Background studies for Vietnamese students of English

Abstract

Recent years have witnessed many developments in the use of the communicative approach in language teaching. This approach aims at developing students• ability to communicate with native speakers of the target language. To achieve this ability, students are required to have not only linguistic competence but also communicative competence. That is why the students need not only the linguistic knowledge but also the background knowledge of the culture in which the language is spoken. Language is a part of culture. Cultural differences always cause problems for speakers of different cultures while communicating. Therefore, the” learning of a second culture is often a part of the learning of a second language 11 (Brown, 1980: 242 ). Background Studies, including culture, used to be neglected or taught improperly in the curriculum of the Hanoi Foreign Languages College. In consequence, Vietnamese E.F.L students at the College have a poor background knowledge of the English speaking countries and their people’s patterned ways of life. This causes difficulties for them when communicating with native - iii - speakers of English, even when they are studying at the College where culture-based textbooks and materials are commonly used. Therefore, Background Studies, including culture, must be seen as a separate and indispensable component of the curriculum of the College which aims at providing the students with the background knowledge of English speaking countries and with an awareness of their people’s ways of life, their customs and habits and so on. Various techniques for the teaching of this subject are examined.

Date of Award	1985
Original language	English