Pop Culture - A Tool for Improving the Communicative Competence of the Students

Its no doubt that we are living in times of great change. As we teachers prepare our students for the new era, we are aware of these changes occurring globally. The makers of curricula include intercultural objectives and teachers are faced with the challenge of promoting the acquisition of intercultural competence through the teaching. Foreign language education is by definition intercultural. Why Because bringing English as a foreign language to the classroom means connecting students to a world that is culturally different from their own. The objective of language learning is no longer defined in terms of communicative competence in English (or any other foreign language). English teachers are now required to teach intercultural competence as well. Teaching culture includes changes in attitudes, beliefs, identity and values. It also requires students to revise their social identity, to reconsider the ideas they have held etc. In the context of foreign language learning, intercultural competence is linked to communicative competence in English as a foreign language. Communicative competence refers to a persons ability to act in a foreign language in a linguistically, sociolinguistically and pragmatically appropriate way (Council of Europe). But for a successful intercultural process in the classroom, English teachers need additional knowledge, attitudes, competence, skills, good techniques, professionalism and of course a good source materials for teaching culture. Also the teachers should be skilful creators of learning environment that promote students acquisition of intercultural competence. They can help students to relate their own culture to English speaking cultures, to compare cultures and to understand foreign cultures points of view.