Teaching Culture in the Foreign Language Classroom.

An attempt is made to define and describe culture for foreign language teachers, particularly those involved in the earlier phases of instruction. Reasons advanced for the inclusion of culture in language study center around the light it sheds on the real meanings of the target language. Projects, activities, and reports on culture in the language field are briefly reviewed. Negative and positive definition of culture are offered, distinctions are made between formal and deep culture, and an anthropologist's list of cultural focal points is outlined and expanded. Also discussed is the changing presentation of cultural content in the language classroom as the student advances. Proposals are made for the sharpening of these cultural definitions and for the preparation of pertinent materials. A brief bibliography is included. (AF)