“Chitchat,” or talk that simply affirms a personal tie between people, is considered immature or intrusive (Minami, 2002). Consider these examples: Figure 5.16 How do Classrooms Accommodate Different Cultures? Cultural Identities It is Ms. Smith's first day of teaching ninth grade English. The question: “How much is 2 + 2?” for example, is a test question. Instead of advocating cultural sensitivity in a general way, this framework alerts teachers to specific cultural differences that are likely to diverge from school-based practices and values. Practice Cultural Sensitivity. Since some of the patterns differ from those typical of modern classrooms, they can create misunderstandings between teachers and students (Cazden, 2001; Rogers, et al., 2005). If the student is not aware of this purpose, he or she may become confused, or think that the teacher is surprisingly ignorant. By the time the children become adults, they are likely to speak and write English better than their heritage language, and may even be unable or unwilling to use the heritage language with their own children (the grandchildren of the original immigrants). How cultural differences may affect student performance Children in various cultures learn different rules for communicating with adults through facial expressions, body language and physical gestures. Embracing cultural diversity can help you succeed as an educator. With two languages to work with, parents can stay “in the loop” better about their children’s educations and support the teacher’s work—for example, by assisting more effectively with homework (Ebert, 2005). Since some of the patterns differ from those typical of modern classrooms, they can create misunderstandings between teachers and students (Cazden, 2001; Rogers, et al., 2005). On December 12, 2015 President Obama signed into law the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The large majority of bilingual students (75 percent) are Hispanic, but the rest represent more than a hundred different language groups from around the world. To learn more about cultural competence, check out these resources from the National Education Association, MindTools, and Preemptive Love . Metacognition can be helpful for a variety of academic purposes, such as writing stories and essays, or interpreting complex text materials. Such students may develop an oppositional cultural identity, meaning that they define themselves not by who they are, but by how they differ from or oppose mainstream culture (Ogbu & Davis, 2003; Carter, 2005). Box 5.1 What happened to No Child Left Behind? … Although monolingual speakers often do not realize it, the majority of children around the world are bilingual, meaning that they understand and use two languages (Meyers-Scotton, 2005). To organize the topic, therefore, I will discuss aspects of cultural diversity according to how directly they relate to language differences compared to differences in other social and psychological features of culture. Although sometimes the term is also used to refer specifically to the artistic, intellectual and other “high-brow” aspects of life, I use it here more broadly to refer to everything that characterizes a way of life—baseball games as well as symphony concerts, and McDonald’s as well as expensive restaurants. Learn how cultural differences can play out in the classroom. Such languages are especially at risk for being lost. In addition, it is important to engage students in exploring the culturally-based assumptions of whatever subject they are studying. In studying the “Westward Movement” (the settlement of the American West), for example, it is important to point out that this movement was “westward” only from the point of view of the white Americans living in the eastern United States. At some level, of course, we all value interpersonal skill and to this extent think of ourselves as interdependent. “ Structure classroom activities so as to promote a multiplicity of perspectives (i.e., voices)” (DaSilva … And individuals within any given society will vary in their attitudes about personal identity. You may even end up with classroom conflict because your students have misunderstood each other through the common barrier of the English language. Body language and gestures The list of gestures by the teacher or students that could be misinterpreted or even found... 2. In white, middle-class American culture, the self tends to be thought of as unique and independent—a unitary, living source of decisions, choices, and actions that stands (or should eventually stand) by itself (Greenfield, et al., 2003; Rogoff, 2003). Culture has elements that are obvious, like unique holidays or customs, but also features that are subtle or easy for outsiders to overlook, like beliefs about the nature of intelligence or about the proper way to tell a story. Get to know all your students as individuals. In between are students who speak their home (or heritage) language much better than English, as well as others who have partially lost their heritage language in the process of learning English (Tse, 2001). http://dept.clcillinois.edu/psy/LifespanDevelopment.pdf, CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. In a classroom setting, where students come from many different backgrounds, cultures can collide. A cultural mismatch is caused by tension between a student’s home and school culture, and is often due to differences in areas that include religious and spiritual beliefs, cultural practices, family background, and language. As our nation grows increasingly diverse, there has never been a better opportunity for us to learn to live respectfully together and benefit from one another's wisdom and experiences. Culture and Ethnicity. Note that in the early years of schooling, language loss can be minimized to some extent by the additive or parallel-track bilingual programs that I mentioned above. by: GreatSchools Staff | … As teachers, most of us subscribe to the idea that all students are unique and therefore take steps to individualize or differentiate instruction. The