FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANNALS * VOL. 35, NO.

622

Reading Culture: Using Literature

to Develop C2 Competence
Viiginia M. Scott
Vanderbilt University

Julie A. Huntington
Vanderbilt University

Abstract: This article describes a qualitative research project designed to explore the relationship between the study of a FL literary text and the development of competence in a second culture (C2). The study compared the attitudes and performances of students who read a fact sheet
about Cbte dhoire and the attitudes and performances ofstudents who studied a poem about Cote
dhoire. We found that the students who read the fact sheet learned about the culture of Cote
dhoire in a rigid way that could foster stereotypes. Students who read the poem, on the other
hand, explored their ownfeelings about the language and content ofthe poem. The study supports
the notion that literary texts contribute to students affective awareness and cognitiveflexibility,
and are therefore more effective for developing C2 competence. This study suggests ways to
achieve the goals, articulated in the national standards, offostering knowledge about and understanding of other cultures.

Introduction
Classroom foreign language (FL) teachers are increasingly aware of the need to develop students
understanding of cultures different from their own. The Standardsfor Foreign Language Learning
in the 21st Century (National Standards, 1999) explicitly identifies competence in a second culture (C2) as a goal, and effective strategies for teaching culture have become a priority. In this
article, we describe a research project designed to explore how a literary passage, written in
French, can be used to develop C2 competence. We believe that the findings of this qualitative
study provide evidence that a literary text can be used to initiate the development of C2 competence from the earliest stages of language learning.

What do Culture and C2 Competence Mean?

Before describing our research project, it is important to define certain terms. We take our definition of culture from two sources. First, the Standards definition is quite clear: The term culture is generally understood to include the philosophical perspectives, the behavioral practices,
and the products - both tangible and intangible - of a society (p. 43). By products, the
authors mean items such as books, tools, foods, laws, music, games. Our second definition
comes from Claire Kramschs book Language and Culture: [Clulture can be defined as membership in a discourse community that shares a common social space and history, and common
imaginings (1998, p. lo). The notion of history plays an important role in Kramschs definition.
She refers to the culture of everyday practices [that] draws on the culture of shared history and

Virginia M. Scott (PhD, Emory University) is Associate Professor of French and Associate Provost
for Academic Affairs at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.
Julie A. Huntington (MA, Vanderbilt University) is a PhD candidate in French at Vanderbilt
University, Nashville, Tennessee.

623

FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANNALS * VOL. 35, NO. 6

traditions (p. 70). She further states that [tlhisdiachronic view of culture focuses on the way in which a social
group represents itself and others through its material productions over time - its technological achievements, its
monuments, its works of art, its popular culture - that
punctuate the development of its historical identity (pp.
7-8). By emphasizing literature as a product and a work
of art, these definitions suggest that literature is a manifestation or a revelation of culture.
For our purposes, the term C2 competence means
having the understanding of and attitudes about another
culture (a second culture) necessary to recognize its value.
We base this definition on David Wrights description of the
characteristics of individuals who are able to cross cultural
boundaries efficiently and demonstrate tolerance of ambiguity, nonjudgmentalism, ethnorelativism regarding cultural differences, and cognitive and behavioral flexibility
(2000, p. 331).

unique way of life, and of the patterns of behavior which

order their world, as well as learn about contributions of
other cultures to the world at large and the solutions they
offer to the common problems of humankind (p. 43).
Most teachers would agree that this goal is valid, but the
question of how to develop that awareness remains.
Two recent articles address this pedagogical problem in
interesting ways. Dale Lange, in Planning For and Using
the New National Culture Standards (1999), describes
how activating multiple intelligences can help students
develop cultural understanding. In particular, he differentiates between cognitive and affective learning in his discussion about how to teach culture. Although he stresses that
these two types of learning are interdependent, he states
that cognitive learning involves recalling, comprehending,
applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating knowledge. Affective learning, on the other hand, involves receiving knowledge and attending to it, responding to knowledge with willingness and enjoyment, valuing difference,
How can We Develop C2 Competence?
organizing values into systems and planning to respect difThe Standards state that American students need to develference, and showing a willingness to revise attitudes (pp.
op an awareness of other peoples world views, of their
125-27). He suggests that classroom activities and tasks
can engage students multiple intelligences, helping them to become
increasingly sensitive to cultural differA MODEL FOR DEVELOPING C2 COMPETENCE
ences.
In Culture as Information and
Culture as Affective Process: A
Comparative Study, David Wright
(2000) proposes an approach similar to
Langes. Wright bases his informationprocessing approach to teaching culture on constructivist theories exploring motivation and attitudes toward
Literary
Literary
languages and target culture speakers.
He believes that learning is not a
affective awareness
process of storing truths but rather a
sensitivity to dimensions of emotion
process of creating meaning through
empathy for the Other
making connections and associations.
STUDENT
In his view, knowledge is co-constructed. Using this information-processing
cognitive flexibility
acknowledgment of multiple views
approach,
Wright describes a teaching
tolerance of ambiguity
model in which each lesson has five
nonjudgmentalevaluation
of the Other
general goals:
iterary
(1) To pose authentic problemdtopics
EXT
that lead to a mild sense of confusion
(2) To encourage students to try to
address the problems in their own way
( 3 ) To help students put their own reasoning into words by sharing opinions,
solutions, and strategies with the
teacher and other students
(4) To use probing questions and allow

