| Unfortunately, today many people around the world | | | | understand the meaning of what the native speaker is |
| are learning English as a Second Language but know | | | | referring to. |
| little about genuine American culture. I say genuine to | | | | This is merely the tip of the iceberg of cultural literacy. |
| differentiate core culture shared by all Americans from | | | | Let me put the shoe on the other foot here, if I were |
| Pop culture which is temporarily held to by the | | | | to move to Alaska and live with Eskimos I would learn |
| generation coming into adulthood. These language | | | | many things about their culture that even if I had |
| students are culturally illiterate about America. Cultural | | | | studied and read about before going there would not |
| literacy means knowing about your own society, not | | | | fully be able to understand the implications of. Second |
| just its history and traditions but everything about its | | | | language learners often only understand the word for |
| foundation including government, economics and | | | | word meaning of what they hear. In the case of |
| religion. | | | | Eskimo culture, it would have many areas not covered |
| It is to all of our benefit to know and teach our history | | | | in my own culture of the desert south west. Like all the |
| and traditions to our children so that our culture is not | | | | different words for snow and how they related to life, |
| lost. This is a common practice done in most countries | | | | hunting and migration. New immigrants to America |
| around the world usually done in public schools like | | | | from Latin America will have some knowledge of our |
| here in America but what about English as Second | | | | history since we do have some overlap historically but |
| Language students. They are already learning to | | | | not from our perspective. They would have little to no |
| speak, listen, read, write English as well as a healthy | | | | knowledge of our system of government and |
| dose of grammar, why add cultural literacy? Isn't | | | | economics. |
| learning the language enough? | | | | If, English as a Second Language learners do have |
| The Sapir/Whorf Hypothesis says that language and | | | | any cultural knowledge it is usually in the area of pop |
| culture are inseparable. The common saying, "Bearing | | | | culture. This is good but pop culture changes very |
| your cross", meaning everybody has their own | | | | quickly in western countries but traditional culture does |
| problems, comes from our Judeo/Christian heritage. It is | | | | not, it changes very slowly if at all. Because it does not |
| one of many sayings that come from the Bible that | | | | change very quickly, it is easy to integrate into ESL |
| are common sayings in English. Many people say it | | | | education. Today thanks to the internet learning English |
| without even realizing that it comes from the sayings | | | | online is fun especially with cultural literacy to spice up |
| of Jesus. New immigrants don't have to believe the | | | | the class. Culture and language are one so let's teach |
| Bible let alone become Jewish or Christian but do need | | | | them together but especially to ESL students. |
| to know what the Torah and Bible say so they can | | | | |