UNIVERSIDADE SÃO JUDAS TADEU

CENTRO DE PÓS-GRADUAÇÃO – ESPECIALIZAÇÃO EM

LÍNGUA INGLESA

FINAL ESSAY

São Paulo, 2012

ALEXANDRE RODRIGUES NUNES

RA 201280038

PAULA CONCEIÇÃO DE ARAÚJO

RA 201280213

VALESKA RENATA LEIVAS

RA 201280035

Approaching culture and literature in the English language

classroom

São Paulo, 2012

Final essay presented as final

paper on the subject “Estudos

Culturais da Civilização Anglo-

Americana”, in postgraduate

center – Specialization in English

Language of University São

Judas Tadeu. Tutored by prof.

Alexandre Feldman.

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Contents

Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 4

Culture in English Language Classroom................................................................................. 5

Literature in English Language Classroom ............................................................................. 8

Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 12

References ........................................................................................................................... 13

Attachments ......................................................................................................................... 15

Attachment 1 .................................................................................................................... 15

Attachment 2 .................................................................................................................... 16

Attachment 3 .................................................................................................................... 17

Attachment 4 .................................................................................................................... 18

Attachment 5 .................................................................................................................... 19

Attachment 6 .................................................................................................................... 20

Attachment 7 .................................................................................................................... 21

Attachment 8 .................................................................................................................... 22

Attachment 9 .................................................................................................................... 23

Attachment 10 .................................................................................................................. 24

Attachment 11 .................................................................................................................. 25

Attachment 12 .................................................................................................................. 26

Attachment 13 .................................................................................................................. 27

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Introduction

For many people around the world English represents access to knowledge and skills,

mainly considering the current context of scientific and technological advances, the

globalization phenomena and the growth of social networks. This context raises people’s

interest in learning other languages often focusing on communicating to and getting in touch

with other cultures. Neil presents language as a relationship between language and culture and

defines it as being “used to maintain and convey culture and cultural ties”.

Among some concepts of culture, we can point out that it is a “framework in which

people live their lives and communicate shared meanings with each other” (SCARINO &

LIDDICOAT, 2009). Hence, it is extremely important to language teachers lead their students

to understand and increase awareness of other cultures rather than only knowing or acquiring

information about them. According to Scarino & Liddicoat (2009), “The goal of learning is to

decenter learners from their own culture-based assumptions to develop an intercultural

identity as a result of an engagement with an additional culture.” That means one can have a

better understanding of himself when confronting his beliefs, habits, practices, attitudes,

values, views of the world and customs with other people’s same aspects of culture.

Learning new culture enriches students’ repertoire making them ready to cope with

linguistic challenges. To this aspect teachers can count on a great resource of conveying

culture and language to their classes which is the teaching of Literature. It is not hard to

identify the cultural and social aspects of peoples, societies and even nations in Literature

genres and, not to mention the huge amount of language features that can be worked out from

them. Besides that, students need to learn how to express their own meanings and interpret

other people’s beyond the merely instrumental approach and here lies the most relevant gain

in teaching Literature.

As we can figure out Language, Literature and Culture are deeply intertwined and:

There can be no learning of language in a full sense without some grasp of Culture

in general and literature in particular (this last often representing language and

culture at a full stretch). Conversely, there can be no learning of Literature in a full

sense without some grasp of Culture in general and Language in particular (the

resources of which literature draws upon). (POPE, 1998:11)

Taking the concepts of Language, Literature and Culture into account, this paper aims

to present further discussion to language teachers on how to approach Culture and Literature

in an English classroom environment through suggesting skills and abilities teachers can

develop with their students as well as the advantages of such activities.

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Culture in English Language Classroom

Culture as presented before can be taken into consideration different views and aspects

of the word itself and of the concepts in which culture is related. In many situations a teacher

in English language classroom may face the need of teaching about culture, since teaching a

foreign or second language requires the proximity of the culture as the studied language.

Moran (2001) discusses the importance of understanding the culture experience

students go through in English language classroom. When students are exposed to a foreign

language, English in our case, not only are they studying the formal structures of a language

but also, ultimately, getting acquainted with this other people’s culture and their traditions. He

states that a person becomes involved in cultural learning with different kinds of activities.

Moran also presents four kinds of cultural knowing:

Knowing about – acquiring cultural information;

Knowing how – developing cultural behavior;

Knowing why – discovering cultural explanations;

Knowing oneself – articulating personal responses to what you are learning.

Considering that each kind of knowing can be applied to specific types of activities as

the writer presented, some activities were selected in order to bring more feasibility for this

discussion.

The authors Puchta, Stranks, et al. (2010) of a course book1 present a reading and

speaking task, in unit 1, in which unusual American sports contextualize the activities in the

task. (See attachment 1)

The activity is established by the authors under the session “Skills” of the course book.