+
I

NOVEMBEWDECEMKER 2002

624

enough wait time for students to think about

answers
( 5 ) To give students an opportunity to reflect on the topic
at hand in relationship to their own personal goals (p.
335)
Wright concludes that a process-oriented approach to
teaching culture helps students comprehend, internalize,
and feel more comfortable with unfamiliar subjects and
topics.
Our model (see Figure l),inspired by the approaches
presented by Lange and Wright, proposes that C2 competence is achieved by developing affective awareness and
cognitive flexibility. The student, in the center of the
model, has the capacity for affective awareness and cognitive flexibility. In our view, affective awareness involves
awareness of feelings and attitudes, sensitivity to dimensions of emotion, and empathy for the Other; cognitive
flexibility involves acknowledgment of multiple views, tolerance of ambiguity, and nonjudgmental evaluation of the
Other. The outer circle of the model represents the foreign,
or second, culture (C2). We imagine the C2 to be generally unknown to the student and therefore outside his or her
area of familiarity and understanding.
Between the student and the C2, the model depicts literary texts with arrows going in two directions - from the
student to the C2, and from the C2 to the student. This
two-way interaction represents the co-construction of
knowledge of the C2 through a literary text. That is, there
is no single understanding or truth, but a creation of
meaning brought about by the interaction between the student and the C2 through the literary text.
Following this pedagogical model, a teacher uses a literary text to encourage affective awareness by leading students to ask How do I feel about this issue? Why? How
might someone else feel about this? Why? Likewise, to
encourage cognitive flexibility, students are led to ask:
What do I think about this issue? Why? How might someone else think about this? Why? The essence of our model
lies in our belief that a literary passage can serve as an ideal
means for activating affective awareness and cognitive flexibility and by extension, C2 competence.
What do we mean by literature? Most dictionaries
define literature as writing that expresses ideas of permanent or universal interest. Our definition, however, considers literature as an expression of both personal and cultural phenomena. We agree with Janet Swaffar, who argues
that literature does not confirm accepted social conventions but rather challenges cultural norms, . . . enables the
reader to reflect about cultural stereotypes . . . and forces
[them] to rethink accepted norms (1992, p. 245).
Moreover, we believe that literature encodes cultural meaning(s). That is, literary texts are codified, interpretive lens-

es that construct meanings from cultural signs and references. Literature does not provide one-to-one definitions of
cultural phenomena; instead, it presents nuanced interpretations of reality.
To test our hypothesis that a literary text can help students activate affective awareness and cognitive flexibility,
we designed a study comparing students understanding of
and attitudes about a francophone culture after reading a
fact sheet and a literary text. Fact sheets are often used in
foreign language textbooks as a means of presenting factbased cultural information on a particular nation or region.
Typically, information is presented in categories such as
population, language, religion, and economy. In considering the Standards goal to develop C2 competence, it
appears clear that fact sheets succeed in advancing an initial awareness of other cultures, but they fall short in challenging students beliefs about their own cultures or other
cultures of the world. Swaffar contends that fact sheets may
encourage students to define a foreign culture in fixed
typologies because they offer students ready-made
accounts of the customary attitudes, institutions, or behaviors of a culture (p. 240) rather than teaching students
how to identify and interpret cultural features on their
own. She also suggests that culture fact sheets provide
only data for decoding information (this equals that) rather
than for encoding (this changes or affects something else)
(p. 240). In our view, encoding promotes the development
of cognitive flexibility, whereas decoding reinforces cognitive rigidity.
In this study, we compared the attitudes and reactions
of students who read a fact sheet about C6te dlvoire with
the attitudes and reactions of students who read a poem
written by a poet from CBte dlvoire. For the purposes of
this study, we tried to ensure that both approaches were
pure in the sense that students had no information about
C6te dlvoire other than what they read in the fact sheet or
the poem. It is important to note that we do not consider
either of these approaches pedagogically ideal or realistic.
In fact, classroom teachers should not be encouraged to
present either a fact sheet or a literary text without providing a context and background information. We chose these
two extreme approaches to explore the differences in students development of cognitive flexibility and affective
awareness. Ultimately, our goal was to determine if L2 literature can be an effective way to develop C2 competence
in the foreign language classroom - an approach that
challenges student beliefs and viewpoints and stimulates
sophisticated mental processes.

