Miscommunication between Teachers In Terms Of Culture, Language, Generation Differences - Case Study Example

?Miscommunication between Teachers In Terms Of Culture, Language, Generation Differences Introduction The relationship between teachers and their students influence the process of learning. Miscommunication in most cases lead to improper information discourse. Drawbacks in communication may rise from differences inherent in culture, language as well as generational differences. In the following discourse, the paper delves into the relevance of the above in miscommunication between teachers and students. It is a fact that different cultures perceive certain message cues differently and it is no different in the student teacher relationship. Despite the vast amount of information that is now so readily available to the students since the advent of the internet, the teacher still remains the most credible and important source of information for the students which means the miscommunication should be eliminated at all cost. In cases of generational differences, the teacher is in most instances the one in the older generation as compared to the students with the exceptions being the novelty and not the norm. So it’s upon the teacher as the educator to try and understand how to cope with the differences arising with the students as a result of the generation gap. This paper examines that how teaching and culture are interrelated with one another and how it affects the teaching capabilities of an instructor. Educators face a hard time while teaching students with diversified cultural backgrounds. Intercultural miscommunication is a common breakdown that can occur when two different groups belonging from different cultures are brought together. It can adversely affect the academic learning of the students as well as at the same time; educators can also feel the effects on their teaching skills. As a result, it can widen the gulf between the teachers and the students. Culture and language are closely related to each other. Culture plays an important role in structuring a language as it helps that how a language can be used (Liddicoat, 2008). According to Kuo and Lai (2006), culture not only structures a language but it also helps people to form their habits and personal values as well as it directly affect their behavior (p. 5). The question that rises here is; how these factors such as culture, language and generation affect the teaching capabilities of teacher. The Impact of Intercultural Miscommunication and Generation Gap on Students Cultural miscommunication and generation gap can tremendously affect the students. Cultural shock and generation gap can give rise to depression and stress in them. Teachers focus more on building close relation with the students who bear the similar culture and language with them as compare to ones who have hailed from a different background. They focus more on students to absorb the new culture and language which can psychologically damage a student’s mindset, his values and traditions (Anderson, 1992). It is important for the teachers to understand the widening gap and the factors linked with miscommunication in order to overcome. Also, teachers should possess the ability to effectively communicate with the students regardless of any differences and they should focus more on a student’s ability to learn and absorb the knowledge in a better way which could help them to understand their need to be familiar with a new language or culture. They should apply different teaching strategies to overcome the miscommunication such as teachers should engage students in class discussions, help them to become more participative and to help them in absorbing the new culture and language. Implications for Teachers At the same time, teachers should learn to understand that for students it would be difficult to adjust themselves in a different culture which could affect their learning abilities. They should put maximum efforts to overcome miscommunication caused by language and culture. Context There is the occurrence of what has largely been referred to as the generational change. The advent of the new media has brought with it new possibilities. This has led to a developing a wide gap between teachers, most of whom belong to the previous generation, and their students, who embrace the new communication technology thereby creating a divide between the two. This leads to multiple misunderstandings which go as far as affecting how teachers teach and students learn. It is imperative in the relations between the teachers and their students that what the teacher has to convey is understood by the students who need the information being given. However, this does not always occur which leads to ineffective communication and understanding due to the miscommunication. These communication breakdowns frustrate the teachers who are in most cases not aware that they are communicating poorly which further compounds the problem. Definition of Phrases used In the study, a number of new terms used will include: Conceptual- this term refers to the fact of or relating to concepts or to a mental conception. It can be a conceptual discussion that antedated development of the new product or idea hence the term concept. New media-In this case it shall mostly refer to the internet Global village- a whole inclusive world made possible by the internet use. Effective communication- This is the act of engaging in communication that is devoid of miscommunications and in which all the parties involved understand well what is being put across by the opposite party. Review of Literature There is present in most classrooms some form or other of double-speak which can be easily identified. Teachers are guilty of frequently employing phrases that tend to possess double meanings. The teachers in so doing usually know what they are trying to convey to their students but their failure to articulate themselves effectively is a chief foundation of continuing disappointment, these double-speak phrases are usually not hard to identify, and they normally are very easy to misunderstand. The research compositions exhibited by Putnam (1995) exponentially explain the relevance of education in the development of culture, language and generation differences. According to various indicators studied across the globe, Elmer and Frazer (1999) explain the involuntary nature of the accorded principle in educational distributive mechanism. As such, the educational