Read

To continue with where I have stopped last time, here are some of the methods that would be useful in raising transcultural awareness.

1． To Raise the Transcultural Awareness in Reading

There is a rich amount of reading materials in the middle school English textbooks which contains many information ideal for the raising the transcultural awareness. Actually, English reading is also one kind of transcultural communication. To truly understand the content of the reading materials, the readers not only need to master enough language knowledge, but also understand the custom, the culture and the religion, etc. of the English-speaking countries.

Take the chapter "Entertainment" in the first volume of Oxford English as an example. The text talks about certain television programs. To make students more familiar with the British culture, I showed them fragments of some British television programs and gave a brief introduction to British TV channels. Simultaneously I also encouraged students to watch and listen to more English programs, which enabled them to have the sensation of real language. This could also enhance their study interests.

2． To raise Transcultural Awareness In Spoken Language Training

In daily spoken communication, many transcultural factors exist even though the language form is quite simple. For the middle-school students, the real problem may not be pronouncing or spelling correctly but utilizing the language appropriately in real life. In the actual teaching, I unified the simulation scene, introduced the cultural elements target-orientedly and taught the language in the specific background.

For instance I once first let the students watch the classic movie "the Sound of Music" and let them act out the scene where the children’s father caught them visiting Maria after she had returned to the church. The students realized that language needed practical application in the actual performance process. Usually, as long as we have the opportunity, I let the students carry on role-playing, studying and feeling the culture by experiencing it.

3． To Raise Transcultural Awareness In Glossary Teaching

In fact, in what we perceived as the easiest glossary teaching, there is also opportunity for raising the transcultural awareness. A word itself has suggested many relevant cultural development information. At the same time, the cultural developing process can affect the use of glossary.

Take “Friday” as an example. Majority of the western people believe in Christianity. The day when Jesus was crucified was precisely Friday. Therefore “Friday Face” means “looks distressed”; “Black Friday” means “one disastrous day”. On the other hand, “Sunday” is associated with happy meanings in English as Jesus resurrected on Sunday. People go to church and celebrate a holiday. Thus, people described the most attractive clothes as “Sunday” or “Sunday Best”. But Friday and Sunday in Chinese has no such meanings.

4．To Raise transcultural Awareness In grammar study

So in the most intricate grammar teaching , can we raise the transcultural awareness? The answer is affirmative.

Each language has its unique grammar system, and the difference is very large. We not only inquire into the difference of its logical form and the structure, we also inquire into the rich cultural factors of how it is formed. In Chinese we say “a bread”, but in English we say “a piece of bread”. Although in Chinese we do not have singular or plural change of the noun, but “the bread” is one countable noun in the concept. In the West, people regard the bread as one of their staple food. They slice the bread when eating, sometimes also spread cream on the slice of bread. They eat with fried egg or a cup of milk. Therefore “bread” is one uncountable noun in English. One more example is “My knife and fork is made of silver”. Why should we see a knife and a fork as one thing? In Western culture, the knife and the fork are inseparable dining tools and so it is view as a whole.

In summary, many source materials can be used to raise the transcultural awareness. Teachers should pay great attention to raise the transcultural awareness and help students develop a sensitivity and tolerance to different cultures so as to promote the development of language and culture, as well as the communication between different languages and cultures.

Glossary

intricate (adj.) – difficult to understand

staple (adj.) – basic or main

Discuss

What is your experience of transcultrual awareness? How aware are your kids?

What do you think about the methods suggested by Maggie? Do you have any other suggestions?