Publisher's Synopsis
The process of effective teaching a foreign language includes also cultural studies. Language is a means of expression. We express our feelings, emotions, thoughts, needs, desires etc. in words, symbols and gesture which is considered as language. In learning another language students are exposed to, and inevitably learn something, about other societies and their cultural practices. Culture and language are thus interrelated and language is used as the main medium through which culture is expressed. We can therefore agree that bringing cultural studies of English speaking countries closer to students will help them to better understand the language, its background and usage. Better understanding of the language will help the students to accept a foreign culture and also their own culture. Apart from this, by teaching and learning any cultural studies at a foreign language lesson we do not include the whole term of cultural learning. Language is a part of nation´s culture, so we cannot acquire a foreign language without learning its culture. We cannot deny that we live in societies that are constantly drawing on and using multiple languages. This 1st volume of Encyclopaedia of Context and Culture in Language Teaching integrates research and reviews aimed at culture, its relationship with language and what role it plays in teaching and learning English as a foreign or second language. Multilingualism and multiculturalism are present in many parts of the world today. This volume is an attempt to survey culture as perceived in a number of language teaching perspectives. As language teachers and scholars of language education, we know that the presence of multilingualism challenges a traditional view of language education - one language learned before another as first and additional (second or foreign) languages. Language teaching in multilingual contexts, the topics of this work, may take a diversity of forms and apply to a variety of ideas. This volume highlights some of these forms and ideas. This volume provides much for us in language education to consider. One patent fact is that multilingualism and multiculturalism are a reality around the world today. Societies are constantly drawing on and using multiple languages. We hope this special issue provides several ideas and information about what it means to teach and learn multiple languages in multilingual contexts.
