ABSTRACT
Globalisation processes are “political, technological and cultural, as well as economic” (Giddens, 2000, p. 28). Globalisation processes are not necessarily new. Some theorists suggest that colonisation processes were earlier versions of current globalisation processes. However, in the new millennium, this phenomenon is characterised by three unique and distinguishing features: the predominance of symbolic cultural flows as opposed to earlier material or political exchanges, the speed and volume of resources flowing around the globe, and the increasing importance of global terms, or scales, of reference, in imagining global-local connections (Singh & Doherty, 2004, p. 15). The need for teaching culture to meet the demands of globalisation has increased. The teaching of EIL is playing a significant role in promoting mutual understanding of the cultures of all countries. As discussed in the previous chapters, most of the intercultural communicative models which have been developed in English-speaking countries originate from the needs of these countries. Consequently it is not possible for these models to consider specific non-native context, hence their applicability has been questioned. It is important to listen to scholars from non-English-speaking countries who have added their insights into the way of teaching culture to non-English-speaking learners as a part of foreign-language education. In this chapter, a model which was developed in the context of economically and technologically developed Europe will be investigated, shedding light on how teaching culture as an international language responds to cultural challenges of intercultural communication in the globalised world. Historically the cultural connections of EU countries with the UK have been close. These countries may also share some cultural values and ways of life with the UK, in particular, in the globalised world today.
