DEVELOPING CULTURAL SENSITIVITY IN EFL CLASSES

Abstract

Learning a foreign language should not be viewed separately from learning culture(s) behind it. The ability to speak another language fluently does not guarantee an effective communication with the native speakers of the language. Therefore, culture studies should be made an inseparable part of foreign language courses. The paper calls attention to the need to encompass more cultural components into the EFL curricula. It examines some of the communication problems arising from intercultural ignorance and considers the cultural aspects to be covered and the ways of building cultural knowledge.