These pages will be devoted to discussion and ideas for teaching culture in teacher training institutions. It is hoped to expand it by including contributions from other Teacher Training Institutions.

History

An article which challenges history as facts and proposes a direct engagement with original sources, especially the use of the accounts of witnesses, thus centring language.

Curiosity and critical thinking: why we study another culture Peter Leese - Jagiellonian University, Kraków

Literature

Literature in British Studies

An account of an innovative approach to using literature and personal experience as a source of culture

A virtual journey to residential places in London: housing in London in contemporary literature Anna Czyszczoń - NKJO Zabrze

Incorporating literature into the British Studies module of the licencjat examination Beata Kiersnowska - Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin 

BS courses

Media, government and language

Authentic sources, a cross-cultural approach and the value of culture for teaching language are featured in this account of the approach taken in Białystok along with much sound practical advice. It is of particular interest to those who are interested in the use of the media for exploring the theme of government.

The seven commandments for teaching British Studies Dr Anna Tomczak - Uniwersytet w Białymstoku

Methodology and projects

In Łódź an intercultural approach is followed centred on cultural awareness and skills. An important aim is to develop an understanding of the methodology of putting culture in the classroom for students to apply in their future careers. This is reflected in the two projects undertaken - the first an individual investigatory project, not only for the culture and language learning involved but to understand the nature of project work experientially so as to lead them in future themselves. The second, to prepare a sequence of school-level activities at different age and language levels. The students experiment with the introduction of culture in a communicative framework - again intercultural and based on cultural awareness and skills.

Richard Bolt - KJO Łódź

Culture Projects for College Students

Preparing students to present culture culture in the FL classroom - KJO Łódź lesson sequences

AS courses

A topic-based approach

Another example of an approach applied to American Studies which could be very successful in British Studies, and also applied to schools. It takes Alan Maclean’s idea of a topic-based approach taking some real context from everyday life and then drawing all the usual culture themes from it rather than tackling them one by one.

A topic-based approach to teaching culture Dorota Wiśniewska-Brogowska - NKJO Zamość