In
my previous posts, I have talked about some cultural differences such as
personal space, emphasis on punctuality, expressivity, etc. However, cultural differences also include
differences in manners. Every culture
has its own rule of etiquette: what is considered polite or okay in a country,
can be considered rude or even very offensive in another culture. For example, some cultures like to argue with
you and they don’t consider it rude. Many
places in the world (Latin American countries, for instance) have high tolerance
for noise, especially loud music.
If
we take a quick look at the Internet about the issue, we’ll see that there is etiquette
for tipping, dining, driving, greeting, dressing, etc. There is also cell phone and business etiquette
(how to receive a business card, for example). When traveling abroad, no matter if you are
going to live in another country, doing business or just have fun as a tourist,
it is very important to learn about the new culture you’re going to face. Professor Ivers from BYU-Idaho also gives a precious
tip: “See what everyone else is doing.”
Cultural
diversity in an ESL/EFL class offers both teacher and students the opportunity
to meet and become familiar with various aspects of the students’ home
countries. However, the gap between what
is considered appropriate or inappropriate in a classroom setting can be embarrassing
if the the teacher does not interpret those behavioral displays properly. Teachers and students can have different
paradigms concerning students’ participation in class, use of first name,
discipline, error correction, promptness, etc.
The students’ cultural background often affects the way they interact in
the classroom and how they learn English.
As
an ESL/EFL teacher, we should be aware of teaching without bias, discrimination
or prejudice. Developing cultural
awareness is a process. It begins with
developing a sensitivity and understanding of our students’ beliefs, attitudes,
behaviors and values. It is important to be proactive when it comes to learning
about the different cultural background of the students.
Sources:
Carine, In my post I also cited brother Ivers about see what everyone else is doing. I think this is the best way to avoid misunderstandings, learn without making mistakes or portraying a false image of who we really are.
ResponderExcluirHi Carine! I really like your well-written, organized post and how you tied the topic of manners into the classroom. I'm finding that a student's cultural background really does affect they way someone learns English and interacts in the classroom. Great job!
ResponderExcluir