ABSTRACT
The importance of integrating the teaching of culture with the teaching of language has been widely accepted by foreign-language educators. However, there are diverse propositions about the pedagogical treatment of "culture" in foreign-language programmes, in particular, the teaching of English as a foreign language (EFL). The change of status of English from a native language in several developed countries to an international language has brought about a paradoxical consequence. The paradox of the double-functions of foreign-language education leads to the perplexing issue of how to deal with the relations between home culture and foreign culture, which must be clarified by foreign-language educators before they teach a foreign language, EFL in particular. The economic globalisation has promoted the spread of English all over the world and vice versa; the spread of World Englishes has enhanced globalisation. The chapter also presents some of the key concepts discussed in this book.