Research Study
Subjects
Fifty students in four sections of an introductory-level first-

FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANNALS * VOI,. 35, NO. 6

semester French course at Vanderbilt University took part

in the study. All of the subjects were between the ages of 18
and 22. Forty-seven subjects were native speakers of
English from the United States. Three students were nonnative speakers of English -one each from Austria, China,
and Malaysia. We excluded from the study one student
who had traveled to C6te dlvoire. Two sections received
the fact sheet treatment and two sections received the poetry treatment. There were 19 subjects in the fact sheet group
(A), and 31 subjects in the poetry group (B) (see Table 1).

Materials
For the study, all subjects completed two questionnaires.
Two weeks before the treatment, subjects filled out a pretreatment questionnaire outside the classroom and
returned it to the instructors within one week. Subjects
were instructed to answer the questions in English in a candid and honest manner. They were informed that their
classroom instructor would not see their responses and that
their answers on the questionnaire would not affect their
grades. The pretreatment questionnaire sought student
responses to questions about culture in general, the cultures of France and other French-speaking countries, and
the culture of Cdte dIvoire, a francophone country in western Africa (see Appendix A).
Two weeks after the in-class treatment, subjects were
asked to respond to a posttreatment questionnaire. Like the
pretreatment questionnaire, the posttreatment questionnaire was to be completed outside the classroom and
returned to the instructor within one week. Once again,
subjects were instructed to answer the questions candidly
in English. They were reminded that their classroom
instructor would not be reading their answers, and that
their responses would not affect their grades. The questions
were designed to solicit answers that revealed subjects attitudes about the people and culture of C6te dIvoire (see

NUMBER OF SUBJECTS IN EACH

TREATMENT GROUP Sections

Group A
(Fact sheet)

1A (8:OO am)

2.4 (11:OO am)

10

Group B
(Poetry)

1B (9:OO am)

14

2B (ZOO pm)

17

TOTAL subjects

19

31

625

Appendix B) .
During the treatment portion of the study, subjects in
Group A received a fact sheet entitled La Cote dIvoire
(Appendix C). The printed information, presented entirely
in French, provided subjects with information about the
size, climate, population, political standing, capital, languages, religions, currency, and economy of C6te dIvoire.
Under each of the subheadings, the information was presented in fragments, with no complete sentences.
Subjects in Group B were given a copy of the poem
Raconte-moi by Veronique Tadjo, a poet whose works
deal with themes that celebrate the culture of Cdte dIvoire.
Written in French, the poem mourns the gradual loss of the
cultural heritage and traditions of the people of Cote
dIvoire. Composed in free verse, Raconte-moievokes a
series of symbolic images: the griot who sings the Africa of
times immemorial, the beauty of the ancestors with faded
smiles, and my past returned from the depths of my
memory like a totem snake bound to my ankles
(Appendix D). The students were not given a translation of
the poem. Both the fact sheet and the poem were selected
for their relevant themes about the target culture as well as
their linguistic accessibility to introductory-level students.

