Formation of intercultural competence in english lessons

Culture in second language teaching and learning has always been a debatable issue in the field of applied linguistics. In the history of teaching culture, different approaches can be noticed. These approaches are divided into two: “the mono-cultural approach” which focuses on the culture whose language is studied, and “the comparative approach” which is built upon comparing the learners’ own and the other culture (Bada, 2000). Moreover, many scholars and linguists, such as Fairclough (1989), Durkeim (1997), Kramsh (1993), and others, have addressed this issue since culture is undoubtedly an essential part of foreign language teaching. Thus, the present essay intends to explore how culture holds an important place in language education. Its first part is devoted to discussing the relationship between language and culture. The second one highlights the importance of integrating culture in language teaching and learning. Finally, the third part suggests some tips of integrating culture in the process of language learning.