When faced with the question of integrating culture into the foreign language classroom, one must first of all acknowledge the complex meaning of culture. As Lafayette points out in his article, most teachers spend most energy and resources in teaching grammar and vocabulary, sometimes forgetting to include culture in their lesson plans. And as we all know, textbooks tend to neglect this important component in learning a second language, which is unfortunate, as language does not exist on a vacuum. I think this is due in part because of the complex nature of culture. What is culture? If we follow the definition provided by the dictionary, we encounter a very large concept as culture includes all intellectual aspects that make up the customary beliefs, social, and material traits of a group which shape their of everyday existence and their behavior. Judging from the immensity of the material that would need to be covered in attempting to teach it to language students, it is easy to understand the reticence of the teachers. This is where the Indiana guide should be seen as a model to follow. By delineating very clear goals, it reduces the feeling of being overwhelmed by the material and makes the task much more manageable.
In my experience, culture must be included and integrated into all aspects of teaching a foreign language. I agree with Lafayette in unifying form and content as it increases the interest of the students, all of a sudden what they are learning becomes real and alive. Their motivation to learn grows and their curiosity drives the learning experience. What makes a language interesting to most people is the fact that other people use it everyday for communicating and interacting with others. This becomes the best tool for teachers to inspire their students on the tangible value of learning a second language.
The suggested activities in the article are a great starting point for all of us that have the responsibility to teach others a foreign language, but we must invoke every inch of creativity in us to make these exercises interesting.
