Cultural awareness for intercultural communication in teaching english as an international language

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to value the importance of cultural awareness for intercultural communication in teaching English as an international language. First, we shall briefly deal with the origins, evolution and current status of the English language in the world. As a second point, the paper will define the importance of learning English as an international language to enhance global communication and finally, the role of cultural awareness in teaching international English will be analyzed.

Keywords: English language, cultural awareness, teaching, global communication, intercultural competence, intercultural communication, international language

Resumen

El objetivo de este estudio es valorar la importancia de la conciencia cultural para la comunicación intercultural en la enseñanza del inglés como lengua internacional. Primeramente, el autor tratará el tema de los orígenes, evolución y posición actual de la lengua inglesa en el mundo. En un segundo momento, la investigación nos brinda una valoración sobre la importancia de aprender inglés como lengua internacional para lograr la comunicación global y a manera de conclusiones, el autor desarrollará un análisis del papel de la conciencia cultural en la enseñanza de inglés como lengua internacional.

Palabras clave: Lengua inglesa, conciencia cultural, enseñanza, comunicación global, competencia intercultural, comunicación intercultural, lengua internacional

Introduction

Nowadays, professionals have more possibilities of interchanging knowledge, research projects. They work together due to the increase of International collaboration and it has become necessary to develop a communicative competence among professionals since there are mobility options to foster international collaboration. As professionals need to be more competent due to globalization increasing demands, not only a higher level of knowledge of a language, but also intercultural competence. Professionals need to know the language of business and research but also need to be aware of the cultural background of the coming foreign partners. Globalization brings about these new challenges.

The intercultural element is a cornerstone for these kinds of interactions with foreign cultures and that is why it is quite important to take into account the differences and similarities of the target culture to be more efficient when it comes to interacting with them. Professionals of different branches of science and tourists in general from different countries are continually coming to Cuba to share their science and culture with our locals. These interactions are mostly in English but the foreign visitors are not only native English speakers because they can also use English as a foreign language just like us (English-speaking Cubans). Since English as an International Language has become the lingua franca of the world today and most of the users of this language are non-native speakers from neither the United Kingdom nor the United States nor any other English-speaking country. Communicative language teaching in Cuba has been doing a successful work to improve the four essential skills such as writing, speaking, listening and reading at all educational levels. Although culture is a significant part for the teaching of English, it is always important to remember that an 'intercultural dimension' in language teaching is a key component to develop learners as intercultural speakers or mediators who are able to engage with complex and multiple identities. Sometimes, to avoid the stereotyping which accompanies perceiving someone through a single identity and is not completely taken into consideration as part of the process because sometimes teachers do not teach international English along with intercultural awareness. Therefore, an interesting question arises: What could be the importance of cultural awareness for intercultural communication in teaching English as an international language? Thus, the overall aim of this paper is to value the importance of cultural awareness for intercultural communication in teaching English as an international language. The evolution and current status of the English language since its origins will be reviewed, the importance of learning English as an international language to enhance global communication will be a point to analyze the importance of cultural awareness in teaching international English

Development

Origins, Evolution and Current Status of the English Language The history of the English language started with the arrival of three Germanic tribes who invaded Britain during the 5th century AD. The Angles, the Saxons and the Jutes, crossed the North Sea from what today is Denmark and northern Germany to bring their languages to Britain. These languages in Britain developed into Old English, then into Middle English, into Modern English and so on.

From around 1600, the English colonization of North America resulted in the creation of a distinct American variety of English. Some expressions that the British call "Americanisms" are in fact original British expressions that were preserved in the colonies while lost for a time in Britain. Spanish also had an influence on American English (and subsequently British English). French words (through Louisiana) and West African words (through the slave trade) also influenced American English (and so, to an extent, British English). English has experienced a riche development over the years up to the point that it is not only used as a native language but also as an official or foreign language.

