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1、The Cultivation of Cross-cultural Awareness in English Teaching in Middle Schools(jiangxi radio broadcasting and television university)Supervisor: Wang LipingGong XiaojunAbstract: As communicative symbol, a language is closely related with its culture. Lying in the same continuum, language, culture
2、and communication can not be separated from one another. With the cultivation of communicative ability which consists of linguistic competence and socio-cultural competence as its goal, the teaching of English should aim at both linguistic knowledge and socio-cultural knowledge. But for different re
3、asons, things do not proceed as expected and required. Because of this, this thesis sets out to give a clear definition of communication, cross-cultural communication, discuss the relationships between these aspects, and further expound the necessity to foster the sense of cross-cultural communicati
4、on. Key words: The sense of intercultural communication necessity principle techniques 中学英语教学中的跨文化意识培养江西广播电视大学指导老师:王丽萍 龚小军内容摘要:语言是交际的符号，语言与文化密不可分。语言文化与交际是一个不可分割的统一体。学习语言的目的是为了交际，英语教学的目的是培养学生的交际能力，因此，英语教学既应该包括英语语言知识教学，又应该包括语言文化知识教学。但由于种种原因，重视英语教学中文化知识的重要性，在教学中渗透文化知识的内容，还没有真正落实到实处。基于上述原因，本文运用分析、讨论和论证的
5、方法，从交际、跨文化交际和跨文化意识三者的概念的界定入手，对语言文化和交际三者的关系进行讨论，并对教学中如何渗透文化知识，培养学生跨文化意识的途径进行探讨。关键词： 跨文化意识 必要性 原则 途径1. Introduction With the rapid development of science and technology, the association between China and other countries has become closer and closer, and also the cooperation in the field of economy and
6、 trade, cultural communication has become more and more frequent. English , a tie that helps China go to the world stage, a bridge that connects China and the outside world, as well as a medium through which China communicate and collaborate with other countries, plays a more and more important role
7、 in promoting communication. The important role that has become the focus of English language teaching has been recognized by more and more English teaching researchers and English teachers. The aim of English teaching is to communicate and the process of English teaching should also pay attention t
8、o communication. So how to correctly lead students learn English well through communication and make students communicate in English successfully according to communicative rules should be the essential starting point and the final goal of English teaching. Language is the carrier of culture. Differ
9、ent nations create their own special culture and form their own local customs and habits, religious beliefs, ethics, values, thinking model, etc. Different nations are also shaped by their own culture in the meantime of creating their own culture (Jia Yu Xin,1997:17). The marks that are shaped by on
10、es own culture are deeply impressed and clearly reflected by their language. Quoting the words of Malinousk, a social anthropologist of Britain, “Language is deeply rooted in cultural realities and customs of its nation ” In daily life, language behavior, just like other social behaviors of human be
11、ing, is controlled by social culture(Jia Yu Xin, 1997:29) English and Chinese are of two different cultural backgrounds People coming from two different cultural backgrounds have different cultural awareness inevitably. It is impossible for those coming from different cultural backgrounds to communi
12、cate as naturally and proficiently as those having the same cultural backgrounds and cultural awareness. The intercultural communication is often impeded by the differences between languages and the differences between cultures that are carried by languages. Among the middle school students, especia
13、lly the junior middle school students, it seems that the impediment comes easily. Under such a situation, in the process of English teaching, inputting the knowledge of English culture consciously and developing the students intercultural awareness have aroused the attention of teachers in middle sc
14、hools. However, as a result of the side-effect of entrance examination as well as the influence of the criterion of measuring the teaching achievements in schools, English teaching indeed does not attach importance to the contents of English language culture. Considering all these, through analysis
15、and discussion, this thesis will make a research on intercultural communication, cultures well as the relationships between them to restate the necessity of developing the students intercultural awareness. The thesis will also discuss the content and means of developing intercultural awareness to im
16、prove the students sensitiveness towards intercultural communication.2. Theoretical Discussion 2.1 The concept of communication The word “communicate” originates from the Latin word “commonis”, which means common. Here we can conclude that the concept of communication is closely related with “common