concept has been vitally viewed in form of the development of notable principles that have been intended to equip an individual and hence expand the greater interest of the cultural survival. The study reflection showed that a more practical portion of institutional functionality is based on the communication strategies of any given social class, and the institution is wholly developed basing on the actions and cultural matters that are jointly measured in view of the co-operational compositions. In view of the educational mainstreams, the behaviors that are classified as civic have been expressed by Hall (1999) as truly entrusted as a clear measure to enrich the educational values. The relevance demonstrated in parts expresses a powerful reflection of human concept versus culture, language and generation differences and how educational values have contributed to the development of cultural participation. This has precisely showed the rate at which civic engagements have been captivated by influential behaviors noting in contexts the individualistic measures including social therapies, social change and addressable factors which have for years transformed the nature of human composition. Emler and Frazer (1999) have demonstrated that virtually every single apparatus is conceptually developmental and that the questions relating to social change are capitalized by variables which are in themselves highly causative. The implications based on studies of James Coleman expresses the measures related to social dependence and the variables that had been developed to ensure that key outcomes are facilitated would give the system a new change and as such, major generations would be based on analyses of educational values. In view of the effects related to social change, the societal effects have been aided by resources and skills available at both personal and co-operative levels. The societal level is in itself a conceptual measure that defines the educational relevance in any conceptual apparatus. This has shown that the norms, networks and functional human capitals have been transferred from one level to another with special deliberations on resource availability. As such, the societal institutions that have been factored with social relations have worked through the transformational networks to ensure that a huge participatory level would be envisioned in order to address the effects f societal aggregation and institute important areas required in controlling the institutions as well as the cultures which are all developmental. In principle, the development of the required skills represent an empirical formula that works on social cohesion that is at the same time required in developing the micro societal values. The argumentative factor has demonstrated the society as a mainframe area which represents the apparatus required diagnosing and reimbursing the required factors as represented by the theoretical links and in particular the norms that have for years transformed the society. Coleman (1988) has shown that the major constituents of any extensive development in miscommunications are ideally addressed through the assimilation of language resources and through the analysis of properties that are overly demonstrated by trusts and analogies that support human capital. The central concerns are factored through extensive development of the local communities and this has shown that the expressive interaction would apply a more successful encounter in the creation of a more apt educational system. The assumption that was created as a measure to counter react the surveillance of culture, language and generation differences was based on unexplored information and this pointed out at the constituents of a community with dissimilar components. The realities that were based on these assumptions showed that peace and cooperation could be developed basing on a number interests. These hence show valuable engagements which are particularly demonstrated by Schuller, Baron & Field, (2000) as useful components of a teacher. The other factors were particularly comprehended and richly demonstrated as important deposits required in any active society and with which would classically give a study pattern a renewed interest. The cohesive society, according to Nie et al (1996) is one that has a contemporary model and one which is capable of meeting its objectives. Key outcomes are effectively demonstrated to be highly developmental and are particularly enriched by relevant factors that the society would require in order to richly exhibit change. The key realities within theorists include having norms and values that are society based which will ultimately control any form of miscommunication. This would be considered in a nutshell as important derivatives required for the application of highly cohesive mechanisms such as evasion of wars in a teaching profession clearly exploring peaceful reaction to conflicts. The competences that are grossly affected at the society are either directly or indirectly availed at various compositions. The networks are themselves availed to give the system a relatively new cognitive approach with an effective educational capability. As such, engagements are all supplemented through the education of people and further through the creation of highly debatable compositions in a social environment. The social network has been viewed to be relatively influential and key positions do engage the participating institutions in various cycles of work developments. Work status has been centrally supported by cultural engagements and the outcomes are influenced subsequently by raising the working styles of individual units. The facilitations are totally engaged by educational effects and job status has further showed that the engagement of active politics within a moderated level has in a nutshell served to give groups at the society the ability to engage themselves in a growing trend. A number of positions have over time served to ensure that simple levels of cultural affiliations have directly given positive outcomes and equally allowed people to centrally manage their day to day businesses. Hypothesis: Miscommunication between Teachers and Students are due to Culture, Language, and Generation Differences These are questions that will aid the determination of the research problem. Some of these will include: How does the internet affect physical interaction between teachers and their students? What are the most common differences exhibited