Of the 4,000 to 5,000 living languages, English is by far the most widely used. As a mother tongue, it ranks second only to Chinese, which is effectively six mutually unintelligible dialects little used outside China. On the other hand the 300 million native speakers of English are to be found in every continent, and an equally widely distributed body of second language speakers, who use English for their day-to-day needs, totals over 250 million. Finally, if we add those areas where decisions affecting life and welfare are made and announced in English, we cover one-sixth of the world's population. Barriers of race, color and creed are no hindrance to the continuing spread of the use of English. Besides being a major vehicle of debate at the United Nations, and the language of command for NATO, it is the official language of international aviation, and unofficially is the first language of international sport and the pop scene. Russian propaganda to the Far East is broadcast in English, as are Chinese radio programs designed to win friends among listeners in East Africa. Indeed more than 60 per cent of the world's radio programs are broadcast in English and it is also the language of 70 per cent of the world's mail. From its position 400 years ago as a dialect, little known beyond the southern counties of England, English has grown to its present status as the major world language…(Pincas, Teaching English as a Foreign Language Second Edition, 2003) Today, it is true that American English is particularly influential, due to the USA's dominance of cinema, television, popular music, trade and technology (including the Internet). But there are also many other varieties of English around the world, including for example Australian English, New Zealand English, Canadian English, South African English, Indian English and Caribbean English. Quirk in 1962 stated that English is not the prerogative or "possession" of the English . . . Acknowledging this must – as a corollary – involve our questioning the propriety of claiming that the English of one area is more "correct" than the English of another. Certainly, we must realize that there is no single "correct" English, and no single standard of correctness. Then, the expression "world Englishes" is capable of a range of meanings and interpretations. In the first sense, perhaps, the term functions as an umbrella label referring to a wide range of differing approaches to the description and analysis of English(es) worldwide. Some scholars, for example, favor a discussion of "world English" in the singular, and also employ terms such as "global English" and "international English," while others adopt the same terms in their plural forms. Indeed, in recent years, a plethora of terminology has come into use, including: English as an international (auxiliary) language, global English(es), international English(es), localized varieties of English, new varieties of English, non-native varieties of English, second-language varieties of English, world English(es), new Englishes, alongside such more traditional terms as ESL (English as a Second Language) and EFL (English as a Foreign Language). (Braj B. Kachru, 2006)

Importance of Learning English as an International Language to Enhance Global Communication

English as an International Language has become the lingua franca of the world today. An essential factor of this widespread use of English is the fact that, as I said before, most of the users of the English language today are not native speakers from either the United Kingdom or the United States or any naïve English-speaking country.

For better or worse, English has "traveled" to many parts of the world and has been used to serve various purposes. This phenomenon has created positive interactions as well as tensions between global and local forces and has had serious linguistic, ideological, sociocultural, political and pedagogical implications. As English rapidly develops more complex relationships within and between communities of speakers around the world, the dialogue addressing its role as a global language needs to continue to expand. (SHARIFIAN, 2009) McKay (2004, p. 3) stated: "English is the product of a world econocultural system, and is the preferred medium of the international communities of business, science, culture and intellectual life." Therefore, the demand for English has rapidly escalated among adult learners including immigrants to English-speaking countries, business people involved in the global economy, and those who just want to travel as tourists. In many countries, large-scale English Language Teaching programs for adult learners have been established in the community and workplace as a result of the globalization of the workforce, the perceived need to increase economic competitiveness, and a move towards life-long learning.(Jim Cummins, 2007) Then, McKay went on to suggest that we should teach English as an international language (EIL). In addition, McKay (2004) suggested that the cultural content for teaching materials in EIL can be target culture materials (e.g., American scenes), local culture materials (e.g., Cuban holidays), or international culture materials (e.g., international tourism and social contact).

