(in Polish) Kultura i historia krajów anglojęzycznych w nauczaniu języka w szkole ponadpodstawowej 4100-IIMKiHKAwNJwSP
The course prepares students to work as English teachers in upper secondary schools by developing the ability to use knowledge of the cultures and histories of English-speaking countries in a substantive way during teaching.
The seminar focuses on combining cultural and historical knowledge with the requirements of the core curriculum and the educational goals of the third stage of education.
The programme content includes: discussion of selected issues in the culture and history of English-speaking countries, taking into account their educational potential; developing students' interpretive and cultural competencies through working with cultural texts; ways of integrating cultural content with the development of language skills, critical thinking and intercultural competence; relating culture and history to social and ethical topics addressed in school education. The classes develop teachers' competencies in selecting and adapting cultural texts, as well as consciously using them as a tool to support students' linguistic, intellectual and intercultural development. The materials analysed include historical documents, autobiographical texts, media reports, products of high and popular culture, institutions of public life, social phenomena and practices, as well as traditions, customs and practices of social and private life in Anglo-Saxon countries. An important aspect of the course is the conscious interpretation of cultural content in the light of interdisciplinary knowledge and reflection on one’s own role in the learning process. In terms of teaching methods and techniques, the creation and analysis of lesson plans and lesson simulations (‘microteaching’) are used to illustrate interactions in the language classroom at the third stage of education.
Thematic scope:
1. Teaching culture and history of English-speaking countries in English lessons within the cultural component in relation to the curriculum for a modern foreign language for secondary school
2. British and American society (socio-political system)
3. Important and groundbreaking contemporary historical events in the British Isles (electoral reforms, Ireland’s independence; World War I and II; decline of the British Empire; decolonization and devolution; Brexit)
4. Key historical and social events of the 20th and 21st centuries in the USA from a transatlantic perspective (World War I and II and the Polish question; the Cold War; the 1960s; the fall of Communism; the War on Terror)
5. Key American and British mechanisms and institutions: economy and business; technology and innovation; religion and education
6. Cultural aspects of Anglo-Saxon countries - popular culture (music, popular culture, sports, film); applied culture (architecture, urban planning, design, cuisine, and technology); high culture (fine arts, museums, and memorials).
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
Knowledge – the student:
1. knows and explains cultural and historical issues and contexts in teaching materials for English language instruction (K_W12),
2. explains how specific cultural and social issues support the development of students' intercultural competencies (K_W12).
Skills – the student:
1. analyses selected content of the English language curriculum in terms of its cultural references (K_U08),
2. presents interpretations of historical, cultural, and social phenomena and events of English-speaking countries within the scope of the curriculum of the third stage of education (K_U08),
3. justifies the choice of specific teaching methods for using cultural texts in English language teaching at the third stage of education (K_U08).
Competences – the student:
1. analyzes and evaluates the educational potential of selected authentic materials (K_K01)
Assessment criteria
The condition for passing the course is attendance at classes (up to two absences per semester are allowed) and timely completion of all tasks scheduled both during in-person classes and on the e-learning platform. The use of AI tools and language processing technologies is allowed only with the instructor's express consent and after prior approval of the scope of their use. Using such tools without the instructor's permission and prior agreement will be treated as a breach of independence, resulting in the work being considered non-independent and graded as insufficient. The final grade is determined based on the results obtained according to the adopted assessment methods, in accordance with the specified weights:
1. Continuous assessment – 50% of the final grade, which includes ongoing preparation for classes, participation, and work on the Moodle platform (K_W12, K_K01)
2. Lesson plan + presentation and simulation – 50% of the final grade
lesson plan based on cultural material, in accordance with the curriculum, oral presentation, lesson simulation in the form of implementing a chosen task/activity designed by yourself (K_W12, K_U08, K_K01)
(high content and technical quality, originally created materials, correct interaction with the group – 5.0; good content quality and interaction with the group – 4.0; adequate quality, few errors – 3.0; poor quality and many errors – 2.0)
Bibliography
Anglotopia.net
https://anglotopia.net/british-identity/guest-long-read-a-guide-to-the-british-cultural-landscape-excerpt-from-britain-explained-by-martin-upham/
British Council – Britain is great
https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/study-break/video-series/britain-great
British Council - Culture in the languages classroom https://vimeo.com/1140361307?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci
Christopher, D. P. (2015). British culture. An introduction. Routledge
Craven, W. (2003). American art: History and culture. McGraw-Hill.
Diniejko, A. (2025) English-speaking countries: An introduction to The United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Northern Ireland and The Republic of Ireland. Warsaw (e-book).
Diniejko, A. (2025). English-speaking countries, Part 2: An introduction to The United States
of America. Warsaw (e-book).
Fox, F. (2004). Watching the English. Hodder.
Gołębiowski, M. (2004). Dzieje kultury Stanów Zjednoczonych. PWN.
Khan Academy https://www.khanacademy.org/
Lewicki, Z. (2017). Historia cywilizacji amerykańskiej. Era konfrontacji 1941-1980.
Wydawnictwo Naukowe Scholar.
Mauk, D. & Oakland, J. (2010). American civilization: An introduction. Routledge. PBS www.pbs.org
Rawlinson, M. (2009). American visual culture. Bloomsbury.
Upham, M. (2017). Britain explained. Understanding British identity. John Harper Publishing.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: