Temple University Japan:

The Role of Culture in English Teaching

Date: Saturday, October 12th, 2002 Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Speaker: Sandra McKay, San Francisco State University

Description:
This seminar by Dr. Sandra McKay explores the role of culture in the teaching of an international language. The seminar will begin by examining what has led to the current spread of English learning, what may impede this spread, and what dangers exist the spread of English. Next we will examine the unique features of an international language as opposed to other less widely spoken languages. In the full seminar weekend, this background information will provide the basis for an in-depth examination of the role of culture in English language teaching. Specifically, the seminar will focus on the following areas of culture in language teaching:

1. the role of culture in the content of classroom materials;
2. the culture of learning that informs the teaching of a language;
3. the cultural target that is assumed in the teaching of pragmatics;
4. the cultural target that is assumed in the teaching of written discourse

Throughout the seminar weekend the argument will be made that the role of culture in the teaching of an international language needs to be significantly different from the role of culture that is accepted in the teaching of other less widely spoken languages. One of the major objectives of the weekend will be to explore what this means for the teaching of English in Japan in terms of the content and methodology of English language lessons and the pragmatic and rhetorical standards that are promoted. A reading packet including articles and tasks related to the topic will be used in the seminar to help participants develop their seminar project.
This seminar is part of TUJ's Distinguished Lecturer Series. Note that each seminar is actually 2 days long, apx. 7 hours per day. The first three hours of each seminar are free and open to the public. To attend both days of the weekend seminar costs 10,500 yen for the general public (free for M.Ed. and Ed.D. alumni of Temple University Japan). Please see the TUJ Tokyo web site for full details.

Organization: Temple University Japan

Cost: TUJ Members: free for M.Ed. and Ed.D. alumni of Temple University Japan
Non-members: free (first three hours)

Venue: Temple University Japan, Tokyo Center, 2-8-12 Minami Azabu; Minato-ku, Tokyo

Location: Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis, Japan

Contact Temple University Japan

Website: www.tuj.ac.jp/tesol/seminars/