The Acceptance and Recognition of Cultural Diversity in Foreign Language Teaching  Cover Image

Yabancı Dil Öğretiminde Kültürel Çeşitliliğin Tanınması ve Kabul Edilmesi
The Acceptance and Recognition of Cultural Diversity in Foreign Language Teaching

Author(s): Korkut Uluç İşisağ
Subject(s): Foreign languages learning
Published by: Gazi Akademik Bakış
Keywords: Culture; cultural diversity; cultural awareness; intercultural competence; intercultural dimension.

Summary/Abstract: Since we live in a multilingual and multicultural world, people having diverse cultural backgrounds are beginning to interact with each other more than ever. Therefore, in the study, the notions of cultural diversity, cultural awareness, intercultural competence and cultural dimension have been introduced. According to these concepts, people see and interpret things around themselves in different ways. What may be considered an appropriate act in a culture may not be considered so in another because when two or more people from diverse cultures try to communicate with each other, problems may arise due to their differing personal and social lives, customs and traditions, world views and so on. This is mostly because of the different foreign languages and cultures the interlocutors possess. Hence, learning and teaching a language requires having knowledge about another culture. In order to be a competent language learner, it is crucial to know the cultural context of which the language is a component. To do so, culture has to be incorporated into foreign language teaching. This can be achieved by helping the students overcome barriers that would hinder the growth of intercultural competence. Also, the teachers should help their students to gain an insight into different cultures. The learners should be aware of the fact that there are various cultures to be accepted, recognized, tolerated and respected other than theirs.

  • Issue Year: 2010
  • Issue No: 07
  • Page Range: 251-260
  • Page Count: 9
  • Language: Turkish
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