Cultural Influence On English Language Essay

In my opinion, the cultural influence produced in the English lesson should be reciprocal. A bilingual person receives the influence of English with no distinction of bilingual, foreign or second language user of the language. Therefore, those bilingual users bring together their cultural background and life experiences which enrich communication through English languages. In this sense, it is relevant to make clear what cultural implications can be presented in English lessons.

For instance, Brown (1994) reflects on culture definition as an integral element that embraces a group of people. In this case, culture is seen as the “glue that binds a group of people together” (p. 163). Accordingly, Moran (2001) defines culture as “the evolving way of life of a group of persons, consisting of a shared set of practices associated with a shared set of products, based upon a shared set of perspectives on the world, and set within specific social

According to Kramsch (1993), intercultural understanding specifies the ability of foreign language learners to understand values and principles of the English foreign culture regarding its variations. As a consequence, it is required to develop EFL students’ critical cultural belonging through an awareness process (Byram, 1997). In this way, English lessons should foster high order of critical thinking skills as: comparing, questioning, and problematizing their own cultural opinions to become more aware of the different world’s points of view involved in the interaction of culture when learning a foreign language. This development of critical thinking and belonging reflection provide EFL students with the opportunity to “construct their personal meanings at the boundaries between the native speakers’ meanings and their own everyday life” (Byram, 1997, p.