The Effect of Culture Integrated Language Courses on Foreign Language Education

When examined carefully, it is seen that there is not an available and detailed cttrriculum designed for the aim of foreign language teaching with integrated cultural items of the target language in the programs of the schools under authority of the Ministry of Education and Turkish higher education institutions. In recent years, the specialists have an agreement on the issue that foreign language instruction should be carried out by the means of target language＇s history, literature, geography and also its social characteristics. The idiom ＂it＇s raining cats and dogs＂ can be misinterpreted by a Turkish student without the knowledge of this idiom＇s story in English history as ＂Cats and dogs are pouring down from the sky＂. An important French architectural building ＂Saint Mary Cathedral, Notre Dame de Paris＂ can be misunderstood as ＂Our Parisian Woman＂ by a student who is unfamiliar with French culture. Both examples show that encountered foreign words and phrases can be misunderstood and mostly these words are perceived and interpreted according to learners＇ own cultural figures. The aims of this study are to show the significance of culture-based foreign language courses and to make a contribution to the literature by regarding the views of researchers beheving that culture and language are inseparable concepts. In this context, Erzincan University French Language Teaching Department students＇ opinions on the relation between culture and language learning were received with the application of qualitative structured written response method. Then, document analysis of written comments was evaluated. Consequently, the analysis on the participants＇ written comments showed that a culture integrated foreign language course can make positive contributions to students＇ learning, language learning process and learning environment.