General Procedure
Four sections of introductory-level French were included
in the study. The treatment was conducted during one
regularly scheduled 50-minute class session in each of the
four sections. For the first 30 minutes of class, each
instructor taught class as usual. After 30 minutes, the
instructor left, and the researcher entered the classroom.
The four instructors had a general understanding of the
nature of the experiment, but lacked knowledge of the
specific procedure. They were asked not to discuss the
culture of Cdte dlvoire with subjects for the duration of
the four-week research study.
During each treatment session, the researcher followed
the same procedure for the presentation and discussion of
materials. Upon entering the classroom, the researcher
greeted the subjects. She explained in English that the class
would be reading a text about Cdte dlvoire in French, but
discussing and writing about it in English. By organizing the
presentation in this way, the researcher sought to avoid confounding linguistic tasks, but also to provide a climate in
which the begnning language learners could discuss ideas
beyond the range of their communicative competency.
Subjects in Group A received the fact sheet (Appendix
C). After the fact sheets were distributed, the researcher
read the text aloud once. The researcher then asked subjects if there were any unfamiliar words, and translated
them into English. The words bois, elevage, and p&he were
translated. Subjects were then instructed to reread the passage silently, after which the researcher asked them to write

626

down the element that struck them as the most interesting

in the passage. The researcher called on subjects randomly

to share and comment on what they had written. The
researcher prompted students to react to each others comments but did not offer any additional information. Then
the researcher asked subjects to write down something
they learned from the fact sheet. Once again, the researcher
asked subjects to share their responses. The session closed
with an opportunity for voluntary remarks. At the end of
the session, the subjects submitted their handouts and
written responses to the researcher.
Subjects in Group B received the poem (see Appendix
D).After the researcher read the poem aloud, she asked
subjects if there were any unfamiliar words. They noted the
words griot, cime,fanes, chevilfes, brisees, and dme,which
she then translated into English. The researcher followed
the same procedure as with Group A, instructing the subjects to reread the passage silently. She then asked them to
write down the element that struck them as the most interesting in the poem. The researcher called on subjects randomly to present and discuss their responses. The
researcher prompted the students to react to each others
comments but did not offer additional information or personal comments. After the discussion, the researcher asked
subjects to write down something they had learned from
the poem. Once again, the researcher asked subjects at random to share their ideas. The session closed with an opportunity for voluntary remarks. At the end of the session, the
subjects submitted their handouts and written responses to
the researcher.

Findings and Discussion

The principal focus of this study was to analyze how a literary passage can activate affective awareness and cognitive
flexibility, thereby helping students develop C2 competence. We believe that this study provides important preliminary findings about how these traits are activated. Our
findings come from subjects responses to the pretest and
posttest questions as well as from their comments during
the treatment session.
Several questions on both the pretest and the posttest
elicited interesting responses from the subjects; however,
for the purposes of this study, we focused our attention on
three questions. On the pretest, Question 6 (What do you
know about the culture of CBte dlvoire?) provided information about the subjects familiarity with this francophone country. All 50 subjects reported knowing little or nothing about CBte dIvoire. Many subjects gave similar, short
responses:
Nothing.
Its in Africa.
They speak French/a French dialect there.
Its known for its ivory

NOVEMBEWDECEMBER 2002

It used to belong to France.

On the posttest, we, analyzed subjects responses to
Question 1, which is identical in intent to Question 6
(What do you know about the culture of C6te dIvoire?) on
the pretest. Eight subjects in Group A (fact sheet) gave
answers that were nearly identical in content to the ones
they gave on the pretest, namely short phrases indicating
that CBte dIvoire is a francophone country in Africa. The
remaining 11 subjects remembered distinct facts from the
sheet, such as that CBte dlvoire has many different religions, languages, and types of people. One subject mentioned that cocoa and coffee were grown there. In Group B
(poetry), 17 subjects gave answers indicating little or no
knowledge of Cbte dIvoire, like those cited above for
Group A. Fourteen subjects gave answers that were
inspired by reading the poem:
I think about the poem that tells of a persons heritage
and culture that is being pushed out by the French
culture.
A country steeped in tradition and history.
Colonialism, diversity slavery, French.
Racial tension, foreign rule, poverty.
Although the content of subjectsanswers to this question were different, depending on whether they were in the
fact sheet or the poetry group, the quality of their answers
was similar. That is, the answers were brief and factual, and
subjects seemed to know very little about C6te dIvoire
regardless of the condition. Ultimately, we determined that
this question did not elicit responses that helped us understand how the subjects in both groups were processing the
information they read.
Question 2 on the posttest (If you met a student from
C6te dIvoire, what would you ask him or her?) elicited
questions that indicate a difference in what subjects in
Group A and Group B understood about CBte dlvoire.
Several subjects in Group A wrote questions that reflected
the information they read on their fact sheet:
Do you go fishing much?
What other languages are spoken besides French?
What are the main beliefs of your culture?
What is your primary language?
All of the questions were brief (three subjects wrote
nothing), and would have elicited short, factual responses.
Subjects in Group B, however, seemed to be engaged by
this test item and wrote questions that would elicit
involved answers. Some of the most interesting questions
included references to cross-cultural issues:
What is your opinion of France and Europe?
What do you believe could be done by the western countries to help you?

FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANNALS * VOL. 35, N O . 6

What is the difference between your language and

Frances?
What do you think about French influence on your society?
How has the French language affected your cultural background?
These questions express sensitivity to the feelings and
attitudes of the people from C6te dlvoire. In addition, the
questions acknowledge multiple views and demonstrate
the capacity for nonjudgmental evaluation of the Other. In
our view, 22 of the 31 subjects who read the poem showed
evidence of affective awareness and cognitive flexibility
Only 4 subjects out of 19 who read the fact sheet, on the
other hand, gave any indication of empathy or nonjudgmentalism toward the Other. We concluded that the fact
sheet did not offer the subjects an opportunity to develop
these traits.
Although the results of the pretreatment and posttreatment questionnaires contained some interesting information, the most revealing findings come from the subjects
responses to the two questions asked during the treatment.
In response to the first question, What element struck you
as the most interesting in the passage that you read? subjects in Group A wrote information-based details about
C6te dIvoire, including climate regions, population, ethnic
groups, religion, and the economy:
There are three different climate regions in such a
small area.
12 million [people], 60 ethnicities.
Animist religion-large number, leading producers of
chocolate.
Like the fact sheet itself, subjects responses tended to
be succinct and to the point, often lacking the structure of
a single and complete sentence. In our view, such responses tend to reduce the cultural richness of a country such as
C6te dIvoire to a series of random facts and statistical figures. Again, Group A responses fail to provide evidence of
affective awareness and cognitive flexibility Instead, they
evoke a sense of cognitive rigidity, equating cultural concepts with one specific answer for each question.
In response to this same question, subjects in Group B
tended to personalize the poem, relating ideas and images
from C6te dIvoire to their own lives. In general, they dealt
with themes in greater detail, typically using several complete sentences to express their opinion. After reading the
poem, many subjects dealt with themes comparable to
those mentioned by subjects in Group A, such as language
and ethnicity However, the themes evoked during the poetry sessions tended to elicit more personalized reactions, in
which subjects independently established cross-cultural
links between their own cultures and the culture of C6te

627

dIvoire. In addition, they related to the emotions presented in the poem - the universally human feelings of joy,
nostalgia, pride, and sadness that transcend the boundaries
of language and culture. Many subjects related the poem to
their own lives and experiences in unique ways. For example, one subject, intrigued by the linguistic conflict presented in the poem, wanted to discuss themes related to
language and autonomy However, instead of simply noting
the multiplicity of languages in Cdte dIvoire, she put herself in the position of the poet in deciding which language
to use in writing the poem:
I liked the poem a lot. The most interesting thing was
that she chose to write it in the language that she felt
was responsible for undermining her cultural language and traditions. I would have written it in my
native language.
Although the subject disagrees with the poets choice of
language, she demonstrates the capacity to empathize with
the Other. Clearly, the perceived cross-cultural polarity
between the Self and the Other disintegrates and, through
empathy, a cross-cultural link is established. This tendency,
prevalent in the responses of subjects in Group B, suggests
that the poem seems to underscore the commonalities that
diverse cultures of the world share rather than reinforcing
the us versus them cross-cultural view. In addition, some
subjects in Group B selected direct textual citations, noting
literary devices such as similes and metaphors, and evoking
the poems striking symbolism and imagery. After reading
the poem, some of the subjects questioned their own preconceived notions about themes and images presented in
the poem. One subject in particular noted the ironic beauty the poet found in the nostalgic image of the ancestors
with their faded smiles:
I was most struck by the phrase la beautt? des v i m
aux sourires fanes because it presents the image of
old things being beautiful which contrasts with the
way people normally think about things that are old.
It also adds an element of sadness to the poem.
In selecting that phrase for comment, the subject
acknowledges her own culturally reinforced ideals, simultaneously establishing a cross-cultural link between C1 and
C2. By recognizing the nostalgic irony that the phrase conveys, she empathizes with the sentiments expressed in the
poem. In addition, she suggests a cross-cultural commonality - the idea that readers from both C1 and C2 would
find the ancestors with faded smiles tragically beautiful.
For the second question, What have you learned from
reading and discussing the text? subjects responses in
both groups followed similar patterns to the first question.
Typically, the responses from Group A were brief and succinct, consisting of one complete sentence. Once again, the

