Language and culture learning for european citizenship

Abstract

In the new Europe of greater cooperation and integration between states, the relationship between national identity and national language will require re‐appraisal. Evidence from research on linguistic minorities suggests that a more flexible attitude is possible than that which currently identifies a national language with a state's identity. In this situation the role of foreign language teaching also needs reconsideration. An ability to understand people of other national groups does not only depend on ‘communicative competence’ but on the awareness that cultural meanings and values embedded in the foreign language are specific to national groups. Learners need to acquire the ability to comprehend cultural difference and cultural relativity. Foreign language teaching is beginning to change in recognition of the need for intercultural communicative competence. The paper concludes with descriptions of experiments to develop appropriate teaching methods and ways of introducing greater cultural awareness into the education and training of teachers.