Image from The How to be British collection by Martyn Ford & Peter Legon (Lee Gone Publications)
Johnny Foreigner: 1. Anyone who isn't British. 2. Anyone likely to be given a metaphorical 'bloody nose' by a plucky Brit. (definition courtesy of Urban dictionary)
Images of British Culture and the role of English Language Teachers
In 1998 Lord St John of Fawsley stated in the British House of Lords that alongside the common law and parliamentary government, English language and literature was the greatest contribution to world civilization. He added that “at the heart of all three lies the idea of liberty. I do not believe that we can export our institutions indiscriminately, but by informing people of how they work and flourish, by imparting thoughts about them, we can enhance the chances for freedom elsewhere”.
English language teachers applying the communicative method actively seek to show language in context through the use of authentic texts. This means that material has to be selected to illustrate not only fundamental grammar structures but also to depict images of Britain through its culture and customs.
If, as Lord St John Fawsley strongly suggests, these images are chosen with a view to selling the cultural superiority of British culture, it contradicts any notion that teaching English can be politically neutral. Continue reading
