Importance of Cultural Background in English Teaching

Abstract

In recent years, with implementation of the Reform and Opening Policy as well as more frequent foreign exchange, the enhancement of social networking and information gathering and the widespread use of the Internet, more and more people are involved in intercultural communication. Change and new requirements of this new age increase the realization among language teachers of the importance of culture in English teaching. Language teaching and cultivating students' intercultural communication ability is becoming more important. To know cultural background knowledge is a significant aspect of cross-culture communication and also an important aim of language teaching. It requires the teachers to place significance on cultural education and combine it with language teaching to cultivate learners' competence in cross-culture communication. Keywords—cultural backgroung knowledge; importance; English teaching; intercultural communication; communicative capacity; cultural differences; cross-cultural awareness; communicative teaching methods; cutural creativity