英语在我们的生活中起着举足轻重的作用。如何学习英语已经成为一个备受公众关注的问题。由
5、于文化与语言紧密相连，许多研究者发现英语文化已经成为英语教育和学习中的重要部分。本篇论文共包括四部分。第一部分主要是关于语言和文化的关系。由于文化的不同是我们英语听，说，读，写中最大的障碍，并且我们掌握的文化知识将影响到我们的交际能力，在第二部分中作者阐述了我们学习英语文化的原因。我们要学习的文化知识涉及到诸多方面。在第三部分中，作者论述了在英语教学中的应涉及到的文化内容。最后一部分是全文中最重要的一部分。在该部分中,作者就文化教学中教学方法方面提出了自己的建议。关键词：文化；英语；教学CONTENTSIntroduction1Chapter One Relationship Between
6、Language and Culture2I.What is Language?2II.What is Culture?2III.The Relationship Between Language and Culture3i.Historical Relationship3ii.Geographical Relationship3iii.Educational Relationship3Chapter Two Why Teaching Culture in EFL5I.Culture Differences-the Obstacle of Understanding English5i.Lis
7、tening obstacles in English5ii.Speaking obstacles in English5iii.Reading Obstacles in English6iv.Writing Obstacles in English6II.Culture knowledge-the Part of Communicative Ability7Chapter Three Cultural Contents of English Teaching8I.Ordinary Cultural Background8i.Greetings8ii.Thanks, Compliments a
8、nd Praise8iii.Privacy and Taboos8iv.Festivals8v.Religion and Belief9II.Cultural Implications in Words9III.Non-verbal Language10i.What is Non-verbal Language?10ii.The Importance and Effects of Non-verbal Language10Chapter Four Suggested Teaching Methods in Cultural Teaching and Learning12I.Classroom
9、Communication and Lectures12i.Creating an English Cultural Atmosphere in Class12ii.Holding Some Classroom Activities about English Culture12iii.Holding Lectures on English Culture12II.Reading Literary Works13III.Watching TV and Films13Conclusion14Works Cited15Acknowledgements.16 IntroductionThere is
10、 no denying that English has played and will continue to play a rather essential and vital role in our life. Many an English educator exerts all their attempts and efforts to reform the English language teaching and learning methods. As we all know, language has emerged and developed together with c
11、ulture. Language is the keystone of the culture. On the one hand, language is shaped by the culture. On the other hand, as different languages have different culture，language influences culture.Nowadays, there is a wide spread that educators associate cultural components with pure language teaching.
12、 They pay more attention to develop students cross-culture awareness. If students are lack of the important cultural knowledge about the culture they learn, they cannot use it properly and freely, then their communication obstacles will arise. What is more, a language learners understanding of the l
13、anguage is fundamentally influenced by his or her culturally-defined world views, beliefs and presuppositions.Chapter OneRelationship between Language and CultureI. What is Language?Someone may have already known this legend, God was afraid that, we common people could climb to the heaven by the tow
14、er called Bible that people built. So he decided to put an end to the common language shared by we common people. Since without a common language, we cannot communicate and cooperate with each other. Then our great dreams and plans will not come true forever. From this legend, we can see that, langu
15、age plays a quite significant and essential role in our life.Language is so important that it renders us to wonder what language is. Based on Oxford Advanced Learners English-Chinese Dictionary, “language is a system of vocal sounds and combination of such sounds to which meaning is attribute, used
16、for the expression or communication of thoughts and feelings” (Wallance 833). Language, to put it simply, is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication. In other words, these vocal symbols are combined together according to some special rules. For these symbols, there is no cor
17、rection between the word and the item in the world that it refers to.Communication is considered to be the primary function of the language. However, functions of language are varied. According to Hu Zhuanglin, there are seven functions:1.informative, providing useful information for our life. 2.int
18、erpersonal function, by which people establish and maintain their states in a society. 3.performative, changing the social states of persons. 4.emotove function, changing the emotive states of an audience for or against something or someone. 5.phatic communication, social interaction of language. 6.
