The document discusses the importance of teaching culture as part of teaching English as a foreign language. It defines culture as a social heredity transmitted between generations through shared experiences. Different authors suggest teaching students about various aspects of culture, including social identity, institutions, history and geography. Teaching culture is important for developing intercultural communication skills. Teachers need to be sensitive to potential feelings of alienation students may experience when learning a new culture and use techniques to promote cultural understanding.

1. Importance of cultural
studies in the teaching of
English

3. Culture may be defined as a ‘social
heredity’transmitted from one generation to
another generation with the accumulation of
individual experiences, or a mode of activities
differentiating people of one society from
another society. Culture cannot be a
biologicalphenomenon but a learned
pattern of social behaviour to be followed.

5. Different authors have different suggestions
concerning the question what kind of information
should be taught at the lessons of a foreign language,
but generally, all of them suggest examining more or
less the same topics, depending on the language level
of the students, which are proposed by Byram and
Morgan According to them, the content of cultural
learning should cover the following areas of study:

6. • Social identity
• Social interaction
• Belief and behaviour
• Socio-political institution
• Socialization and the life of cycle
• National history
• National geography
• National culture heritage
• Member of Nation
• Stereotypes and national identity

7. According to Emitt &
Komesaroff (2003),
teaching culture of a
target language is
unquestionably
important for the
development
ofcompetence in
intercultural
communication

8. people experience certain psychological blocks and
other inhibiting effects of the second culture. Teachers
can help students to turn such an experience into one
of increased cultural and self-awareness. It is
possiblethat learners can feel alienation in the process
of learning a foreign language, alienation from people
in their home culture, the target culture, and from
themselves. In teaching foreign language we need to
be sensitive to the fragility of students by using
techniques that promote cultural understanding. (
Jiang 2000:50)

9. Culture being an important and integral part of
human society deals with the communication of
language by the individuals in a variety of situations
and circumstances. . A large number of students and
professionals from Pakistan and Iran tend to learn
English as a Foreign Language (EFL) for the
satisfaction of communicative and practical purposes
of life. . The pedagogical strategies and prescribed
textbooks hardly help learners develop skills in
communicating language in context.
Conclusion

10. Reference
BYRAM, M. 1998. Language Learning in Intercultural Perspective. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
BYRAM, M. 1994. Teaching and Learning Language and Culture. Clevedon: Multilingual
Matters
Ltd.
Emitt, M. P. J., & Komesaroff, L. (2003). Language and Learning. Oxford: Oxford
University Press.

11. Jiang, G. (2006). Necessity of Teaching Culture in Foreign Language
McLEAN, A.C.: What we teach when we teach British culture. In Perspectives. The British
Council,
Prague, No 3, Winter 1993/94, pp. 11-14.
TOMALIN, B. 1995. Cultural Awareness: some ideas for creating it. In Perspectives. The
British
Council, Prague, No 6, Autumn 1995, pp.24-29.