Cross-Cultural Communication and Understanding
OBJECTIVES:
Upon completion of all the readings and assignments, you will:
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Identify the “meaning” of culture.
Differentiate between Acculturation and Assimilation.
Conceptualize instructional and interpersonal sensitivities necessary for
successful “schooling” of culturally and linguistically diverse students.
Examine the influence of one’s culture on learning.
Analyze similarities and differences of two identified cultures.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------CULTURE:
Culture is an important and interesting topic in the field of Teaching English
as a Second Language. So, what is culture? Well, different anthropologists
and others define culture differently, nevertheless, they all agree on certain
characteristics and aspects that relate to culture.
First, let’s look at some definitions of culture. The anthropologist E. B. Tylor
(1974) writes that “Culture…is that complex whole which includes
knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and
habits acquired by man as a member of society.” Richard D. Bucher writes:
“Culture refers to our way of life, including everything that is learned,
shared, and transmitted from one generation to the next.”
Here are some of the most basic characteristics of culture:
Culture is learned. Humans are not born with one particular culture or
another. We learn the different patterns of our culture through social
interaction with our family members, peers, and other individuals in our
society. The need for food is physiological. Eating cereal for breakfast,
however, is a learned behavior that can be traced to certain cultures but not
all. It is not genetic.
Culture is also shared. Humans acquire culture as members of a group or a
society. Cultures create social boundaries. There is, for example, a culture of
adolescence as well as a culture of a larger group of people such as the
French culture.
Culture components are interrelated. The different traits of a culture are
always interconnected. The life style of a certain group will be affected by a
number of factors including different roles, values, rituals, and even material
things.
Some aspects of culture change over time. Humans not only carry the
culture of their specific groups but they also modify it. Some cultures borrow
a great deal from each other and, therefore, they change over time.
It is critical to remember, however, that it is very rare to find individuals
within any cultural group who are completely alike. We need to observe and
ask questions before we make any assumptions about any person or family
from a certain culture.
Students’ culture will play a major role in their learning. The way students
interact with their teachers, the way they respond to questions, the way
they interact with their peers, the way they view education, the way they
view family, and the way they value work are all factors that play a role in
the learning process. We have students who consider family more important
than anything else. We have students who avoid eye contact with their
teachers as a sign of respect. One’s religion is also a part of one’s culture
and sometimes it plays a significant role in the students’ behavior. The
perception of time is yet another aspect that is closely related to culture.
We cannot discuss culture without discussing Acculturation and Assimilation.
What do these two terms mean and how important are they to the transition
ELLs make from their native culture to the new/target culture?
In the past, immigrants were expected to assimilate. Teachers, and others,
pushed for assimilation. “The faster people assimilate, the better” some
would say. Okay, so what does it mean to acculturate and to assimilate?
Acculturation: “It is a process whereby an individual or group incorporates
one or more cultural traits of another group, resulting in a blend of cultural
patterns. Cultural change and accommodation through acculturation does
not necessarily mean loss of the original cultural identity.” (Ovando, 2006)
Assimilation: “It is a process in which an individual or group completely
takes on the traits of another culture, leaving behind the ancestral culture.”
(Ovando, 2006)
Now that we all know the definition of both acculturation and assimilation,
we need to remember that one’s loss of the native culture (assimilation)
could have a damaging effect on the individual’s sense of pride and
belonging to a group. We, as educators, should not encourage assimilation
but encourage acculturation as much as possible.
The term “America is a melting pot” was introduced decades ago with good
intentions, however, it is no longer desirable because it implies loss of
identity. A person dissolves into a mixture. We do not want people to lose
their identity in the process of becoming Americans. America is a “rich”
country because of its people and their different backgrounds. So, these
days when we describe our diversity we use different metaphors such as a
mosaic.
It is important to remember that the United States of America is a unique
country and that its citizens belong to many races and ethnic groups. Some
argue that unless a person is 100% Native American, he or she is an
immigrant or at least his or her ancestors came from different countries. I
am pretty confident that they all have or had interesting stories to tell about
their journey to the New World. Regardless of their ethnic groups or origins,
these different individuals contribute a great deal to this country and its rich
history.
Culture and Language are interrelated and, therefore, it is essential that we
understand the role of culture in education. Culture affects the students’
relationship with their teachers, their peers, their views and feelings toward
education, and their learning styles. Some students come from a culture
which encourages the expression of oneself verbally while others might
discourage that. Some students might find it difficult to speak in class out of
respect to the teacher while others might feel comfortable to share their
feelings, thoughts, and ideas. Some students might shy away from making
eye contact with the teacher because it is a sign of disrespect in their culture
and others might consider not looking someone in the eye while speaking as
rude and disrespectful. Some students, especially at the early stages, feel
uncomfortable participating in group work at school not because they do not
have anything to say but rather because they were raised to believe that the
teacher is the one who is in charge in the classroom and should do all the
talking. Sometimes culture will influence the independence or dependence of
the students on their teachers. There are so many different possibilities,
therefore, we need to be careful and avoid making assumptions until we
learn more about our students and their families.
PREJUDICE, DISCRIMINATION, AND STEREOTYPE:
These are all affected by culture and language (among other variables).
