"let’s not make english about british culture"

Do we need to be taught by 'native speaker' English teachers?

Jay Doubleyou: native speakerism

Do we need to learn about double-decker busses and tea time at 5 o'clock?

There's certainly the idea that teaching English has been about teaching how to be English:

Is English a form of linguistic imperialism? | British Council

But as the language is now very much a world language or lingua franca, do we really need to learn the language through British culture?

Here's Meri Maroutian:

Let’s not make English about British culture

Recently someone suggested that I teach countable and uncountable nouns to children in the primary using British Pounds, in Italy. The lesson would have included a little “market” where children would role play and ask “how much is it?” and then reply “£1.50 please”. You get the idea.

The conversation started something like this: “do you have any pounds at home?”

I liked the idea of bringing more context into the lesson, but I genuinely wondered how children would benefit from the introduction of the a currency that was new to them, the British pound sterling, instead of using one they were more familiar with, the euro.

“Why would you use pounds and not euro?”, I asked my colleague. “Well, they ARE studying English, so it’s good that they learn more about British culture along with it”...

Let’s not make English about British culture – The Non Native Speaker

(19) Meri Maroutian (@MeriMaroutian) / Twitter

There is an absolute ton of stuff on 'British culture' out there for the English language classroom:

British Culture, British Customs and British Traditions

Teenagers and UK culture | TeachingEnglish | British Council | BBC

British Culture Lesson Plans Archives - Man Writes

Of course language and culture are linked:

What learning a new language can teach us about our own culture | The Foreign Rational

The importance of culture in language learning - The Gymglish blog

Learning About Culture is Essential to Learning a Language

English is a native language in Nigeria - so why don't students of the English language learn about life in West Africa?

Nigeria’s official language is English. Why do its citizens have to prove it?  | African Arguments

Nigeria Making Its Mark on the English Language

But don't students who are learning English want to be able to talk about their own culture and those of the people they interact with?

So, why don't students of the English language learn about life anywhere in the world?!

7 Simple Ways for You to Learn About a Different Culture

Make your English language lesson work for learners from a different culture | British Council

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