Cultural Awareness in Teaching International English

English as an international language has also started to develop a close affinity with research in the area of intercultural communication. English is widely used for intercultural communication at the global level today. It is becoming increasingly recognized that "intercultural competence" needs to be viewed as a core element of "proficiency" in English when it is used for international communication.(SHARIFIAN, 2009) It is true that McKay (2002) asserts that despite the need for some culture, users of English as an international language do not need to internalize the cultural norms of the original native-English speaking countries in order to effectively utilize the language. Since English as an international language does not necessarily "belong" to any country but what teachers do need to recognize is the need to broaden their students' horizon beyond the purely linguistic aspects by placing greater weight on the cultural background of the target language (TL) countries, and Trying to raise some kind of intercultural awareness which, in time, bring about Intercultural Communicative Competence. According to Doyé (1999, 11-12), this comprehensive competence integrates the cognitive (knowledge of languages and cultures, as in traditional Landeskunde), the pragmatic (the competence to perform speech acts) and the attitudinal domains (open-mindedness and tolerance, as in political education) within FL learning. Therefore, teachers need to develop some sort of intercultural dimension in the classroom.

'The intercultural dimension' in language teaching

When two people talk to each other, they do not just speak to the other to exchange information, they also see the other as an individual and as someone who belongs to a specific social group, for example a 'worker' and an 'employer' or a 'teacher' and a 'pupil'. This has an influence on what they say, how they say it, what response they expect and how they interpret the response. In other words, when people are talking to each other their social identities are unavoidably part of the social interaction between them. In language teaching, the concept of 'communicative competence' takes this into account by emphasizing that language learners need to acquire not just grammatical competence but also the knowledge of what is 'appropriate' language.

Now, 'intercultural dimension' in language teaching aims to develop learners as intercultural speakers or mediators who are able to engage with complexity and multiple identities and to avoid the stereotyping which accompanies perceiving someone through a single identity. It is based on perceiving the interlocutor as an individual whose qualities are to be discovered, rather than as a representative of an externally ascribed identity. Intercultural communication is communication on the basis of respect for individuals and equality of human rights as the democratic basis for social interaction. (Michael BYRAM, 2002)

Importance of Cultural Awareness for Intercultural Communication in the Teaching of English as an International Language Intercultural awareness in language learning is often talked about as though it were a 'fifth skill' – the ability to be aware of cultural relativity following reading, writing, listening and speaking. Language itself is defined by a culture. We cannot be competent in the language if we do not also understand the culture that has shaped and informed it. We cannot learn a second language if we do not have an awareness of that culture, and how that culture relates to our own first language/first culture. It is not only therefore essential to have cultural awareness, but also intercultural awareness. Then, it is necessary to review these key elements and their relevance to accomplish the purposes of this paper:

• Intercultural communication: common, necessary part of people"s personal and professional lives

• Intercultural competence: ability to become effective and appropriate in interacting, the sensitivity to cultural diversity

• Cultural awareness: an important role to overcome difficulties to ensure smooth communication with people from different backgrounds

• Intercultural communication competence: ability to effectively and appropriately execute communication behaviors to elicit a desired response in a specific environment

Conclusion

Intercultural interactions have become very frequent in Cuba in various fields of action. Our foreign visitors are not only native English speakers. Therefore, all of them have different cultural backgrounds. As the intercultural element is a key factor for these kinds of interactions, it is quite important to take into account the differences and similarities of the target culture to be more efficient when it comes interact with them.

Through this paper, we were able to analyze the Relevance of Cultural Awareness for International English Teaching through the analysis of the evolution and current status of the English language since its origins, the definition of the importance of learning English as an international language to enhance global communication and the analysis of the relevance of cultural awareness for the teaching of international English.

Bibliography

Title: Cultural Awareness for Intercultural Communication in Teaching English as an International Language.

Artículo original.

Author:

Geraldo David García Bravo.

B.A. e-mail: gdgarcía@uclv.cu, work phone: 42 281069. Profesor at Universidad Central "Marta Abreu" de Las Villas.