Language Awareness and Cultural Awareness: Towards Language Education

Language learning is not only a matter of knowledge and skills in the grammar of a language but also the ability to use the language in socially and culturally appropriate ways. Foreign language teaching does not only involve linguistic competence and performance but it also involves cultural and intercultural skills and awareness. It has to help learners acquire knowledge, culture, values and education that can be utilized in their life beyond the classroom. In addition to learning a language, language education has to promote, diversity citizenship, democracy, tolerance and acceptance so that people from different cultures can live together in peace and harmony. As regard to religious education, it should be based on the spirit of tolerance, love acceptance and respect of all religions. It should promote positive attitude so people see themselves as an equaled and valued members of a multi-faith community. It should introduce world religions in a way that students can have a correct understanding of each other religion.