student who speaks both languages fluently has a definite cognitive advantage. In most classrooms, however, teachers regularly ask test questions, which are questions to which the teacher already knows the answer and that simply assess whether a student knows the answer as well (Macbeth, 2003). Cultural Differences in the Classroom Culture is the system of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that constitute the distinctive way of life of a people. In classrooms as in other social settings, bilingualism exists in different forms and degrees. Because these requirements became increasingly unworkable for schools, changes to the law were requested. While it’s important to keep an open dialogue amongst students, it’s … Such skill in reflecting on language is a form of metacognition, which is defined as using language as an object of thought. In classrooms the wait time is customarily about one second; after that, the teacher is likely to move on to another question or to another student. Programs to address this question have ranged from total immersion in English from a young age (the “sink or swim” approach) to phasing in English over a period of several years (sometimes called an additive approach to bilingual education). Every school and early childhood education program has a culture too. There are a wide range of classroom activities that can help students recognize the essential humanity and value of different types of people. Effective teachers of culturally diverse students acknowledge both individual and cultural differences enthusiastically and identify these differences in a positive manner. Dress This could be a matter of avoiding even brief and accidental showing of parts of the body like shoulders and... 3. In a classroom, this habit can make it easier for a child to learn not to interrupt others, but it can also make the child seem unfriendly. In the United States, the grading system usually used grades of A, B, C, D, and F. So if … In general, evaluations of bilingual programs have favored the more additive approaches (Beykont, 2002). In others it is a negative gap, meaning that it is acceptable, even expected, for a person to interrupt before the end of the previous comment. Ignoring the increase in diversity is not a helpful response. Across a variety of circumstances, teachers tend to believe in an independent self. In some cultures, it is common to stand relatively close when having a conversation; in others, it is more customary to stand relatively far apart (Beaulieu, 2004). Their children, however, experience strong expectations and pressure to learn and use English, and this circumstance dilutes the children’s experience with the heritage language. In the United States, for example, African-Americans and American Indians may have been involuntary minorities originally, although many present-day individuals from these groups may now feel very much a part of American culture. Commonly, too, a student may speak a language satisfactorily but be challenged by reading or writing it—though even this pattern has individual exceptions. Target goals were considered unrealistic and set by the federal government rather than individual states. Here are some of the possibilities—though keep in mind that there are also differences among students as individuals, whatever their background. To the indigenous American Indians, the “west” was the center of their world; to the Mexicans, it was “north”; to the Asian laborers living in California, it was “east.”. As cultural groups, however, their experiences have been quite different than so-called voluntary minorities—groups that chose to emigrate to society in order to create better lives for themselves. The worthy person is instead the one who gets along well with family and friends, and who meets obligations to them reliably and skillfully. Both languages are developed and supported, and students ideally become able to use either language permanently, though often for different situations or purposes. Here are 5 tips to prevent cultural misunderstanding: Be aware of cultural differences and potential challenges students may face when adjusting. A student who habitually expects a wait time longer than one second may seem hesitant, and not be given many chances to speak. In some cultures, it is considered polite or even intelligent not to speak unless you have something … ELL students essentially present teachers with this dilemma: how to respect the original language and culture of the student while also helping the student to join more fully in the mainstream—i.e. Additionally, the government would have information on the gaps in educational achievement between children from various social class, racial, and ethnic groups. Even in the United States, which is a relatively monolingual society, more than 47 million people speak a language other than English at home, and about 10 million of these people were children or youths in public schools (United States Department of Commerce, 2003). In larger communities throughout the United States, it is therefore common for a single classroom to contain students from several language backgrounds at once. Cultures and ethnic groups differ not only in languages but also in how languages are used. In other cultures, however, the same non-verbal behaviors may carry a very different meaning. Diversity in the Classroom Teaching today is considered more demanding and complex than ever due to an increasing diversity in classrooms based on preferences, interests, gender, cultural backgrounds, special needs and learning styles (Civitillo, Denessen, & Molenaar, 2016). Classroom life can then become explicitly. And flexibility has an added advantage: by honoring students’ individuality, it avoids the danger of stereotyping students’ learning needs on the basis of their cultural background. Achievement tests are used to measure what a child has already learned. Understanding students' cultures helps educators understand why children do … Your culture and the children’s cultures aren’t the only cultures at work in your classroom. Still, there's another gap that often goes unexamined: the cultural gap between students and teachers. Learning to fit into a new culture is a challenging task itself, but on the whole, it is an easier task for teachers to work with than oppositional motivation. competitive, and the competitive atmosphere can interfere with cultivating supportive relationships among students or between students and the teacher (Cohen, 2004). But this kind of understanding can get complicated. A clash can come because of differences in cultural values; what is culturally appropriate in one culture may be highly inappropriate in another. Chitchat, or talk that simply affirms a personal tie between people, is considered immature or intrusive (Minami, 2002). Whatever the case, each bilingual student poses unique challenges to teachers. