well, I have read very insightful ideas that help shape the task of teaching culture in the target language
. I do agree with Owen about communicative competence that includes this feature. Maybe, we are all well aware of the importance of teaching culture and now wondering how we can do that. IMO, cultural instruction should be implemented together with the teaching of lingustic knowledge and training of languge skills or rather cultural instruction should be intergrated into teaching the target language to ensure the appropriateness as well as the use of that language in intercultural communication. For example, when we introduce greetings in English, it is good time to say in what contexts they are used in English-speaking countries so that students know how to use them properly.
Yet, once again, we have to think of our goal of teaching that language first.
What do our students NEED to learn?
Best,