The 9th International Conference on English Language Teaching (ELT) In China (ELT2020)

Foreign language education is not only about learning a new language but also the culture that is so inextricably linked to it. EFL teachers in China generally pay attention to teaching the foreign language and culture yet neglect Chinese culture in the curriculum. This paper proposes that teachers help learners understand the target language and culture better through bringing about their own local culture and highlighting their similarities and differences. Integrating Chinese culture into English learning is vital for Chinese EFL learners, not only because it helps them be both internationally attentive and cognizant of Chinese culture, but also because it enables them to use English to tell Chinese stories thus enhancing cultural exchange. How can English teachers incorporate Chinese culture teaching into their courses? How is this incorporation perceived by students? These questions and challenges of foreign language teaching are explored in this paper. A pathway toward Chinese culture integration into foreign language classrooms is proposed using the courses of Myths of Ancient Greece and Rome and Integrated English as examples.  Three intact classes of university students (L1 = Chinese) participated in the research. Data collected include students’ presentation recordings and their reflective journals, interviews and questionnaires. Findings show that students generally perceive Chinese culture integration positively and believe it can raise awareness of their own culture while understanding foreign cultures better.

Chinese EFL learners,,Chinese culture,Foreign culture,EFL courses,Cross-cultural teaching