Language-and-Culture Teaching in the Era of Globalization

elective courses

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. Attention will be paid to the changes in FLT in the wake of the COVID pandemic, including online learning, and educational platforms. The course is addressed to anyone interested in the role of English today, mobility, use of technology in language teaching.

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) cultural schemata and stereotypes;

d) language and culture – pedagogical implications

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

f) online learning, mixed learninig

Attention will be paid to the changes in FLT in the wake of the COVID pandemic, including online learning, and educational platforms. The course is addressed to anyone interested in the role of English today, mobility, use of technology in language teaching.

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.

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.

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, know how to use new technologies in online teaching and learning.

K_W01 understands the importance, place and specificity of English philology in the context of the humanities;

K_W03 has an advanced knowledge of the grammar, syntax, phonology, phonetics, morphology, pragmatics of English and its history;

K_W05 knows the complex conditions of the process of second language acquisition; understands and properly applies models of foreign language acquisition typical of English linguistics;

K_W06 knows and understands the nuances of translation theory and the complexity of the translation process;

K_W08 has an in-depth knowledge of the historical development of language, especially English, and the semantic variability and complexity accompanying this process;

K_W09 has an advanced understanding of the complexity and pluralism of cultures, knows the obvious and non-obvious cultural codes that determine intercultural contacts, knows the structural and institutional conditions of culture, especially in the context of the countries of the English language area;

K_W10 knows to an advanced degree the geographical, historical, political, economic, cultural and social realities of the countries of the English language area;

K_U03 is able to present the acquired knowledge logically and clearly in written and oral form;

K_U05 can effectively select and apply knowledge of the discipline for communication, teaching, research purposes;

K_U09 is able to recognize obvious and secondary cultural symbols, use complex cultural codes when interacting with representatives of the cultures of the countries of the English language area, and generally in intercultural interactions;

K_K02 understands the role of lifelong learning and is convinced of the need for personal and professional development; defines the successive stages of this development;

K_K05 appreciates individual initiative, self-reliance, and recognizes the importance of personal contribution to team activities;

K_K06 recognizes the nature of dilemmas, problems, conflicts, and seeks the best solutions to them. 

attendance and active participation: 15%, home assignments (group work possible): 50%,project work/ in-class presentation: 35% .