Abstract
This paper explores how cultural elements in language teaching shape the learners’ cultural identities, in an attempt to understand why English Language Teaching (ELT) nominally promotes multiculturalism but seems to lead to the emergence of a global monocultural identity. It is pointed out that ELT tends to over-utilise cultural images from the English Speaking West (the Centre) to the exclusion of communities where English is used as a first, second or foreign language (the Periphery). It is argued that the uncritical use of these imported cultural images serves to perpetuate the inequitable distribution of power between the Centre and the Periphery. Following that, the argument is made for an alternative pedagogy (Multicultural Awareness Through English, or MATE) that seeks to create a truly multicultural identity. The paper concludes by outlining some requisites for a MATE-informed pedagogy.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Arts and Education: Creative Ways into Languages Conference Proceedings |
| Editors | Maria Argyriou, Panagiotis Kambylis |
| Place of Publication | Athens |
| Publisher | GAPMET and University of Athens |
| Pages | 11-15 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Publication status | Published - 2011 |
| Event | Arts and Education: Creative Ways into Languages - Athens, Greece Duration: 6 May 2011 → 8 May 2011 |
Conference
| Conference | Arts and Education: Creative Ways into Languages |
|---|---|
| City | Athens, Greece |
| Period | 6/05/11 → 8/05/11 |
Keywords
- English Language Teaching
- Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
- Multiculturalism
- Multicultutal Awareness Through English
- Greece
- ELT
- TESOL