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The role of culture in the language class is for the learner to develop socially as a curious bilingual/multilingual, able to communicate with people from many cultures. While some knowledge about the target language speaking communities is very important to have, it’s not memorizing facts about countries. It’s understanding how the practices and products of communities connect with cultural perspectives. It’s how to detect cultural differences and figure out how to adjust communication accordingly.
Q: Is it possible to do this at a beginner level?
A: Absolutely! Any time learners are exposed to language, there’s an opportunity to point out any cultural elements, translations that aren’t literal, and differences in cultural perspectives. A good goal is to get students to be curious about these differences and start to notice them themselves.
Q: Can you do all of this in the target language, or does some of it have to be in learners' native language (typically English)?
A: Either way! It’s often better to have the discussions arise from the language that they’re exposed to at their level, and to limit the amount of explanation in English, but some English used strategically can save time, limit frustration, and allow for deeper cultural noticing even at a beginning level.
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