628

NOVEMKEIUDECEMBER 2002

responses showed little demonstration of affective awareness or cognitive flexibility. They read much like the fact
sheet itself, bits of prepackaged facts:
I didnt know that it was two thirds the size of France
I learned that the franc CFA is like the French franc,
only worth less.

poetry discussion. The answer communicates the subjects

understanding of his own limited knowledge of C6te
dlvoire while recognizing the vastness of the topic:
I learned something about the culture, language and
personal struggles that exist in the Ivory Coast. The
poem may be short, but it certainly says a lot.

Several subjects in Group A mentioned animism, presented in the fact sheet as the major religion of C6te
dIvoire:
Animism is somewhat surprising as the largest religon.
I learned that animism is a big part of African culture.

In addition, the subject makes a connection between

what he learned and how he learned it, establishing an
important link between the poem and cultural information.
For many subjects, the poem struck a personal chord
in that they related to the poets vivid images and
empathized with her passionate message. Instead of
describing what they had learned about the culture of Cote
dlvoire, many subjects opted to discuss what they had
learned about themselves or their own cultures. After reading and discussing the poem, they were able to forge crosscultural connections, promoting the realization that
despite the differences that distinguish individuals and
their cultures, people are very much alike. One student
related to the poets feelings of frustration in facing cultural hegemony in contemporary society:
I learned to apply this womans cultural experience
and anger towards a dominating force in my own culture.

Such reactions convey an oversimplified view of a rich

and thriving culture and appear to lead to the development
of negative cultural stereotypes. This view could pose a
particular problem for those who do not understand animism as a system of belief, or those who mistakenly extrapolate the religious preference of 65% of the population onto
the society as a whole. In the response, I learned that animism is a big part of African culture, it is apparent that the
subject associates one decontextualzed fact about C6te
dIvoire with Africas diverse ensemble of nations and peoples. This process of continentalizing, through which a
subject typifies the culture of an entire continent, can lead
to incorrect and misleading assumptions, particularly if the
subject has a limited knowledge of the countries that make
up the continent. Furthermore, this tendency can lead to
the construction of limiting cultural stereotypes that fail to
recognize or celebrate the multiplicity of languages, customs, belief systems, ethnicities, and individuals that comprise local and national cultures.
While some subjects in Group B also made generalizations, their responses demonstrated a greater sense of
cross-cultural empathy and avoided limiting stereotypes.
Although some of them displayed the same sort of factbased tone that dominated the responses of subjects in
Group A, their ideas escape cognitive rigidity, reaching
beyond the notion that culture represents a fixed typography. Instead of presenting limiting bits of information, subjects in Group B began to shape broader notions about
C6te dIvoire, making connections with their own knowledge and experiences. In one response, a subject evoked
the troubled legacy of colonization, linking contemporary
and historical realities with the message of the poem:
I learned that there is a great sense of urgency among
the native people of C6te dlvoire to pass on their
heritage free from misappropriations by French colonization.
Another subjects response indicates how difficult it
can be to summarize all that he learned during a 20-minute

Another student commented on the universal importance of language as a means to transmit, celebrate, and
preserve ones heritage and culture. For this subject, a consideration of the poets perspective caused her to reevaluate
her own cultural viewpoint.
I learned that language is very important because it
helps us to relate stories and expand upon our heritage. It gives us a way to continue stories of the past.

Suggestions for Future Research

This study provides preliminary understanding of how a
literary text can help students develop C2 competence.
Further comparison of the two approaches used in this
study is not likely to veld additional findings. Rather, we
suggest an analysis of an information-processing approach,
such as the one proposed by Wright (2000, p. 335) cited
previously, to study how students process cultural information in a literary text. A qualitative, case-study approach
to analyzing the effect of a literary text on subjects affective awareness and cognitive flexibility would shed additional light on how students process what they read. Using
questionnaires, think-aloud protocols, or reflective journals, individual student attitudes and reactions would
manifest themselves more clearly.
Second, a better understanding of the kinds of questions likely to elicit responses that indicate affective aware-

FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANNALS. VOL. 35, N O . 6

ness and cognitive flexibility is needed. In the current

study, we determined that some questions elicited answers
that provided insight into the presence of these traits, while
others, by their very nature, elicited succinct, fact-based
responses.
Finally, we recommend a close study of classroom
dynamics during the presentation and discussion of a literary text. The questionnaires used in the current study provided much less substantive information than the classroom discussion and interaction among students during
the treatment. An analysis of both teacher and student discourse while studylng a literary text in class could provide
important information about effective ways to help students develop the traits necessary to foster C2 competence.

