One of the keys to this development would be located on a important notion in the recent approaches to teaching foreign languages: the notion of communicative competence, a term coined by Hymes (1972) and further developed by Canale and Swain (1980). There were the latter who include among the components of the communicative competence, sociolinguistic competence. This competence relates to all cultural rules associated with the use of a language and takes into account relationships and context. Sociocultural go well become an essential part of learning language itself. This environment demands attention, when carrying out a curriculum, elements as linguistic markers of social relations (greetings, introductions), the conventions of courtesy, expressions of popular wisdom (proverbs, sayings, idioms , etc.), or differences in records (formal style, slang, etc..).
The development of sociolinguistic competence of students required to have knowledge of the society and culture (customs, beliefs, rituals, social conventions, etc.) related to the community or communities where the target language is spoken. Furthermore, understanding the similarities and differences between their own culture and the culture of the target language encourages the development of intercultural awareness and therefore of intercultural skills necessary to overcome cultural stereotypes or resolve misunderstandings.
Along with the communicative approach, the influence of the social sciences has also contributed significantly to a change in the vision of culture that understood language teaching should be offered. Thus, as noted Areizaga (2002), the treatment of culture as class content has shifted from primarily a formal culture (historical data set, political and geographical references attached to prominent figures and information on scenic or folkloric aspects) a greater emphasis on non-formal culture (everyday life, values, beliefs, etc..). It also tries to escape a monolithic view dotted with quaint curiosities, which only reinforces prejudices and stereotypes. Instead, they are committed to offering a vision of culture that accounts for plural reality, changing and complex that shapes the various companies in the world today.
We have understood in the subject "English in the Community" that the word "culture" can adopt a variety of meanings depending on the academic field which tries to define it. In English Language Education, so as to command this term successfully, it is necessary to observe the relationship between language and culture and think over the teaching of culture as an important component in the English language classroom.
Commonly, English language teachers focus their attention to countries with cultures which have English as their mother tongue and refers to aspects as clothing, food and concepts of that kind. These notions can be considered under what Clarke (1996) differentiates as culture as content. This category is commonly evidenced in modern textbooks and includes an important framework in transmitting cultural knowledge.
However, a wider context is necessary if our goal to language teaching is to give the opportunity to learners to function effectively across cultures. Consequently, we also need to conceptualize culture under what Clark bears to categorize as high culture as well as cultural practice or behavior. High culture, also identified as "culture with a capital C", includes the artistic production of a speech community, i.e., the art and literature associated.
While references to the cultural dimension are found throughout the CEF, where this issue is addressed more specifically, devoting a subsection as sociocultural knowledge, another intercultural awareness and a third to the skills and intercultural expertise. As stated in the document, all human skills contribute to the ability of the learner to communicate. In general competencies, which are crossed by the cultural component are mentioned the following: ability to learn (comprising the world's knowledge, cultural knowledge and intercultural awareness), knowing to do (which includes the intercultural skills and knowing-how), knowing to be and, finally, learning to learn.
This paper will examine the cultural content of three extracts from adult coursebooks referring to relevant insights from Van Ek's elements of Communicative competence, Byram's intercultural communicative competence and Gudykunst's characteristics of a competent communicator. The three extracts will be examined in contrast to these three models to determine if these extracts contain sufficient cultural content.
Extract 1 Foley, M. & Hall, D. (1993) Distinction Advanced. London: Nelson pp.39-40.Unit 5 English Everywhere
The unit is distributed in two sections, Introduction and Reading Skills. In order to analyze the cultural content of this extract, Van Ek's six elements of Communicative competence will be used as a point of reference.
Linguistic Competence [the knowledge and skills related to lexis, phonology and syntax and other features of language systems] -The exercises defined in the extract do not permit the students to produce and interpret meaningful utterances. There is no evidence of students using the culture in the new language from a communicative perspective. It is provided a lot of information related to different languages, but no chance to practice English.
Sociolinguistic Competence [the knowledge and skills involved in using language functionally in a social context] There is evidence of Sociolinguistic competence in Extract 1. In the introduction, numbers from 1 to 5 are being compared in terms of their relationship in eight different languages. The information provided claim that three puzzles will be used to help students discover the relationship between various different languages. The puzzles are a manner to teach students the different relationships between English and other languages, in spite of that there is no a direct relation between the L1 and English, the cultural element appears to be the only attempt to associate culture and language. There is no real practice by the student, only a very broad awareness of English and other languages.
Discourse Competence [the ability to use appropriate strategies in the production and interpretation of texts] There is strong suggestion of interpretation of the texts, which can be seen in Section 2 of Extract 1, Reading Skills: Understanding meaning from text. Students are given a set of words that have been borrowed from English and used in German. They are asked to match the English word that fits into the German expression. Students are then encouraged to read the text that talks about attempts to prevent the mixing of English in different cultures. Students are encouraged to interpret, but not to produce the target language.
Strategic Competence [ability to get meaning across when communication is difficult] the reading comprehension passage lets students to interpret meaning of the text. Students are given a reading passage with vocabulary in order to make sense of the reading. The reading task is the last activity in the extract, where students are able to apply the content from the prior activities. In addition, the extract provides two diagrams that support students in getting the meaning of the text.
Socio-Cultural Competence [knowledge of the society and culture of the community (ies) which speak a language form] Although the authors are presenting many aspects of the target language, they also make a relation between L1 and L2, so there is familiarity within the cultural context, however it is not clear what the target culture (TC) is. The authors mention eight different languages including English, where students are to relate one language to another. However the context of the learners for this coursebook, "Distinction Advanced", is not mentioned, so it is difficult to say if the students are familiar with the cultural context being taught. Unrequired to say, the students would be familiar with some of the aspects discussed in the reading, because it refers to general issues.