Then, the students or teachers draw their attention to the practice of the reading and speaking

skills. The cultural information in the text is about three American sports which probably the

student/teacher may not be familiar with. For the teacher, it is mandatory the previous study

on these sports and the importance they play in American people.

On the other hand, to students it will be valuable a kind of pre-reading activity to

enable them to get first look at or touch in these American sports. A possibility is to present

videos available on the internet in which people play or do them. By asking students if they

recognize the styles or kinds of sports they see in the video they may become more prepared

to the reading.

By reading the text, students will definitely wonder about the differences both

culturally and in terms of practicing the sports: street luge, catfish grabbing and logrolling. At

1 American More! 4: course book for fundamental students, preferably to 9th grade.

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that moment, the teacher should not simply lecture about it, but he should ask students what

they know about the sports and what they learned from the text. We suggest, too, that the

teacher should make a table on the board in which students would provide information for

questions, such as: where is this sport practiced in America? What makes American interested

in this sport? This last question may require further investigation from student’s and teacher’s

parts, in order to knowing about the cultural facts presented.

Moran (2001) says that in order to acquire cultural practices it is necessary a “direct

participation of everyday life of the people of that culture”. The audio for the listening task

(see attachment 2) brings customs and ways of speaking of an American boy who is talking

about his trip to an Argentinian soccer game. Here, the cultural focus can be drawn towards to

language the boy uses (that will be typically American way of speaking about sports) and the

way the boy sees and compares the sport in Argentina with his view of the sport and about the

issues involved in it.

The activities in the book allow students to have this perception, mainly in the

speaking task. The teacher role for these two tasks, the listening and the speaking activities of

this attachment, is to provide a thinking aspect for the tasks. We believe the question, “what

kind of language does the boy use to express the way he sees the sport?”, could be of great

use for being near the language American people use in their everyday lives about sports,

more precisely.

Additionally, as culture in classroom is comprehended as means of communication,

since language and culture cannot be dissociated, Suliveer (2012: 8-9 apud Common

European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching and assessment (CEF)

2001: 3) cites that “one of the main aims of foreign language teaching today is to develop

learners’ ability to ‘communicate with each other across linguistic and cultural boundaries’”.

That said, one of the most common topics to teach elementary students is ‘greetings’.

When studying them, one usually learns how to greet people they know and how to introduce

them to people they do not know. This language function is well assimilated by students and

easily used to communicate in real world. However, do students need to know that in different

cultures people greet in different ways?

In the activity “culture flash” of another course book2, (Rubin & Ferrari: 2010 p.14), a

set of pictures of people greeting in different cultures is presented with captions below them.

They indicate the names or how people call these ways of greeting. (See attachment 3).

2 This module of ‘Projeto Radix – Inglês’ is designed to 6th grade students.

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The way this task is presented enables the “intercultural perspective” (LIDDICOAT,

2005: 28(2), 28–43) to play a great role in the classroom. According to Liddicoat “This

‘cultural’ pole implies the development of knowledge about culture which remains external to

the learner and is not intended to confront or transform the learner’s existing identity,

practices, values, attitudes, beliefs and worldview. The ‘intercultural’ pole implies the

transformational engagement of the learner in the act of learning.”

Considering the intercultural perspective and its principles the authors (Scarino &

Liddicoat, 2005: 33) emphasize the importance of the students’ “understanding of their own

‘situatedness’ in their own language and culture, and the recognition of the same in others. It

is possible, then, to realize that students will be confronted with the respect issue that bowing

greeting involves and represents to Japanese people, that a kind of mutual forehead touching

represents affections to Arabs, as in a Salaam greeting, or even that a peacefully hand-praying

position describes how one can connect spiritually to another for Indians, as the Namaste.

This confrontation will instigate the cultural meanings that these ways of greeting

represent to a Brazilian student and how Brazilians greetings, such as, kissing on the cheek,

can differ in meaning and value to other cultures too. This discussion is necessary to be drawn

by a very critic view of the teacher, since these cultural boundaries can enrich a student’s

perception of his world, his culture.

The questions existing in the activity will help students focus on these differences and

a final research on other cultural differences in greetings can be assigned as group work for a

more consolidated view of the intercultural perspective in learning a foreign language.

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Literature in English Language Classroom

Teaching English language just for the sake of teaching a foreign language has

no longer been enough. Teachers are currently required to be able to teach the

structures and the uses of the language, as well as its origins, functions and importance

in today’s world and society.

On the one hand of the history lies the language, with all its grammar and idioms

which have been the center of the attention in classes. On the other hand is now

Literature, a resource to be used as tool to introduce what is behind the language and

what might be useful for students somehow.

