Cultural&Intercultural Dimensions of L2 Language Teaching and Learning

Besides the traditional phonological, lexical and syntactical competence, language use involves a whole set of pragmatic rules and cultural knowledge that allows us to interpret and make meaning in social context. How does the classical domain of language teaching (vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar) connect with this cultural knowledge (rules of etiquette, conversational routines, historical and geographical knowledge, shared popular wisdom and literature)? How do we incorporate in our teaching curriculum the cultural dimension of language communication and, beyond this question, the central role of language to express who we are as individuals and as members of communities?