Post on 11-Jan-2016
Culture and Language There’s more to it than red buses and
five o’clock tea…Rob Dean
Russia 2010
Agenda:
• What is culture?
• For and against studying culture.
• Whose culture?
• Integrating culture with language and skills – some practical examples.
• The dangers of stereotyping
What is culture?
The customs, beliefs, art, music, literature and all the other products of human thought made by a particular group of people at a particular time.
(Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture, pg 336)
Should we Study Culture when Studying Language?
No! It’s irrelevant in the context of
‘International English’. It leads to inaccurate stereotyping – i.e.
It’s easy to get it wrong!
Yes!
Language needs to have a context to have meaning.
Language and Culture are sometimes inseparable.
Teenage Students especially still have a lot to learn about the world beyond their own sphere of knowledge.
• It helps learners to interact with people from other cultures on holiday or for business.
Whose Culture Shall we Study?
Culture of… The students themselves English speaking countries The wider world The teacher
What does it mean to be British?
Language Leader Advanced
British Culture?
“And what should they know of England,
Who only England know?”
You cannot understand your own culture if that is the only culture you know.
Rudyard Kipling
Another reason for studying culture with language:It gives learners a deeper understanding of their own culture.
Every journey starts from home
Youth 2010
Activate! B1
Personalisation
Would you like to try this in your school?
Do you think this experiment would work in Russia?
London
… and some more familiar London scenes
Tower Bridge Oxford Street Buckingham Palace
Covent Garden The London Eye
True or false:
Covent Garden used to be a fruit and vegetable market.
Discover English 2 Workbook
What can you find there now? (2 things)
Cafes
Shops
Souvenir market
Discover English 2 Workbook
True or false:
There are lots street entertainers at Covent Garden
Discover English 2 Workbook
True or false:
You can find the oldest church in London at Drury Lane, Covent Garden.
theatreDiscover English 2 Workbook
Discover English 2 Workbook
A Russia Quiz for Rob…
(Easy Questions please!)
Culture of other Countries
Germany
Iceland
Language Leader Pre Int
Culture of other Countries
Germany or Iceland?
Has the highest percentage of childless women in Europe
It is less common for women to go out to work than in other European counties
Celebrates an national holiday on June 16th
The school day ends at 1pm
Almost half the population live in the capital
Culture of other Countries
Language Leader Pre Int
Comparing Cultures…
Discover English 2
Culture and Pronunciation
Whose Pronunciation?
Spot the Accent…
Discover English 2
they never use black and white wrapping paper?
the blow out candles and make a wish?
They give the first piece of cake to a special friend?
they get a big present every five years?
friends put butter on your nose?
Festivals – Birthday Celebrations
In Which Country do…
England
India
Canada
Turkey
Brazil
Holland
Top Secret 2
Culture, Vocabulary
and Grammar
Activate! B1
Grammar, Vocabulary and Culture = Inseparable
Discover English 2
Focus on Vocabulary
Which of the following can we translate easily?
Milk
Cheese
Tikka Massala
Bananas
Chop voi chow mei mee fin
Bigos
Eggs
Black pudding
Custard
A Chinese dish of eggs, meat and noodles
British sausage made with pig’s blood
A kind of Indian-style curry, originated in the UK
A Polish Stew of pork and cabbage
Sweet yellow sauce eaten by the British with pudding
Top Secret 2
The British Culture Millionaire Quiz
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London has more foggy days per year than most Estonian cities – true or false?
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Which is the most popular hot drink in the UK?
a) Tea
b) Coffee
c) Hot chocolate
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Which is the most popular fast food in the UK?
a) Pizza b) Fish and Chips c) Indian Curry
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The most common buses in London are old red double deckers with a conductor.
True or false?
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Typical British phone boxes are made from glass and unpainted aluminium (and not red with lots
of little windows)
True or false?
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The most popular programmes on British TV include Mr Bean, Benny Hill and Monty Python.
True or False?
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The British drink warm beer.
True or False?
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Most British people have tea at 5 o’clock
True or false?
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The British have a reputation for being bad at learning foreign languages.
True or False?
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Why do British people talk about the weather a lot?
a) Because British weather is so variable
b) As a safe means of beginning a conversation
c) Because they’re interested in the weather
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So what ARE the icons of Britishness?
So what does it mean to be British?
Language Leader Advanced
So what does it mean to be British (2)?Being British is about driving a German car
to an Irish pub
for a Belgian beer,
then buying an Indian curry, Turkish kebab or Italian pizza on the way home,
eating it sitting on Swedish furniture
whilst watching American TV shows
on a Japanese TV.
But what’s the most British thing of all?
Suspicion of anything foreign.
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So what ARE the icons of Britishness?
Not what many people think!
Thank you!
www.elt-zone.ru
Task
1. What’s the strangest thing you’ve eaten?
2. What local food might visitors to Estonia not have eaten before?
3. What foods/drinks do you (strongly) like/dislike?
500g Beef Steak, Cut into Pieces
150g Beef Kidneys,
Diced
150g Onions,
Chopped
50g Mushrooms,
Sliced1 teaspoon
Fresh Herbs
375ml Beef Stock
200g Pastry
Steak and Kidney Pie