Considering English history learning at school, we can find out that it meant the

basic skills of literacy: learning to read and write. Teaching at this time was influenced

by the Church. The state took control of school education in the late nineteenth and

early twentieth centuries and only from this moment on has English learning begun to

include, in a significant way, English Literature.

Dr. Shibu Simon (2006) from the Research Center in English at M. A. College in

Kothamangalam, India, mentions in his book Teaching Literature in ELT/Tesol in

Classes that in more recent times, there has been a new interest in Literature as source

of input to language learning and its value for the language teaching is attributed to “the

spread of parallel notions such as emotional intelligence” (MALEY, ALLAN 2001:

185) and to the redefining of the concept of literature (SIMON, SHIBU 1998: 72), by

avoiding hard and burdened classical literary texts and making use of linguistic,

historical and cultural baggage.

What is being said about literature teaching is that literary texts tell a lot not only

about the language itself, but also about the culture and traditions of those who speak

this language. This makes a big difference when teaching a foreign language, once for

learners it is really important to understand the context in which certain idioms and

expressions were created as well as in which situation was the society inferred at the

moment certain literary pieces were written and launched.

The English scholar Christopher Brumfit (2000) proposes that practical criticism

on literary texts share two main presuppositions. From a linguistic perception

(stylistics), the first one is that the literary texts are made from language and its primary

focus for analysis will be the patterns made by language. That is the “material” the

analyst has to go on, the language as an object in itself. The second presupposition,

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from a practical criticism point of view (universal terms), attempts to locate intuitive

responses to the meaning and effects released by the text in the structure of the language

used. In other words, it will attempt to show how what is said is said, and how meanings

are made.

Although some may consider that Literature has little practical application, we

must say that it can, not only contribute significantly to language acquisition, but it also

provides students with the conquest of the ability of reading the world and better

express themselves “because the study of literary texts demands from the reader

interpretation procedures that the normal reading process” does not. (FERRADAS,

2009). According to her, other advantages in Literature teaching in English classrooms

are:

- It can be motivating and thought-provoking;

- It provides meaningful (and memorable) contexts for new vocabulary and

structures, thus encouraging language acquisition and expanding students’

language awareness;

- It can help develop students’ procedural abilities to interpret discourse; - It provides access to new socio-cultural meanings, offering opportunities for

the development of cultural awareness;

- It stimulates the imagination, as well as critical and personal response, thus

contributing to the major aim of educating the whole person;

Ferradas (2009) also suggests that when choosing the material it is important to

select texts written by contemporary authors and “this experience of living authors

allows readers to come into contact with writing from an experiential perspective”. She

also mentions that teachers should consider using short texts, such as short stories, but

those should be linked to related texts, poems, and intertexts – the latter, students should

be encouraged to read the base story as extensive reading that can be assigned as

homework. To the author, the approach and focus should always be on what language

can do and on how can language means. Of course literary texts can simply be

appreciated and discussed on, but the literature activities with literary texts must aim at

language awareness as well as cultural awareness.

A long-established text-centered canon dominates the teaching of Literature;

however these studies should not be done simply through text-handling, but as fuller

social and cultural exchanges in order to make its learning meaningful. Literary texts

should be used to “extend and enliven the learning process” (Pope, 1998). The use of

the genre drama, for instance, in an EFL class can illustrate how language and Literature

learning lead to a growth of cultural background, this way students can get deeply in

touch with other contexts, habits and times. Besides that, it can be very profitable and

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pleasant for students to rehearse theater plays since they would have considerably

exposure to great length of language and vocabulary.

Literary pieces of writing work also as a tool to analyze the evolution of the

language and the birth of expressions and structures used in our daily English and that is

why course books try to embody literature into lessons when teaching linkers or

connectors, for instance. Once they play an important role in literary texts, it makes

easier for students to understand their uses and functions and these types of tasks are

easily found in current used teaching material, which endorses the idea that literature in

ESL teaching is essential for the development of language acquisition.

The speaking activity from another course book3 aims at presenting students one

of the most famous names of literature, as well as its origins and most famous pieces.

(See attachment 4)

The task first places the students in the correct moment of the history in which

the playwright (Shakespeare) was inserted and also names one of his most famous

plays, Romeo and Juliet (See attachments 5). The activity provides students a clear idea

of the situation in that time which enables them to understand the context of Romeo and

Juliet, and also the reason why this text is written the way it is (old English, poetic and

rather dramatic vocabulary). While listening about the story students will acquire great

source of new structures, once the vocabulary needed for them to understand the activity

is previously taught, what enriches student’s ideas and enables them to cope with the

task.

Still in the same material, the assignments proposed by Rubin and Ferrari (2010)

follow the idea of introducing new vocabulary throughout the literary master piece of

William Shakespeare. (See attachments 6 and 7).