by the teachers from their students? Method of data collection The study will use a number of data collection techniques including interviews, the use of questionnaires, and observation. These are all geared towards maximizing on the collection of the relevant data required to form a correct conclusion. The interviews will mainly target the teachers and also the students who are under the specific teacher. The questionnaires will also help to get the students to answer questions they might ordinarily be afraid to answer in the presence of the teachers as they offer a certain degree of anonymity. Through observing the interactions between the teachers and the students, we shall be able to judge first hand what the inadequacies of the teacher’s mode of communication and its effects are on the teaching process. Method of analysis The data obtained will be analyzed through a number of ways. It will be statistically analyzed through quantitative as well as qualitative techniques. Besides, primary and secondary documents will also be evaluated through thorough scrutiny and extensive reading to authenticate similarity of facts. Research Design The study will be descriptive survey which utilized questionnaires which will be provisionally distributed among the selected professionals within the compositions relevant within the socialistic environment. Further, details were also obtained through the appropriate socialistic levels. Delanty, (2000) express the contexts in availing sustaining design methods that would provisionally create subsequently adequate information for research. Practically therefore, the empirical evidence displayed the relevance of research statistics and the vital data capture within the study environment. The research further illustrated the phenomenal accuracy of data versus the correlative information synthesis. Additionally, there was a relative implementation of interview schedules to the major players that composed of various parents, educational administrators and teachers across the education framework as well as the external factor support that provisionally supports data acquisition protocol. The study design was aimed at collecting data at a particular point and using it to describe the nature of the existing condition. The study design focused on education, social cohesion and equality within the framework of educational development and their impact on the larger environment. This study will be done with special reference to the miscommunications and their virtual impact on one another will be keenly focused. The core objectives include acquiring relevant study materials which provided a great deal of information. Through descriptive survey, views, opinions, attitudes and suggestions of educational practice will be collected. The research employs both qualitative and quantitative approach. The researcher will choose specific designs due to its appropriateness in the study and in general terms it enabled the researcher to carry out research on the impacts of these core models in an educational environment and how educational factors could have huge influence on factors relating to educational systems. Indeed the study focused its situational analysis and provisional study limits extending to 3 category platforms as well as gathering data from additional states in order to satisfactorily create a standard depiction of data from the idealized education, culture and communication cycles. Research population The area of study covered the 3 specific areas and their influence on educational values. Further, other major social mainstreams such as the language, cultural differences, other states and external systems composed the entire system of the study. The system of study comprised 4 patterned research stations and a total conceptual population of 15 educational experts from major social institutions. The participants will be major social experts from the standardized institutions who were subsequently introduced to the study objectives and were asked to provide a shared view of the research being carried out. In line of the motivational cycle, the productivity level were separately considered and partitioned for appropriate reclassification of data. The inclusion of educational values will be necessitated by the expected gains that will be made in response to the conditional environmental research aspects as well as the underlying principles which suffocated critically affected the social status of the educational system and these areas are expected to provide the conditions and environment for research besides their personal contributions through the questionnaires. In the research patterns as well, other stakeholders will also give their opinions through the interview schedules. These three categories of participants form the sample size. Sample and sampling procedures Sample Size According to Fine & Green, (2000) the evidenced sample would involve a standard number of respondents whose relevance would be sustained throughout the research. The sample consisted of 30 respondents: - 15 teachers and 15 students who were given the research questionnaire to fill out with their answers. Sampling procedure The sampling procedure used will also be purposive sampling and will be used to obtain the sampled institutions for launching the research. Simple random sampling will be used to select respondents from those institutions to avoid biased information. This ensured that all social respondents and policy makers in the roundup of the sampled social institutions are represented. Survey Analysis: The basic aim to carry out the survey was to determine the answers for the following research questions: How does the internet affect physical interaction between teachers and their students? What are the most common differences exhibited by the teachers from their students? The participants (15 teacher and 15 students) were randomly selected from the well known institutes. They were given the questionnaire (Appendix 1). Response from teachers: Response From Students: Data Analysis: The data gathered from the teachers and students was in raw form. The questionnaire was aimed to extract the definite answers from the two groups. Therefore, they were asked closed-ended questions. Following is the interpretation and analysis of the data: Results Obtained from the Interview Conducted with the Teachers and the Students The results obtained from the interview conducted with the teachers and the students show that: 75% of the teachers agree that they feel language, cultural differences and generation gap as the main factors affecting their interaction with the students from culturally diverse backgrounds. Similarly 80% of the teachers agree that they feel more comfortable to communicate with the students from similar backgrounds or with the same language. 60% teachers think that cultural diversity cannot affect the quality of the education however, 20% teachers think that it could affect the quality of the education and it depends on a teacher that how he/she overcomes this factor. 80-90% teachers do not feel any hesitation or discomfort in teaching the students from a different background. On the other hand, 80-90% teachers use different techniques in classrooms to overcome the gap between the teachers and the students. They focus on more class discussions, increased student-teacher interactions and sometimes, they focus on more communication approaches. Almost 95% teachers believe that communicating with students from a different background help them to enhance their teaching skills. They find it more interesting and challenging and at the same time, it helps them to analyze their strengths and weaknesses. Different teachers point out different areas where they lack good command. Some believe that they take plenty of time in understanding what their students are trying to convey to them while some find it difficult to interpret certain things clearly to their students and others believe that they fail to response quickly to their students. Students: 60% students think that cultural differences, language and generation gap do not hinder their learning process while 30% students find it hard to cope with the demands of studying in a different environment. Only 10% of the students are found to be not sure whether they feel difficult in understanding the curriculum or not. 70-80% students do not find it hard to convey their messages to their teachers because they think that their teachers have been quite helpful in this regard. Only 30% students find it hard to make their teachers understand what they are trying to say in clear words. 90% students think that their teachers really put their utmost efforts in making them understand everything through class discussions and enhanced class participation. They think that through enhanced class discussions and 100% participation in the class can help them overcoming the gulf with their teachers and other fellows. Conclusion: From the results obtained we can conclude that teachers and students put real efforts in understanding each other despite their differences. Teachers need to focus on how they can increase the participation of the students in classroom and how they can enhance their own teaching skills. On the other hand, students appreciate the efforts of their teachers and complain very little about the differences they encounter while studying in a different setting. They believe that they can overcome the differences by participating thoroughly in the classroom and their teachers have been a great help to them in this regard. Summary Change is inevitable; the changes in communication mechanisms have made the world a global village thereby making communication easier. However, this has had a number of influences with the education sector being affected the most. Works Cited Andrew, Hacker. The rich and everyone else. New York: Mc Graw Hill, 2005. Print. Anderson, G. Multicultural Sensitivity: An essential skill for the ESL/EFL teacher, 1992. (ERIC Document: ED350836). Cheryl, Glen. The Harbrace Guide to Writing, Concise. New York: Wadsworth Publishing, 2011. Print. Claudia Wallis. How to Make Great Teachers. New York: Time magazine, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008. Print. Coon, David and Mitterer, Joel. Psychology: A journey. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2011. Print. Coleman, J. Social Capital and the Creation of human Capital. 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Appendix 1: Survey Questions: Participants: Teachers and the Students For Teachers: 1- Do they feel language and culture as a barrier for them to communicate with the students? a- Yes b- No 2- Can generation gap be the other affecting their interactions with the students? a- Yes b- No 3- Do you think that you can communicate easily with the students from the similar cultural background or language as of yours? a- Yes b- No 4- Do you think cultural diversity can adversely affect the quality of the education you are providing to your students? a- Yes b- No 5- Do you feel uncomfortable while teaching to students who have a different cultural background or language? a- Yes b- No c- Sometimes 6- Do you use any techniques in the classroom to overcome the interpersonal and communication gaps between you and the students? a- Yes b- No c- Sometimes 7- If yes, please mention your technique: 8- Do you think these differences can hinder your overall teaching abilities? a- Yes b- No 9- How good are you while connecting with your students in class? a- Good b- Fairly Good c- Excellent d- I am trying 10- Do you think teaching students with different cultural backgrounds and language can enhance your teaching abilities? a- Yes b- No 11- If yes, then how? 12- Do you think you need to improve your teaching abilities for that specific group? a- Yes b- No c- I am perfect! 13- Since no one is perfect; please tell us any one dark area where you lack the basic teaching skills? From Students: 1- Do you think that cultural differences and languages can be barrier in your learning abilities? a- Yes b- No c- Not Sure 2- Do you think that generation gap with your teachers can hinder your learning abilities and relations with the teachers? a- Yes b- No 3- Do you find difficulty in conveying your messages to your teacher effectively? a- Yes b- No c- I don’t know 4- Do you put efforts in overcoming that gulf of differences with your teachers? a- Yes b- No 5- Do your teachers help you out knowing your cultural and language differences a- Yes b- No 6- Do you see your teachers putting efforts in making you understand something which you don’t? a- Yes b- No c- Sometimes 7- Do you see any improvement in their teaching abilities especially with students from different cultural backgrounds? a- Yes b- No 8- Tell us one technique which you have found useful in overcoming the gap with your teachers and other fellow students? 9- How good your teachers are with you when it comes to interactions? a- Good b- Fair c- Excellent Read More