Conclusions
In this study, we compared two approaches to teaching culture: a fact sheet approach and an approach that used a literary text. Our qualitative analysis of the findings shows
that the subjects who read and discussed the poem, written
by a female poet from C6te dlvoire (Appendix D), generally had personal reactions that correspond well with the
goals described by the Standards. Rather than focusing on
any single aspect of the culture of C6te dlvoire, they
explored their own individual feelings about the language
and content of the poem. Sensing the nostalgic and somber
tone of the poem, the subjects became engaged in the history and culture of C6te dIvoire. This experience led them
to ask important questions: What kinds of things might be
a part of the parole du griot (words of the griot)? Why
does the poet refer to her past as un serpent totem (a totem
snake)? Why does the poet speak of her espoirs brises
(broken hopes)?
To avoid contaminating the results of the experiment,
the researcher did not attempt to answer the questions
raised by the subjects. However, it was evident that the
many dimensions of C6te dIvoire - its history, colonial
experienie, and current status -became subjects for serious inquiry. Moreover, through this kind of student-led
questioning, they understood that there is not a single
answer, but a myriad of answers that lead us deeper into
our exploration of culture.
For subjects who read the fact sheet (Appendix C), the
experience was an end in itself. Because the fact sheet organized the information in the form of statements, essentially answers to questions the subjects had not asked, they
were not motivated to further explore the history and culture of C6te dIvoire. When prompted by the researcher to
react to each others comments, the subjects showed little
interest in engaging in discussion. Rather, subjects learned
about various aspects of the culture of C6te dIvoire in a
rigid way that could foster the development of stereotypes.
While we recognize that the kind of facts presented in this

629

approach can be of interest, our findings suggest that pedagogy that relies exclusively on this approach to teaching
culture is very limiting. This finding furthers our understanding of the importance of using literary texts to engage
students in critical thinking skills that will serve them as
they try to grasp the value of another culture.
This study also helped us to understand how to use L1
(English) when working with novice students to explore
material that is challenging. While all students were capable of reading both the fact sheet and the poem in L2
(French) with relatively little guidance, they would have
been unable to use L2 to discuss what they read. For the
students in the poetry group, the use of L1 was particularly important. They explored complex ideas that would be
difficult to discuss even in their own language. While we
recommend that the use of L1 be kept to a minimum in the
L2 classroom, we believe that its use for this kind of activity can be enriching in many ways.
Finally, this study confirms our belief that literature
can be used, even at the earliest stages of language learning,
to develop students empathy for and nonjudgmental evaluation of another culture. Rather than avoiding the study of
FL literature in the early stages of language learning, the
findings in this study suggest that novice students are able
to read short but challenging literary texts and engage in
serious discussion. Furthermore, this study suggests that
literary texts can serve many purposes in the FL classroom
(see, for example, Scott & Tucker, 2001). While we support
the study of FL literature for its own sake, we urge our colleagues to use literary texts to sensitize students to the ways
that language can point to a new understanding of the
Other. Fantini (1999) states that language both reflects
and affects ones world view . . . [providing] a sort of road
map as to how one perceives, interprets, thinks about, and
expresses ones views of the world (p. 176). We concur
with Fantinis understanding of the power of language, and
propose that, just as a world is created with language, a
worldview is created with literature.

References
Fantini, A. E. (1999). Comparisons: Towards the development
of intercultural competence. In J. K. Phillips & R. M. Terry
(eds.), Foreign language standards: Linking research, theories,
and practices. Lincolnwood: National Textbook Company.
Kramsch, C. (1993). Context and culture in language teaching.
Oxford University Press.
Kramsch, C. (1998). Language and culture. Oxford University
Press.
Lange, D. L. (1999). Planning for and using the new national
culture standards. In J. K. Phillips & R. M. Terry (eds.), Foreign
language standards: Linking research, theories, and Practices.
Lincolnwood: National Textbook Company.
Phillips, J. K., & Terry, R. M. (eds.). (1999). Foreign language

NOVEMBE WDECEM BER 2002

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standards: Linking research, theories, and practices.

