On Fostering Cross-cultural Awareness In Vocabulary Teaching In Middle School

Vocabulary teaching is of vital importance to English Language Teaching in China, especially at middle-school level. The teaching of language knowledge and the infiltration of cross-cultural awareness are equal in vocabulary teaching, which has been accepted by more and more English teachers and educators recently. But how to incorporate the teaching of target language culture with vocabulary properly remains an argument, which needs to be inquired into by all English teachers together with educators. This thesis consists of two parts. On a theoretical level, it analyses the importance of infiltrating cross-cultural awareness in vocabulary teaching, the relationship between culture and language, and the perspectives of the cultural differences especially at vocabulary level between China and other western English-speaking countries. It explores their sources as well. On a practical level, it introduces several principles of culture teaching followed essentially in middle school vocabulary teaching, then it focuses on exploring several effective methods in practical teaching, such as, to teach target culture directly; to recommend excellent reading materials for students; to let students make a daily report; to try to use multi-media facilities and to encourage students to take part in various English learning outside the class, which will help teachers throw away dull and simple vocabulary teaching methods used in the past, and arouse students' interest in English study. What's more, it will cultivate students' cross-culture awareness, and enhance their cross-culture communicative competence.