19、recreational function. 7.metalingual function, talking about language itself. (11-16)II. What is Culture?As we all know, different languages have different cultures. “Culture is the collective programming of the mind which distinguish the members of one category of people from another” (Hofstede 154
20、). Culture, in a broad sense, is an integrated pattern of human behavior that includes communication, practices, beliefs, values, customs, thoughts, rituals as well as manners of interacting and roles. As culture is inclusive and rich, it almost permeates every aspect of peoples life and affects peo
21、ples behavior.In this part, I just want to explore two basic ways to define the term “culture.” The first definition comes from humanities. It emphasizes on the way a social group represents itself and others by its material productions, for example, their works of art, literature, social institutio
22、ns, artifacts of everyday life, and the mechanisms for their production. The second definition comes from the social science. It refers to the attitudes and beliefs, ways of thinking, behaving and remembering shared by members of the community. III. The Relationship between Language and CultureThere
23、 is no doubt that language is a significant and vital part of a given culture and the effect of the culture upon a given language is evident and indispensable. Different languages may reflect different cultures. Different cultures entail different language expressions. Language and culture closely a
24、ssociated with each other and depend on each other. In other words, they emerged together, developed bit by bit together; at last they were mature together.i. Historical RelationshipThe origin of language is closely associated with the origin of human beings. Around three millions years ago, the nat
25、ural condition was very harsh and serious. Humankind had to face the threats of low temperature, fierce animals and other danger which made their living difficult. As a result, they were in great need of uniting and cooperating together. Then, language, as an inevitable vocal tool for their communic
26、ation, emerged in their life. As any tribe or group has their own way of living, their own customs, habits, their language evolved with the influence of their culture. In a word, language and culture intrinsically depend on each other. They have evolved though the history.ii. Geographical Relationsh
27、ipThere are numerous tribes and communities in different parts of the world. For instance, China is in Asia, France is in Europe. Different countries and societies have different cultures and languages. To say China again, the people in China speak Chinese and they also have their own way of thinkin
28、g and behaving as well as some customs and festivals. For example, the most important festival in China is Spring Festival while the French regard Christmas Day as their most important day. What is more, how to celebrate their festivals is different from one country to another according to their tra
29、ditions.However, with the global village, the boundary of geography is gradually obscure. Protecting the traditional culture has become a public concern. Some countries have already taken some urgent and effective steps to protect their particular culture, even their language.iii. Educational Relati
30、onshipThe importance of teaching culture has been widely recognized for teachers. Educators fear that the mere mastery of language systems by no means guarantees the international communication and cooperation. Although students gain a large number of vocabularies, grammar points, they could not use
31、 English in a proper and free way. Nowadays, in China, more and more English teachers try their best to find a way in which students can speak unadulterated English. As a matter of fact, students cannot truly master the language until they have also mastered the cultural context in which the languag
32、e occurs.“Applied linguists and language teachers have increasingly aware that a second language or foreign language can rarely be learned or taught without addressing the culture of community in which it is used” (Hinkel 2). Thomas observes that “nonnative speakers are often perceived to display in
33、appropriate language behaviors and often are not even aware that they do” (Thomas 92). He further points out that “teachers must draw on research on to develop ways of heightening and refining students metagramatic awareness, so that they are able to express themselves as they choose”(94). Chapter T
34、woWhy Teaching Culture in EFLI. Culture Differences: the Obstacle of Understanding EnglishAs different countries have different cultures, some difficulties and obstacles will arise when we listen, speak, read, write English. In the following paragraphs, I will explore some misunderstandings of Engli
35、sh because of cultural differences.i. Listening Obstacles in EnglishWith wide spread of English, we get more and more chances to listen to English. However, some teachers and students continue to complain the difficulties in understanding English. They have an acceptable mastery of vocabularies, gra
36、mmar points as well as pronunciation knowledge. Some students buy tape records for listening and spend quite a few hours everyday on them. Then, what is the real reason for their so little achievement?One critical reason is that they are lack of cultural background of these western countries. Aural
37、comprehension, which is closely related to the knowledge of American and British culture, politics and economy, in fact, is an examination of ones comprehensive competence which includes ones English language level, range of knowledge, competence of analysis and imaginative power.There are two jokes
38、 in the following:1) A: Where are you from?B: I will ask her. (Alaska)2) A: Why do you ask her? B: How are you? (Hawaii)When you listen to them for the first time, you would be very confused since Bs answer is irrelevant to As question. However, if we know something about geography knowledge of the
39、U.S.A and the names of the two states in U.S.AAlaska and Hawaii, we will understand what he say. In view of this, the introduction of cultural background is necessary for the teaching of English listening.ii. Speaking obstacles in EnglishMany foreign teachers who teach IELTS in China regard speaking
40、 part is the most difficult part for Chinese students to get high mark. We Chinese students communication competence is not satisfactory because we ignore the social meanings of language forms and language applications in reality. Moreover, more often than not, the materials we use today are outdate
41、d or seldom pay attentions to differences between different cultures. So our students are usually ignorant of factors of culture and they can only mechanically copy what they have learned. The following dialogues can often be found in our textbooks.1) A: How old are you?B: Im thirty.2) A: Where are
42、you going?B: Im going to the library.3) A: How often do you write to your parents?B: About once a week.These dialogues are roughly the combination of Chinese thinking and English forms. Although such forms are right in the means of English grammar, they are not appropriate. For those native speakers
43、, its unimaginable for someone to ask alike questions. The natural reply of English-speaking people to the greetings like “Where are you going?” would most likely be “Why do you ask?” or “Its none of your business.” Questions like “How often do you write to your parents?” would be thought to intrude
44、 on ones privacy. Therefore, in oral teaching, teachers should lay stress on factuality of language and adopt some materials approaching to daily life, such as daily dialogues with tape, magazines, newspapers and reports etc, because the materials are from real life, and they help students to be wel
45、l acquainted with standard pronunciations and intonation, to speak English appropriate on the occasion, to understand western way of life and customs, etc.iii. Reading Obstacles in English“The major difficulty encountered by language learners when they deal with written texts stems from the passage
46、from orate to a more literate mode of speech” (Claire 130).Claire advocates that, “They thought they understood what it meant to talk like members of French or German speech communities: are you needed was to abide by their grammatical and lexical rules. Now it appears that the rules in the use of w
47、ritten language are of a different order” (Claire130). To a large extent, it would affect the readers reading speed and ability. What is more, since writers proper use of idioms, proverbs and sayings is often a mark of a persons command of the language, they are fond of picking up some idioms and pr
48、overbs in their passage. However, it would be a great obstacle to the English learners because it is rather difficult to understand the cultural connotation and meaning. For example, one Chinese proverb goes “silence is good.” It means that silence is more helpful and useful than speaking. However, English proverbs goes “squeaking wheel get oil” which means do not keep quiet, oth