Social Competence [self-confidence, empathy, and the ability to relate socially] There is no evidence of this competent in Extract 1. In order to establish whether or not social competence is incorporated in a particular coursebook specific task would need to be present. Most standard EFL activities such as role plays, field trips, discussion activities etc., can be adjusted in order to include a cultural element. However it is important to highlight that students should be actively engaged in the target culture and language.(Cullen & Sato, 2000)
Extract 2 Jones, L. (1991): Cambridge Advanced English. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 118-119 The English-speaking world
Jones' (1991) "The English Speaking World" offers the learner a different methodology to culture. The extract highlights the different kinds of Englishes that can be found almost anywhere in the world, which would make as a good introduction for many English beginners. This extract emphasizes and call the attention to the different kinds of culture that contribute to the English language. This in itself a plus so that students are able to make a connection between the Target Culture that they are being taught with their geographic region and their mother tongue.
English can be seen in different cultures everywhere, for the most part in Colombia it is usual to use "Spanglish" which is a mix of Spanish & English in order to communicate in a Spanish speaking situation. Jones (1991) has also made reference to this in the extract of the English Speaking World, where he uses the example of "Franglais" which is a mix of French and English. He goes even further to say that English is mixing with and marrying other languages around the world, which is evident in many languages around the world.
The extract provides way for Intercultural Language Learning (Kilickaya, 2004) where no specific culture was the central focus, but a great range of cultures were spread across the curriculum taking into consideration issues such as: Worldwide and Native speakers of English, materials related to familiar and international contexts.
Extract 3 Mohamed, S. & Acklam, R. (1992): Beginner´s Choice. Harlo, Essex:Longman, p. 62
In extract 3 is shown a group of exercises designed to make students aware of the differences between two cultures regarding to body language. The importance according to Politzer, is that: "As language teachers we must be interested in the study of culture...not because we necessarily want to teach the culture of the other country but because we have to teach it. If we teach language without teaching at the same time the culture in which it operates, we are teaching meaningless symbols...
(quoted in Valdes 1986:123)"
Understanding what nonverbal communication means in different cultural context is very important when communicating within a given context. Just like words, body language may also be misinterpreted, therefore having prior knowledge and the opportunity to make a relation between items such as eye contact, shaking heads, crossed legs or folded arms, body distance, etc. is of value to the L2 learner when using English in their context. For example looking someone in the eyes means something different than not looking someone in the eyes. When being in contact with others it is almost impossible not to communicate something to them.
Even though non-verbal communication usually occurs unconsciously, it weighs heavily as to the quality of our communication. Teaching L2 learners how to use their body language for a purpose would aid them tremendously if they come across a situation where they would not be not able to fully express themselves. In addition, L2 learners should be taught how to understand and interpret the body language of others.
It is important to clarify that body language has different meanings in different cultures. Which is why it was appropriate to introduce in Beginner´s Choice, where the adult learners would establish a connection between the target culture English which comes with a culture and the students´ own culture. Interpreting and understanding on-verbal communication depends on the context, the situation, the culture, the relationship of the people who are communicating as well as the gender in which the L2 is being spoken. Nevertheless, there are a few signs that are worldwide, handshakes [greetings], smile [happy, content], frown [sad, disappointed, frustrated, worried] that seem to have the same meaning.
The importance of teaching intercultural communicative competence in our lessons is defended by (Widdowson 1996: 94-95) , " Attention to the social dimension is thus not restricted to occasions on which social factors seem to interfere with or restrict the grammatical. The engagement of language in social life has a positive, productive aspect. There are rules of use without which the rules of grammar would be useless. Just as the rules of syntax can control aspects of phonology, and just as semantic rules perhaps control aspects of syntax, so rules of speech acts enter as a controlling factor for linguistic form as a whole. ...There are several sectors of communicative competence, of which the grammatical is one. Put otherwise, there is behaviour, and, underlying it, there are several systems of rules reflected in the judgements and abilities of those messages the behaviour manifests."
Extract 3 also has evidence of Gudykunst's (1994) in (Dahlgren, 2001)characteristics of a competent communicator, where there is knowledge of how to gather information, knowledge of personal similarities, as well as understanding differences, and knowledge of alternative interpretations of behavior. Non-verbal communication which is presented in Extract 3 coincides with Gudykunst´s Competent Communicator in its entirety.
CONCLUSION
There is a strong relationship between culture and language. Specialists claim that the pragmatic and semantic senses are fundamental in teaching a language for several reasons. Among others we can mention that (documented in Byram 1986: 323) it can encourage the learners to compare their own and the foreign culture and have a better understanding and appreciation of their own. Besides, it helps to motivate the learners (examples Courtillon 1984: 51), or it facilitates the learners' possible future visits to the foreign countries and to integrate the language course in an interdisciplinary, thematic curriculum.
Based on the proposals made by specialists who advocate integrated teaching of language and foreign culture (Byram, 1993; Kramsch, 1988) can be extracted a set of generic elements to consider in the design and development of textbooks and other curriculum materials. The principles would be summarized in three. First, the need to consider culture as an essential part of language learning from the perspective of the development of communicative competence includes sociolinguistic competence turn. This involves presenting the language in its various contexts of use and in different varieties. Second, and as a result of this, the need to provide a perspective of culture that includes not only the formal aspects (data from a historical, geographical or political references to prominent figures and information on scenic or folkloric aspects) but also non-formal (daily life, values​​, beliefs, customs). Third, the need to assume a formative intent in presenting foreign culture, so as to encourage in students the development of intercultural communicative competence. The acquisition of the latter involves the development of the ability to reflect on one's own and the foreign culture and the skills and abilities needed to interact positively with the world of difference.
