Cultural InfluenceThere are complex linguistic and cultural factors that affect students' communication and behavior in an educational setting. It is imperative that instructors develop culturally competent strategies for discovering the cultural expectations of students and/or the administrative staff of the institution.
This applies to both expatriate instructors teaching in mono-lingual/mono cultural classrooms as well as local instructors teaching in multi-lingual/multi-cultural classrooms. … to teach a foreign language is also to teach a foreign culture, and it is important to teach a foreign culture, and it is important to be sensitive to the fact that our students, our colleges, our administrators, and, if we live abroad, our neighbors, do not share all of our cultural paradigms" (Englebert, 2004). |
Characteristics of Second Language Learners |
Professor of education, Robert Kizlik, Ph.D., blogs extensively on classroom management techniques. Here is a brief outline on his principles of instruction for teaching English to speakers of other languages(ESOL).
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Cultural Differences |
Cultural norms vary from country to country, region to region, city to city, and family to family. As instructors, it is our goal to at the very to least gain an understanding of the learner's perspective. Woolward (1997) explains that “identity gives an idea of who we are and of how we relate to others and to the world in which we live" (cited in Beaudrie, et al, 2009). When building awareness of our differences in the classroom, we can reflect on:
EAST ASIAN STUDENTS East asian students tend to be more group-minded and non-confrontational. In a classroom, the language instructor can expect non-verbal cues from the students and limited eye-contact. Although students are highly motivated and academically competitive, there is a strong fear of failure and publicly 'losing face'. Follow the resource link below to read more about the difference between eastern and western classroom culture.
CENTRAL EUROPEAN STUDENTS Many students in this region are familiar with the not-so-distant stringent learning environments of the past marked by unforgiving instructors selected and trained by the communist controlled territories. As a result, students still tend to be suspicious of authority and yet feel nostalgia for the strong criticism they had grown accustomed to in past educational settings. Students are straightforward, outspoken, and tend to limit self-disclosure to close friends and family. |
Resources to explore:
Classroom Management, AdPrima, by Robert Kizlik
English Learning Styles of Students from East Asian Countries: A Focus on Reading Strategies
Learning through the eyes of Eastern and Western European university students: Mind or virtue-oriented?
Gaining and Losing Face in China
Classroom Management, AdPrima, by Robert Kizlik
English Learning Styles of Students from East Asian Countries: A Focus on Reading Strategies
Learning through the eyes of Eastern and Western European university students: Mind or virtue-oriented?
Gaining and Losing Face in China
References
Beaudrie, S., Ducar, C., & Relano-Pastor, A. M. (2009). Curricular perspective in the heritage language teaching: Assessing, culture and identity. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 22(2), 157-174. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07908310903067628
Englebert, J. (2004). Character or culture? EFL Journal, 24(2), 37-41
Englebert, J. (2004). Character or culture? EFL Journal, 24(2), 37-41