As a result of this kind of activity, the authors come up with the idea of creating

a story based on what students heard and read about. The aim of this task is put into

practice the structures have come across and check comprehension by inserting them

inside a context connected to the activity. (See attachment 8)

Pope (1998) believes that literary pieces just make a difference in terms of

teaching when not used just as reading tasks, but when analyzed, understood and able to

be used as a source of information, to enrich the language and making its learning

meaningful.

3 Projeto Radix – Inglês 9º ano. (RUBIN & FERRARI, 2010)

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To conclude the idea of the tasks presented above, the course book presents a

wrap-up activity still working with Shakespeare and his literary pieces. The proposal is

still taking students to some centuries ago when English society had been through

several changes, what influenced directly in the literature. Students are able to face

structures they are not used to dealing with as well as understanding the contexts of the

texts connected to the political and social situation at that time. (See attachments 9 to

13)

The pieces of writing to be analyzed make more sense to them and learning

happens naturally.

Carter and Walter (1989) see literature teaching in English classes as essential,

once the manipulation with literary texts enhances awareness and perception of reading

and is much more language-based student centeredness, involving students with the text

or pair/group work, enabling discussions and reflections.

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Conclusion

We proposed to discuss in this paper the applications of Culture and Literature in

the study of English language, and the importance they play in English language

acquisition as well as their implications towards the intrinsically participation of these

concepts in the students’ education.

After briefly presenting theories on how to approach culture and literature in the

English language classroom, we have found that there are more complex aspects that

can be taken into consideration when educators teach cultural elements in the studied

language as means of communication. Besides, the literary texts provide students not

only with cultural awareness but also with social and cultural experiences that lead them

to a more meaningful learning of the language.

We commonly agree with the fact that cultural and literary studies affect directly

in how students will accomplish with the language use, which lead us to deduce that

teacher should hold proper conditions to keep learners involved with this sort of activity

always aiming at making them aware of why certain things are said and done.

Finally, we have drawn a conclusion that course books usually present cultural

facts in an isolated or decontextualized situation and that does not favor the real learning

of the studied language. Too, literary texts are commonly used for exhibition or for the

reading to accomplish specific tasks and do not achieve deeper reflections as they may

offer. We selected some materials we used or found them interesting to be used with our

students and suggested strategies and approaches to make them more integrated into the

issues raised throughout our researches and classes.

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References

BAUGH, A. & CABLE, T. A history of the English Language. London: Routledge,

1993.

BRUMFIT, C.J & CARTER R.A, Literature and Language Teaching. Oxford

University Press, Oxford, 2000.

CARTER, R. & WALKER R., Literature and Learning Introduction In: Literature

and the Learner: Methodological Approches. Modern English Publications and British

Council, 1989.

FERRADAS, C. Enjoying Literature with Teens and Young Adults in the English

Classroom, in Brit Lit: Using Literature in EFL Classrooms e-book. British Council,

London: 2009

LEATHER, S. Training across cultures: content, process, and dialogue – ELT

Journal V. 55/3. London: Oxford University Press, 2001.

LIDDICOAT, A. J. Culture for language learning in Australian language-in-

education policy. Australian Review of Applied Linguistics: 2005.

MORAN, Patrick R. Teaching Culture: Perspectives in Practice. Heinle & Heinle,

2001.

NEIL, Aubrey. The Relationship Between Language & Culture and the

Implications for Language Teaching. Available at

http://edition.tefl.net/articles/teacher-technique/language-culture/. Accessed on April,

2012.

POPE, R. The English Studies Book: An introduction to language, literature and

culture. USA and Canada: Routledge, 1998

PUCHTA H., STRANKS J., GERNGROSS G., HOLZMANN C. and LEWIS-JONES

P. American More! 4 – Student’s Book. United Kingdom: Cambridge University

Press, 2010.

RUBIN, S. G. & FERRARI, M. T. Projeto Radix – Inglês 6º ano. 2ª ed. São Paulo:

Scipione, 2010.

____________. Projeto Radix – Inglês 9º ano. 2ª ed. São Paulo: Scipione, 2010.

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SALUVEER, E. Teaching Culture in English Classes. Master Thesis. Tartu, Estonia.

Available at http://www.lara25.com/mywebdisk/CI-EP/Saluveer.pdf. Access on April,

2012.

SCARINO, A & LIDDICOAT, A. J. Teaching and Learning Languages: A Guide.

Australia: Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and

Workplace Relations, 2009.

SIMON, S. Teaching Literature in ELT/TESOL Classes. New Delhi, India: Sarup &

Sons, 2006.

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Attachments

Attachment 1

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Attachment 2

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Attachment 3

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Attachment 4

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Attachment 5

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Attachment 6

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Attachment 7

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Attachment 8

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Attachment 9

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Attachment 10

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Attachment 11

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Attachment 12

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Attachment 13