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Since the 1980s, it has been clear that foreign language education should include cross-cultural education. But not until July, 2001 did the concept of “cross-cultural” begin to appear in The English Course Standard, which stipulates that English education should include the goal of cultural knowledge, cultural understanding and awareness and ability in cross-cultural communication. According to it, the goal of cross-cultural education in English course should result in students’ interest in foreign cultures and realization of cultural differences existing in language communication. It also requires students to pay attention to cultural differences in their daily communication, sense the cultural connotation and background so as to cultivate the attitude of respect and tolerance to exotic cultures and a relatively strong sense of the world as a whole.
2. Literature Review源'自:751]'论-文'网"]www.751com.cn
2.1 An Overview of Culture and Language Teaching Abroad
Ever since 1960s, a great many scholars have concerned themselves with the significance of the cultural aspects in foreign language learning. In 1970s, an emphasis on sociolinguistics led to great emphasis on the situational context of the foreign language. Savignon’s study on communicative competence, suggested the “value of training in communicative skill from the very beginning of the foreign language program”.
Later, it is only in the 1980s that educators began to dig into the dynamics of culture and its vital contribution to “successful” language learning. Harmmerly, Seelye and Damen are among those who have considered ways of incorporating culture into language teaching.
Furthermore, between the 1980s and 1990s, advances in pragmatics and sociolinguistics laying bare the very essence of language, which is no longer thought of as merely describing or communication, but, rather as persuading, deceiving, or publishing and controlling, have rendered people’s frames of reference and cultural schemata tentative, and led to attempts at “bridging the cultural gap in language teaching” (Valdes 1986: 112).
According to Kramsch (1993:227), the purpose of learning a foreign language is “a way of making cultural statements” as well as “learning a new way of making communication”. She insists that culture must be taught in each language class, and believes culture should be taught as an interpersonal process and rather than presenting cultural facts. Teachers should assist language learners in grasping the “other cultures”.