cultural imperialismn
in language teaching, the transmission of ideas about a dominant culture
during the course of teaching (i.e. via textbooks, the choice of content, etc.)
in which certain cultural sterotypes and values are presented as universal
and superior while others (either by omission or by direct presentation) are
viewed as inferior.
cultural literacyn
familiarity with cultural and other types of knowledge (e.g. literary, histor-
ical, political, artistic) regarded as necessary for informed participation in a
nation or culture. Cultural literacy may or may not be something possessed
by a person who is bilingual.
culturally relevant curriculum/instructionn
curriculum and instructional practices that acknowledge the beliefs, norms
and values of learners in relation to content and concepts being taught. This
may influence the choice of content, examples, modes of presentation,
grouping structures, learning strategies, etc., in order to promote better
understanding and learning.
cultural pluralismn
a situation in which an individual or group has more than one set of cultural
beliefs, values, and attitudes. The teaching of a foreign language or pro-
grammes in bilingual education are sometimes said to encourage
cultural pluralism. An educational programme which aims to develop
cultural pluralism is sometimes referred to as multicultural education,
for example a programme designed to teach about different ethnic groups
in a country.
cultural relativismn
the theory that a culture can only be understood on its own terms. This
means that standards, attitudes, and beliefs from one culture should not be
used in the study or description of another culture. According to this theory
there are no universal cultural beliefs or values, or these are not regarded as
important. Cultural relativism has been part of the discussions of linguistic
relativity and cultural deprivation.
cultural studiesn
an academic field that studies the conditions under which individuals
acquire or lose social and historical identities (their “culture”) through the
use of various symbolic systems, including language.
cultural imperialism