The Culture and History of Great Britain Course

obligatory courses

Blended learning

Tutorials are devoted to the culture and history of England / Great Britain from the earliest times to the present day, and the use of the cultural component in the process of teaching English as a foreign language in primary school.

A detailed schedule of the course:

Tutorials are aimed to acquaint students with the main aspects of English/British culture and history, to raise their language awareness and intercultural competence by drawing their attention to texts of culture related to the British Isles, as well as to recommend available sources of information and ways how to improve students’ knowledge of the history and culture of the British Isles. Suggestions will be made how to introduce the cultural component in the context of teaching English as a foreign language in primary school. Tutorials are combined with a multimedia presentation and require an active participation of students in classes and a certain amount of home study.

1. Geography of the British Isles (geographical and cultural regions).

2. Basic knowledge about the UK: political system, state institutions, role of the monarch.

3. Major historical developments: Anglo-Saxon period; Christianization; England under the rule of the Normans and Plantagenets; feudalism; beginnings of the English Parliament, the Hundred Years War, Wars of the White and the Red Roses (1455-1485); Tudor monarchy: schism of Henry VIII, reign of Elizabeth I; Reformation and development of culture; reign of the Stuarts; the Civil War; Restoration; the beginnings of the Empire; Scientific and Industrial Revolutions; the British Empire in the days of Queen Victoria and Edward VII; electoral reform, fight for Irish independence; I and II World Wars; gradual decline of the Empire; decolonization and devolution; Brexit.

4. The education system in Great Britain.

5. High and popular culture (music, painting and architecture).

6. English/British customs, traditions, holidays and legends.

7. Lifestyles.

8. Sports in the British Isles.

9. Multiculturalism and multiethnicity.

10. How to teach the knowledge of England / Britain as part of the cultural component.

11. Written examination (90 minutes).

The main textbook:

McDowall, David. An Illustrated History of Britain. Harlow: Longman, 1991, or subsequent editions.

Other recommended textbooks:

Diniejko, A. English-Speaking Countries: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Republic of Ireland. Warsaw: WSiP, 1999; an updated ebook, 2017.

Ford, B. ed. The Cambridge Cultural History of Britain' Cambridge: CUP, 1992;

Morgan, K. ed., The Oxford Illustrated History of Britain. Oxford: OUP, 1992.

Room, A. An A-Z of British Life. Dictionary of Britain. Oxford: OUP, 1996;

online materials

KNOWLEDGE

K_W01 the student has a basic knowledge of British culture and history, which has practical application in English language teaching at school education H1P_W01

K_W02 the student has a comprehensive area of knowledge, covering selected areas of British culture and history, which has practical application in English language teaching. H1P_W02

K_W03 the student has an understanding of basic academic terms pertaining to British culture appropriate for teaching foreign languages H1P_W03

SKILLS

K_U01 the student can search, analyze, evaluate, select and use information using various sources and methods H1P_U01

K_U02 the student knows how to acquire knowledge and develop professional skills related to foreign language teaching H1P_U02 K_U09 the student has the ability to substantiate arguments using the views of other authors and to formulate H1P_U10 applications.

K_U12 the student has the ability to prepare oral presentations, in English, on specific topics, using basic theoretical approaches as well as various sources of H1P_U13.

SOCIAL COMPETENCE

K_K01 the is aware of the level of their knowledge and skills, understands the need for continuous professional development and personal development, self-assesses their skills and improves their skills, sets their own directions for development and education H1A_K01 H1A_K04 S1A_K02

K_K05 the student is aware of the responsibility for preserving the cultural heritage of the region, country, Europe, multilingualism and multiculturality in relation to British society H1P_K05

K_K10 the student recognizes and formulates the moral and ethical issues, related to their own and others' work, and is constantly searching for the best solutions and acts in accordance with the principles of ethics H1A_K04 S1A_K04

The object of the assessment is knowledge, the ability to associate facts, events and ideas in the history and culture of the British Isles, autonomy of thinking and the ability to pass on the acquired knowledge and skills in this field, in English, in oral and written form.

Requirements: preparation of a project which introduces a selected topic from British history or culture in English-language class – 25% of the final grade; oral, individual presentation of a British culture or history topic – 25% of the final grade; presentation of a thematic portfolio – 25% of the final grade; written exam – 25%; attendance control