17、ers”, that is, “common” or “share” is the premise of communication.(Jia Yu Xin,1997:9) Samovar believes that “communication is a bilateral, action-influential process. In the process, the information sender encodes and sends information to receiver through some medium, then the receiver decodes acco
18、rding to his comprehension to obtain information”(Jia Guan Jie,1999:210). Because the receiver often decodes according to his/her past concept or knowledge to define the meaning of the information, the process of decoding is a process of endowing meaning to the information. Samovar defined communica
19、tion in the book of “Intercultural communication” like this: “when an action is endowed with meaning, communication has happened, no matter the action is conscious or unconscious, intentional or unintentional”(Jia Guan Jie,1999:210). In words of Jia Guan Jie, communication is an activity of symbols,
20、 a dynamic and changeable encoding process. When communicators endow the symbols of speech or non-speech with meaning, communication has happened(Jia Guan Jie,1999:13). The centre issue of communication is to endow action with certain meaning, which is the essential significance of the concept of co
21、mmunication. 2.2 The concept of intercultural communication Samovar and other scholars divided intercultural communication into three types in the book of “Intercultural Communication”: intercultural communication, interethnic communication and international communication (Jia Guan Jie,1999 208-209)
22、. From this point, we consider that intercultural communication is a multi-level communicative activity between different countries, ethnics, races and members of different groups. In the process, the two sides of the communication (information sender and information receiver) coming from different
23、cultural backgrounds are affected by their own cultural backgrounds and life experience. Therefore, intercultural communication refers to the communicative activities between people of different cultural backgrounds and people speaking different languages. In the communicative activity, the informat
24、ion encodement and decodement are carried out by people having different cultural backgrounds and people speaking different languages. (Jia Yu Xin,1997:23). The diplomatic activities, trade talks with foreigners, association between Chinese and foreigners, etc. belong to intercultural communication.
25、 As a matter of fact, even if not contacting with foreigners directly, we may communicate interculturally. For instance, reading foreign novels and watching foreign films, TV programs belong to intercultural communication. Because as readers, or audiences, we have different cultural backgrounds with
26、 the authors, the directors and the actors. The process of understanding the information that these media carry is also a very complicate process in which we decode the target information and endow it with meaning. The final goal of English teaching is to develop students competence of communicating
27、 in English. The communication includes communicating face-to-face and other indirect communication, the target of which is citizens of foreign countries. So it is a complete intercultural communication between different cultures. Now that the process of English teaching is a process of cultural tea
28、ching, English teaching inevitably include the input of linguistic knowledge and the development of students intercultural awareness. 2.3 The concept of intercultural awareness Awareness refers to the general reflecting process of mans brain to the objective world. It is the sum of all kinds of psyc
29、hological process, such as feeling, thinking, etc. (Chinese Dictionary, 1981:1353). Culture is the outcome of the awareness of mankind. As the cognitive models to the outside world differ, humans thinking activities (or thinking awareness) differ inevitably. Thus, the cultures created by different e
30、thnic groups thinking awareness differ inevitably. Intercultural awareness in intercultural communication refers to the comprehension and admission of different ideas and behaviors that exist in different societies (Bi Ji Wan, 1998:19). Intercultural awareness is a kind of “complicated and dialectic
31、 process experienced between different ethnic groups (Legutke&Thomas, 1991:10), and it needs “continuous consultation of meanings and mutual understanding of ideas (Bi Ji Wan, 1998:10). The cultural awareness in English education includes: the study of the target culture, the sensitiveness to the di
32、fferences between the target culture and native culture, the conscious adjustment of ones comprehension to language (such as listening and reading) and expression of language (such as reading, writing and commenting) (Chen Qi, 2002:84). It also includes the positive awareness of mutual mergence betw
33、een target cultural and native culture From the above, it can be drawn that intercultural awareness is the key factor lead to successful intercultural communication. “cultural awareness must be made one of the goals in English teaching and learning(Zhang Wei You). Lacking cultural awareness one may
