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With students of all walks of life motivated to learn English, there are many cultural sensitivity issues that may arise within an ESL class. To ensure that instructors are teaching without discrimination, prejudice, or bias, it’s important that they address problems that may arise as well as to understand that cultural differences are exactly what makes the unique and vibrant environment that is an ESL classroom. When teachers effectively prepare for the potential issues that can arise regarding cultural sensitivity, they are more capable of improving their students’ English skills, while preventing an American-centric classroom setting. One of the largest problems that ESL teachers face is that their classroom may be populated with students from many different nations. Even students who speak the same native language, for example, Spanish-speaking students from Cuba, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Argentina and Mexico are vastly unique in culture, yet a culturally insensitive teacher may assume they’re all the same. Even students from different regions of a same country will have their own unique cultural belief system and traditions that should be honored and preserved within the class. The first step toward creating a diverse ESL classroom that is welcoming to all cultures is to create a learning environment that recognizes its students’ unique backgrounds in a meaningful way. Classroom appearance can play a big role in this. For example, classroom rules should be posted in a visual manner that speakers of any native language can understand. Cultural representative decorations such as country/world maps and flags can highlight a bit of each nation in a positive way. How teachers arrange their students can also play a big role in creating cultural sensitive agreements within an ESL classroom. Students ought to be encouraged to work with their classmates from different cultures. For instance, resourceful teachers can arrange group projects designed to pair different students in a way that fosters English communication as they share and explore each other’s unique cultures. Encouraging cultural awareness in such a way is a wonderful way to practice cultural sensitivity in an ESL classroom. This can be done in a number of tactics such as projects ranging from autobiographical assignments and oral presentations on students’ native countries to discussing current events from a multicultural point of view. There are many resources on the internet for teachers to find inspiration for assignments and other class time ideas that will require students to reinforce and practice English all while getting a nostalgic sense of home as they share their background while learning about their classmates’. Although teaching American (or English) culture alongside the language is important as well, a balance of culture in an ESL curriculum will help both students and teachers overcome preconceived notions they may have about different cultures. This also helps to create an efficient learning space where everyone is valued for their unique heritages. The ultimate goal of ESL teacher is to not only create bilingual students, but also bicultural students. Teachers can encourage students to adopt a new culture while practicing cultural sensitivity to not diminish their own culture and unique identities. As students learn to compare their original culture with their new one, whether it be English or American, they will gain an appreciation of both without minimizing or disparaging either or. An effective, culturally sensitive classroom setting teaches students the value of embracing and assimilating to a new culture while still celebrating their old cultures. Culturally sensitive teachers who are able to understand the unique heritage and traits of their students will be able to better relate to them. This builds good rapport between teacher and student and leads to more successful progress and more satisfied students who are willing to embrace and learn about new cultures along their English learning journeys.
