Language-and-culture teaching in the era of globalisation

elective courses

no content prerequisites, the course depends on the use of electronic devices with Internet access.

Remote learning

The course looks at the changes in the practice of teaching English language and culture, due to the geo-political and socio-economic changes affecting today’s Europe. The privileged position of English facilitates international communication but is a threat to linguistic diversity. The language-culture interface and its pedagogical implications will be discussed in some detail.

The course looks at the changes in the practice of teaching English language and culture, due to the geo-political and socio-economic changes affecting today’s Europe. The dynamic growth of international English (lingua franca, Global English, World Englishes) raises the questions of the legitimacy and long-term usefulness of an exclusive focus on BANA countries (Britain, Australia, North America) in teaching English language and culture. The privileged position of English facilitates international communication but is a threat to linguistic and cultural diversity. In this context B. Kachru argues for a decolonised English. The language-culture interface and its pedagogical implications will be discussed in some detail. The content and required reading will be determined – within reasonable bounds – by the interests and needs of course participants. The modifications will not affect the core areas to be covered.

These include:

a) the emergence of new functional varieties of English, the concept of functional nativism;

b) European Englishes vs. English as a lingua franca (ELF);

c) macroacquisition of a global language;

d) cultural schemata and stereotypes;

e) language, culture, languaculture – pedagogical implications;

f) the tyranny of native-speakerism, evolution of language norms;

g) global communication – media literacy.

The selection of reading resources will be partially determined by participants’ interests and academic needs. What follows is a sample bibliography.

Baran S. (2019) Introduction to Mass Communication: Media Literacy and Culture, New York: McGraw-Hill. 10th edition.

Brutt-Griffler J. (2002) World English: A Study of its Development. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.

Byram M (1997) Teaching and Assessing Intercultural Communicative Competence. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.

Fairclough N. (2006) Language and Globalisation. New York: Routledge.

McKay S. (2002) Teaching English as an International Language: Rethinking Goals and Approaches. Oxford: OUP.

Moran P. (2001) Teaching Culture: Perspectives in Practice. Boston: Heinle and Heinle.

Risager K. (2006) Language and Culture. Global Flows and Local Complexity. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.

Silverblatt A. et al. (2014) Media Literacy. Keys to Interpreting Media Messages. Santa Barbara: Praeger. 4th edition.

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online resources, webpages, podcasts

On completing the course the participants are able to identify and describe language-culture links, appreciate tolerance and open-mindedness in intercultural communication, recognize the worth of an international, pan-European linguistic code, know how to make use of the language-culture interface in their own teaching and learning.

Final test (online): 35%, active participation: 10%, home assignments (group work possible): 35%, in-class presentation: 20% .

does not apply