Second Language Learning

The issue of teaching and learning culture in second language education has generated so much interest among scholars over the years. The aim of this paper is to re-establish the significance of integrating culture into second language education and how such integration can help to improve English learning process in Regional medium schools in India. This paper commences by establishing the significant role that cultural learning plays in English language classroom. This is followed by identifying and analyzing whose culture of English speakers to be taught in Indian English language classroom. Several recommendations and suggestions on how to deploy teaching of culture for effective learning of English are made. This is done by enumerating

Gao(2006) stated that language learning require cultural competence. This assertion is supported by Wang (2008), she described foreign language teaching as a form of foreign culture teaching. Apart from the paradigm of four language skills, Tomalin(2000) advocates for additional skill which he called culture. Comprehensive studies in Malaysia, United State, Turkey reported the significant role that culture plays in teaching and learning English as a foreign or second language (Abdullah et al,2009; Galeano,2013, Hamiloğlu et al,2010). However, little literature has been published in this area in India especially as it affects regional medium schools.

The aim of this paper is to re-examine the role of culture in second language learning and how it can be used as a tool to improve second language learning in regional medium school in India. This will open a new vista of research in the area of teaching and learning culture in India.

Role of Cultural Learning in Second Language

Hence, in order to learn about culture, there is need to engage with the linguistic and non-linguistics practices of the culture by gaining insight into the way of living in a particular cultural context. This will allow the learner to understand how language is used and how things are said and done in a cultural context.

The Importance of Teaching Culture in Indian English classroom

The concept and value of teaching culture with the sole aim of improving second language learning shed more light on many issues that are germane to English language teaching and learning in India.

Firstly, there are two kinds of language school system in India, the regional medium school and English medium school. The regional medium schools are affordable schools managed by the government while the English medium schools are expensive and managed by the private bodies. Only parents with strong economic capital can afford to send their children to English medium school because the English learning achievements in this medium of instruction schools are higher than the regional medium schools. The main reason for this better English learning outcome is because of the inclusion of cultural activities into the school English curriculum. This provide an explanation to the reason why English is being referred to as language of the savant and elite in India (Vulli,