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/educationalpsychology. White European American culture has an individual orientation that teaches children to function independently, stand out, talk about them… How might a culturally responsive educator push against human nature’s natural aversion to the unknown and help students become more respectful of cultures with different ideas? When a classroom draws students from many cultures or ethnic groups, therefore, the students bring to it considerable diversity. Many activities in school are competitive, even when teachers try to de-emphasize the competition. Educators with a deeper understanding of cultural norms and expectations are better equipped to decipher potentially confusing behaviors and reduce conflict in the classroom. Teaching Cultural Differences in the Business Communication Classroom. The cultures of most American schools are based on White European American values. Instead of aspiring to do well in school, for example, or to get along well with teachers, the students may aspire not to do well and not to be liked by teachers. In many African American and Latin American communities, it is considered appropriate and respectful for a child not to look directly at an adult who is speaking to them (Torres-Guzman, 1998). In fact, however, things are not that simple. Wait time is the gap between the end of one person’s comment or question and the next person’s reply or answer. The question: “What if a dog were called a cat?” is less likely to confuse even a very young bilingual child. A student who expects a negative wait time, on the other hand, may seem overeager or even rude. The first two of these were mentioned in the paragraph above, but not the next three: Of all of these strategies, the most important is the third: being flexible about the choice of teaching strategies. In such an instance, it is especially important for educators to recognize these differences and how to assess the challenges that come with it. Children’s academic performance is often measured with the use of standardized tests. The distinction is convenient, but it is also a bit arbitrary because, as you will see, the features of a culture overlap and influence each other. In some cultures, it is considered polite or even intelligent not to speak unless you have something truly important to say. Research has found, in such cases, that the specialist can be more effective if the specialist speaks and uses the first language as well as English (Kohnert, et al., 2005). As the makeup of the US population becomes more diverse, there is more cultural dissonance—which impacts children’s behavior. These are useful actions, but they are only a starting point for truly multicultural education (Banks, 2009). From this perspective, the most worthy person is not the one who is unusual or who stands out in a crowd. Be willing to address inequality | Part of supporting diversity in the classroom is creating a space for … Schools that acknowledge the diversity of their student population understand the importance of promoting cultural awareness. A student who expects a closer distance than does the teacher may seem overly familiar or intrusive, whereas one who expects a longer distance may seem overly formal or hesitant. At one extreme are students who speak both English and another language fluently; at the other extreme are those who speak only limited versions of both languages. English-speaking—culture? Nor will the follow-up question: “Could the ‘cat’ meow?” confuse them. Preference for activities that are cooperative rather than competitive. Students should be involved in setting classroom norms to generate buy-in. Imagine this situation: First-generation immigrants arrive, and they soon learn just enough English to manage their work and daily needs, but continue using their original language at home with family and friends from their former country. Consideration for individual learning preferences, student interests, student readiness, and cultural/gender differences can account for variance in student behaviors and student motivation, which may ultimately, indirectly or directly impact student performance as well. Of course! Most important, the framework encourages teachers to recognize their own practices as cultural in origin rather than as simply the "right way" to do things. Complete descriptions of the details of the differences have filled entire books and encyclopedias (see, for example, Birx, 2005). A student may end up using English in the classroom or at work, for example, but continue using Spanish at home or with friends, even though he or she is perfectly capable of speaking English with them. Norms and expectations should take into account different cultural and communication styles, as well as gender differences, language needs and the desire to challenge stereotypes. Understanding Culture in the Classroom Although educating students is the main goal of the school, teachers may have different variations on how to accomplish that goal. Diversity In Classroom 1407 Words | 6 Pages. Connection to Anti-bias Education Teachers who are interested in fostering a cultural awareness in their classroom should actively demonstrate to their … As an example of how each international teaching destination can differ to a teacher’s classroom experience in their home country, here are some of the cultural differences that you might notice in student behavior in the South Korean classroom. In a classroom, this habit can make it easier for a child to learn not to interrupt others, but it can also make the child seem unfriendly. As the comments in the previous section imply, accommodating cultural diversity involves more than adding cultural content to the curriculum—more than celebrating Mexican holidays in an American social studies class, for example, and more than discussing the history of slavery of African-Americans. In this broad sense, culture is nearly synonymous with ethnicity, which refers to the common language, history, and future experienced by a group within society. In high school, in addition, some conventional foreign language classes— notably in Spanish—can be adjusted to include and support students who are already native speakers of the language alongside students who are learning it for the first time (Tse, 2001). Problems may happen when a teacher and a student prefer different social distances. The latter groups are more likely to work actively to fit into their newfound culture. Achievement tests are often used as measures of teaching effectiveness within a school setting and as a method to make schools that receive tax dollars (such as public schools, charter schools, and private schools that receive vouchers) accountable to the government for their performance. Cultures and ethnic groups differ not only in languages, but also in how languages are used. Educators today hear a lot about gaps in education – achievement gaps, funding gaps, school-readiness gaps. For students who give priority to these relationships, competition can seem confusing at best and threatening at worst. A Perfect 10. Preserving the first language is also important if a student has impaired skill in all languages and therefore needs intervention or help from a speech-language specialist. In classrooms, however, teachers often expect a lot of eye contact (as in “I want all eyes on me!”) and may be tempted to construe lack of eye contact as a sign of indifference or disrespect. In addition to differences in language and in practices related to language, cultural groups tend to differ in various other attitudes and beliefs. A multicultural society is best served by a culturally responsive curriculum. As prof… By allowing for various styles of learning, teachers can accommodate a wide range of students, whatever their cultural backgrounds and whatever cultural background the teacher herself may have. In Western culture, this may be a sign that the person is not paying attention to the speaker. Unfortunately, the bilingualism of many students is “unbalanced” in the sense that they are either still learning English, or else they have lost some earlier ability to use their original, heritage language—or occasionally a bit of both. 6 Ways Teachers can Foster Cultural Awareness in the Classroom. This is especially true when it comes to the topics of race and racism, cultural differences, language and bilingualism, and the myriad questions that arise in a world where these issues have such a powerful place in children's lives. The first sort of student—sometimes called an English language learner (ELL) or limited English learner (LEL)—has received the greatest attention and concern from educators, since English is the dominant language of instruction and skill and obviously helps prepare a student for life in American society. Types of Cultural Diversity in the Classroom Teaching diversity in the classroom is a key part in establishing an overall school or district policy of cultural diversity. One of the main reasons is that it can provide significant benefit to your students that will be moving abroad to learn in English speaking countries. Dukes, Thomas One of the most difficult tasks business and professional communication teachers face is teaching students to appreciate cultural differences and their effects on business communication, both … This sort of bilingualism is quite common in the United States and other nations with immigrant populations (Tse, 2001). In this lesson, we will identify and explore cross-cultural differences that may occur in a classroom setting. Viewed as a sign of respect for the instructor, the lack of direct eye contact is intended to convey attentiveness - that students are listening and taking note of what the teacher is saying. What about the other kind of imbalance, in which a student is acquiring English but losing ability with the student’s home or heritage language? Consider these examples: In some cultures, it is considered polite or even intelligent not to speak unless you have something truly important to say. Obviously this sort of attitude poses problems for teachers who try to motivate the students, it also poses problems for the students’ long-term success in life. What the student views as cooperative sharing may be seen by the teacher as laziness, freeloading, or even cheating. Generally, though also more indirectly, minimizing language loss helps all bilingual students’ education because preservation tends to enrich students’ and parents’ ability to communicate with each other. But students can only realize the savings if their first language is preserved. Oppositional identity is especially likely in so-called involuntary minorities—groups that emigrated to or joined a society against their will and who may have been given few resources with which to participate in society. In most non-Anglo cultures, questions are intended to gain information, and it is assumed that a person asking the question truly does not have the information requested (Rogoff, 2003). There are a great many reasons that you would want to discuss different cultures that are relevant to English speaking with your students. A bunch of teachers here, they think they know what's wrong with us. 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