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What is Culture? “The unique system of beliefs, attitudes, customs and behaviors that identify a particular group. Cultural norms guide behavior and determine thoughts and actions. Culture contributes to social and physical activity.” 1 To understand the cultural differences that an ESL teacher may encounter when teaching in a foreign country, research into that culture needs to be done. Learn as much as you can about the traditions, behaviors, and the subtler aspects of the culture that you can. When a new teacher arrives in a new country, they need to know the proper way to greet people in that country. They need to know if it is proper to remove their shoes before entering a building or if they should cover their heads, if they are female, etc. One must also reflect on their own culture and their perception of certain behaviors of the culture of the people in the country to which they are going. We may assume that if a student avoids eye contact that the student is shy, but the reality of that culture may be that casting the eyes downward may be a demonstration of respect. In Asia, for instance, there are taboos associated with certain parts of the body. It is disrespectful to touch the top of the heads or show the soles of your feet to Asian students. The family authority lies with different people in different cultures. A teacher needs to learn whether the mother or the father serves as the head of the family. This is important when holding parent/teacher conferences or other meeting with parents. It is very important that you take the time to learn the proper pronunciation of student names and possibly the meaning of interesting and diverse names. To become more familiar with the ethnic and cultural background of your students use activities to encourage them to share some of their beliefs and traditions. Celebrate their holidays in your classroom so your students realize that you care about knowing their culture. Share some of your culture and traditions and discuss the differences with your students. Be sure to respect the differences in traditions and do not consider something as right or wrong. Another way that the teacher can create a more open and caring environment is to reduce the power difference between the teacher and the student by becoming more of a facilitator than an instructor. Your curriculum should be very inclusive of different cultural aspects. Use classroom activities that encourage students to get to know each other’s cultures. Incorporate activities that highlight differences in cultural aspects, such as holiday pictures, costumes or traditions. Cultural differences may also include the types of stories you read, music and videos you use. Always be sensitive to language concerns and maintain a high expectation for student performance. Do not assume that because a student does not participate fully that the student does not understand what is being taught. Their culture may call for a more reserved attitude. You may want to use more student to student or one on one teaching methods. Doing your research before going to a new country will save you a lot of embarrassment because you will know the proper etiquette of that country. Once you are aware of the cultural differences you will be better equipped to create lesson plans and activities that are inclusive of those differences, therefore making your teaching experience much more pleasant and fulfilling. 1. Safe and Caring Schools for Newcomer Students, ATA 2003, 9
