Culture is all encompassing yet it is important to find a definition. Sure it is culture in its most obvious manifestations is observable, nevertheless at its most significant levels is intangible—values, rhythms, rules, and roles (Diaz-Rico, 2008, p. 272). Language, one of culture’s central components, is informed and shaped by dozens of factors such as; political phenomenon, sports, religion, and other social and scientific events or processes. More importantly culture is ever changing and splinters. When it is part of the content or the central theme it selves, students should be allowed to provide the basis from which it is approached so that language is acquired in the manner that it best serves learner. Culture as content opens the doors to political, history, and social vocabulary—all the things that compose it—vocabulary and envelopes students in language like few other subjects can (Cruz and Duplass, 2009, p. 432). Unfortunately, culture, in most classrooms, is little more than folklore and superficial.
I agree it is very hard to bring authentic culture to the classroom, especially since many students themselves do not know the culture they come from. For example my ex is african, my daughter is american she knows very little of her heritage and culture. She knows more of africa than most six year olds but unless her father comes to her class it would be very hard for her to bring african culture to her classroom.
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