Introducing Culture in the High School Foreign Language Class

In the past, humanists have viewed language as an intellectual discipline. Today language has been redefined as an integral part of the culture with which it is connected. In an anthropological sense, the term “culture” refers to the behavioral patterns or lifestyles of a people. A knowledge of the codes of behavior of another people is important if today's foreign language student is to communicate fully in the target language. Therefore, the study of culture should be undertaken from the very first day of foreign language instruction. This article discusses various methods of teaching culture in the high school foreign language classroom.