Focus op cultuur

Through which spectacles do you look at the world? And at non-native speakers? And through what glasses do they look?

Many culturally determined attitudes and behaviours play a role in language teaching and supervision of non-native speakers. This happens mostly unconsciously. It is important that NT2 teachers and language volunteers become aware of this. In Focus on Culture, author Alice van Kalsbeek discusses in an accessible way the relationship between language and culture, between culture and communication, and between culture and language education. She does this using examples. She stays close to (teaching) practice.

Focus on Culture consists of ten chapters grouped into four blocks: What is culture? Culture and communication, Culture and language, Culture and NT2 education. Each block begins with an introduction explaining the links between the chapters. 

The chapters are all structured in the same way. They contain a theoretical section. The theory is presented in a low-threshold, jargon-free manner and it is directly linked to everyday NT2 teaching practice and to a wealth of appealing examples from radio and TV programmes, songs, novels and newspaper articles. Each section includes some questions that allow you to reflect on a text, your own behaviour or your own practice.