Lincolnwood: National Textbook Company.
National Standards in Foreign Language Education Project.
(1999). Standards for Foreign language Learning in the 21st
Century. Yonkers, NY: National Standards in Foreign Language
Education Project.
Robinson-Stuart, G., & Nocon, H. (1996). Second culture
acquisition: ethnography in the foreign language classroom.
The Modem LanguageJoumal, 80(4), 43149.

Scott,Y M., & Tucker, H. (eds.). (2001). SLA and the literature

classroom: Fostering dialogues. AAUSC issues in language program direction. Boston: Heinle & Heinle.
Swaffar, J. (1992). Written texts and cultural readings. In C.
Kramsch & S. McConnell-Ginet (eds.), Text and context: Crossdisciplinaryperspectives on language study. Lexington, MA: D.C.
Heath.
Wright, D. A. (2000). Culture as information and culture as
affective process: A comparative study. Foreign Language
Annals, 33(3), 330-41.

Appendix A

Pretreatment Questionnaire
Name
Directions: Answer each question briefly in English. Please complete survey and return to your instructor.
1. What is culture?
2. What do you think about when you headsee the words French culture?
3. What do you think about when you headsee the words French-speaking culture?
4. Are you interested in learning more about French culture in your French class? Why or why not?
5. Are you interested in learning more about French-speaking culture(s) in your French class? Why or why not?
6. What do you know about the culture of Cbte dIvoire?
7. Are you interested in learning more about the culture of Cbte dIvoire in your French class? Why or why not?
8. What are good ways to learn about culture in the classroom?
not good at all not good
OK
good
excellent
Fact sheets
1
2
3
4
5
Newspaper articles
1
2
3
4
5
Poetry
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
Prose
Music
1
2
3
4
5
Filmshide0
1
2
3
4
5
Other

Appendix B

Posttreatment Questionnaire
Name:
Directions: Answer each question briefly in English. Please complete survey and return to your instructor.
1. What comes to mind when you think about Cbte dIvoire?
2. If you met a student from Cbte dIvoire, what would you ask him or her?
3. Has learning about Cbte dIvoire changed your notions about French-speaking culture(s)? Why or why not?
4. Would you like to know more about the culture of Cbte dIvoire in your French class? Why or why not?
5. Would you like to learn about other French-speaking cultures in your French class? Why or why not?
6. What are good ways to learn about culture in the classroom?
not good at all not good
OK
good
excellent
Fact sheets
1
2
3
4
5
Newspaper articles
1
2
3
4
5
Poetry
1
2
3
4
5
Prose
1
2
3
4
5

FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANNALS * VOL. 35, N O . 6

Music
Filmdvideo
Other

1
1

2
2

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3
3

4
4

5
5

Appendix C

Fact Sheet
La Cbte dIvoire
Superficie: 322 464 km2 ( U 3 de la France)
C h a t : sud-equatorial, forOts tropicales, savanes
Population: 12 millions (60 ethnies)
Capitale: Yamoussoukro (110 000 habitants)
Statut: Republique; ancienne colonie francaise, independante depuis 1960
Langues: francais (langue officielle), dioula et baoule (langues commercialeshehiculaires)
Religions: animistes (65%), musulmans (23%), catholiques (12Oh)
Monnaie: le franc CFA (CFA = Communaute Francaise dAfrique, 1 FF = 100 CFA)
Economie: cacao (ler rang mondial), cafe, riz,coton, bois, elevage, peche, centre industriel a Abidjan

Appendix D

Poem
Raconte-Moi
par Veronique Tadjo
(C6te dIvoire)

Tell Me
(trans. Huntington Q Scott)

Raconte-moi
La parole du griot
Qui chante l'afrique
Des temps immemoriaux
I1 dit
Ces rois patients
Sur les cimes du silence
Et la beaute des vieux
Aux sourires fanes
Mon passe revenu
Du fond de ma memoire
Comme un serpent totem
A mes chevilles lie
Ma solitude
Et mes espoirs brises
Qu'apporterais-je
A mes enfants
Si j'ai perdu leur iime?

Tell me
The words of the griot
Who sings the Africa
Of times immemorial
He says
These patient kings
On the summits of silence
And the beauty of the ancestors
With faded smiles
My past returned
From the depths of my memory
Like a totem snake
Bound to my ankles
My solitude
And my broken hopes
What could I bring
To my children
If I have lost their soul?