The acquisition of cultural awareness by the Algerian learners of English as a foreign language

Abstract

The present research attempts to evaluate the Algerian learners’ of English as a foreign language at the Department of Foreign Languages, University Mentouri, Constantine cultural awareness acquisition. Developing cultural awareness means gaining positive attitudes about the target language people through developing a sense of empathy towards cross-cultural differences, an understanding and appreciation of one’s own culture as well as that of people belonging to different cultural backgrounds, hence achieving successful intercultural communication in the target language. This is with regard to the close relationship between language and culture and the constant attempt of foreign language teaching professionals (as the case in Algeria) to develop learners’ language proficiency and intercultural communicative competence. The research results would, in turn, help to get deep insights on the cultural dimension of teaching foreign languages in Algeria and formulate some possible suggestions, accordingly.