Some people tend to exaggerate certain characteristics of a group or
generalize because of the behavior of a few individuals and this normally
results in prejudice, discrimination, and/or stereotyping. This is why
education is so important. The more we learn about different groups and
different races the more we realize that we actually have more in common
than we have differences.
We need to make multicultural education a part of our everyday interaction
with our students as much as we can. When we show respect and when we
value different people and their cultures and languages, we become role
models for all students.
STAGES OF CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT:
Please examine the stages below. You will see that students go through
different stages as they try to adjust to this new culture. It is truly an
interesting process. Some educators seem to think that most people go
through these stages regardless of their immigration status. A student
moving to a new region of the country with its unique regional culture and
accent, a person starting a new job, a person getting married, a person
going to college for the first time, etc… They could all go through the stages
of cultural adjustment.
Stages of Cultural Adjustment
Culture shock is experienced by every newcomer. For some the adjustment
is fairly rapid, but for others, it is a long and difficult process. Four stages of
cultural adjustment have been identified by Gregory Trifonovitch.
The Honeymoon Stage
Characterized by exhilaration, anticipation, and excitement.
A student in the honeymoon stage is eager to please and to learn. He is
cooperative and enthusiastic—a joy to teach. BUT in his eagerness to
please, he may nod or smile to indicate understanding when in fact he has
not understood at all.
When misunderstandings mount up, he is likely to experience the second
stage.
The Hostility Stage
Characterized by frustration, anger, fear, and sometimes physical illness.
A student becomes tired of the strain of listening and speaking in English,
embarrassed by his failure and mistakes, frustrated that his progress seems
so slow and perhaps angry that his parents have placed him in such an
unhappy situation.
Students tend to blame the environment for their problems. They become
hostile toward the school, the teacher, and other students. They are difficult
to work with and will try your patience and your tolerance.
Typical problems are fits of anger, lack of motivation, frequent absences,
and, at worst, withdrawal—the “I don’t care, anyway” attitude. These
students need patience, support, firm and caring persistence so that they
can begin to experience the third stage of adjustment.
The Humor Stage
As the student begins to relax, he can laugh at the mistakes and
misunderstandings which no longer seem quite so overwhelming.
Students begin to make friends and discover they can manage the daily
routines at school -- no longer feeling as though they are always lost,
confused, or misunderstood.
These students are generally easy to work with because they are relaxed,
receptive, and understand your directions.
The Home Stage
When the student feels “at home” in his new environment, he has learned to
live and work in two cultures. Still loyal to his own culture, he is able to
learn and to grow just as well in his new “home.”
…Compiled by Sue Sandeen, Gainesville, FL
GOOD BOOK:
I recommend a book published by the University of Michigan Press called
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS, AN EDUCATIONAL,
CULTUREAL, AND LINGUISTIC GUIDE. Flaitz et al. This book has great
information about different cultures and the authors relate them to
educational issues.
Additional Readings:
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Check the culture related articles at this link:
http://www.cal.org Enter the word culture in the search box
and look at the different articles and websites. They are all very
informative.
This link offers cultural information for business travelers that
you will find helpful
http://www.executiveplanet.com/index.php?title=Main_Page
This links will take you to an International body language quiz
http://www.parkrideflyusa.com/blog/2008/05/01/internatio
nal-body-language-gestures-manners-dont-be-that-guy/
This link presents nonverbal communication in the Latin culture
http://www.spanishprograms.com/spanish-culture.htm
This link takes you to a list of dos and don’ts in the Thai Culture
http://customsholidays.suite101.com/article.cfm/thai_culture
Culture Exercise:
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Do the culture exercise (highlighted in orange below) and
respond to the reflection question regarding values.
CULTURE EXERCISE - I want you to get a sheet of paper and a pen
and write down the top 5-10 values you cherish the most. I am sure
some of you are thinking “What is value?!” Here is a good definition
of VALUE: it is anything you place importance on. Examples:
punctuality, family, religion, education, morality, work and work
ethics, respect for animals, art, and/or protecting the environment.
Now, describe each one of your values. What do they mean to you?
What are the common characteristics of these values?
Next, I want you to determine if you feel that most English Language
Learners would agree with your list or not.
Here is a good REFLECTION QUESTION: What if your most important
value is someone else’s least important VALUE and vice versa? What
could happen? What should teachers do?
Assignment:
Step 1: Review the readings and websites designated.
Step 2: Using the included elements create ‘profiles’ of cultural
characteristics associated with two cultures. Identify a culture
from one of each group of geographical regions to develop your
profiles:
Group A: Northern Europe, Australia, Africa
Group B: South America, Asia, Pacific Islands, Southern Europe
Step 3: Write an analysis of the similarities and differences of
these two cultures. How would the current approaches in US
schools be positive or negative for learners from those
cultures?
NOTE: Although it is extremely beneficial to learn as much as
we can about different groups, it is just as important that we
remind ourselves that we need to treat people as individuals.
There are variations within groups and teachers should learn as
much as they can about the students with whom they are
working.
Possible features one can examine in the research:
1. Education and attitude towards education.
2. Family unit/family structure.
3. Religions and how they affect dress code, eating habits,
celebration of special days, etc.
4. Individualistic society vs. pluralistic society. Are people
encouraged to be individuals or are they expected to conform to
a certain kind of lifestyle?
5. Attitude towards time.
6. Social interactions, roles of genders, social class, age, and body
language are good points to consider when researching a
culture.