34、interpret the others verbal and non-verbal actions from his/her own cultures orientation and be led to miscommunication. The goal of language teaching determines that cultural awareness and culture teaching are important aspects in foreign language teaching.2.4 The relationship between language, cul
35、ture and communication. Culture and language are inseparable. “Language is a social fact (Halliday, 1978:1); “Language is the mirror of thought and both reflector and reflected are conventional (Palmer, 1968:8); “Language is deeply embedded in culture (Rivers, 1968:263). Language is a part of cultur
36、e and plays a very important role in it. Some social scientists consider it as the keystone of culture. Without language, they maintain, culture would not be possible. On the other hand, language is influenced and shaped by culture; it reflects culture. In the broadest sense, language is the symboli
37、c representation of a people and it comprises their historical and cultural backgrounds as well as their ways of living and thinking. There are some metaphors about language and culture: One compares language and culture to a living organism-language is flesh and culture is blood. Without culture, l
38、anguage would be dead; without language, culture would have no shape. Still another takes communication into consideration. Communication is swimming, language is the swimming skill, and culture is water. Without language, communication would remain to a very limited degree (in very shallow water);
39、without culture, there would be no communication at all. Language, reflecting the culture it represents, is a system of signs, and it is the main form of communication and a part of culture. Communication, limited by special social culture, must obey the cultural rules of a society. Culture is devel
40、oped and passed by communication. The link between culture and communication is crucial to successful communication. Language, culture and cross-cultural communication are mutual independent. The three is an inseparable entity.3. The Necessity of Developing the Intercultural Awareness in Middle Scho
41、ols 3.1 The current situation of students intercultural awareness in middle schoolsAn investigation was carried out to investigate the current situation of studens intercultural aware in middle schools. To the question “Do you think that plenty of intercultural awareness is helpful to successful int
42、ercultural communication?” 28.52% of the subjects dont agree with the idea. To the question “Do you often have lots of disagreements, misunderstanding, and even culture shock in your communication with the foreigners?” 67.54% of the subjects think they often have lots of disagreements, misunderstand
43、ing, and even culture shock in their communication with foreigners. To the question “What is your difficulty in intercultural communication?”, 56.82% of the subjects think that they are lack of cultural knowledge and cultural awareness. (Wang Zhen Ya, 1994) From mentioned above, it can be drawn that
44、 students intercultural awareness is very poor and it has influenced their cultural learning and the developing of intercultural communication. Thus, developing students intercultural awareness is current task for English teachers in middle schools. 3.2 The requirement of the syllabus. The English f
45、oreign language teaching syllabus pointed out clearly that “Language is an important tool for obtaining worlds information and communicating with foreign countries. The learning of foreign language can deepen the comprehension of target culture. Language is an important carrier of culture; language
46、and culture are so closely related with each other that teachers should deal with the relationship correctly. Teachers should strive to make students learn foreign culture in the process of English learning, especially the culture and customs of English-speaking countries.” (the Education Department
47、. 2002: 1-10)3.3 The requirement of language learning Rivers considers that “Language should not be separated from culture, for it is deeply rooted in culture.”(Chen Shu, 1997:1). To some extent, in learning a foreign language, if we dont know about their culture, it is the same as remembering a ser
48、ies of meaningless signs (Chen Shu, 1997:2) Of course, it is very difficult to use the language in intercultural communication. The linguistist, Stern once said, since language is an inseparable part of culture, meanwhile it plays the role of conveying culture, linguistic teachers are culture teache
49、rs (Chen Shu, 1987:2) English class is the place to connect language with culture. To the majority of Chinese students, it is impossible to study English and its culture by contacting with foreigners directly. Therefore, English class is an important place for their learning of English culture.3.4 The requirement of intercultural communication. Communicative competence includes two aspects: L
