Language Teacher Emphasis - Essay Example

Running Head: LANGUAGE TEACHERS EMPHASIS Language and Culture Name Institution Date Language teachers should emphasize on what unites us rather than the differences involved across cultures. This is with the aim of promoting intercultural rather than cross cultural communication in an increasingly globalized world. Though different in cultural perspectives, there still remains an aspect of humanity that unites us all regardless of our cultures. However, this should not assume the importance of understanding the differences that exists across cultures. Teachers should therefore help students understand the cultural factors, get an insight into cultural identity, open up their minds understanding and readiness to existing cultural differences and the skills to identify and bridge existing gaps. As much as emphasis is place of what unites us, respect for our cultural difference must exist. This way, we become prepared for communication across cultural borders which are an everyday occurrence. Over and above every form of competence in speaking, creating a common ground in the interaction. This is much importance than emphasizing on pronunciations and the general knowledge of other cultures. The ability to create a common ground results in successful communication which should be of more concern to English teachers. When much emphasis is place on existing cultural differences, the results are likely to be poor communication and frustration as existing gaps continue to widen. However, this does not mean that a clear understanding of our cultural differences should be ignored. In essence, an English teacher should be in a position to anticipate the learners’ needs and identify the means by which these can be met. With the knowledge that education is multicultural field, much emphasis should be placed in cultural awareness, cultural competence and cultural standards. According to Wardhaugh, (1998), culture and language are inseparable but rather interconnected in the sense that language is the main constituent of culture. It is therefore imperative for a foreign language teacher to make his students fully aware of the culture of the foreign language before he embarks on the course contents. In so doing, students will develop a positive attitude towards the course and it will enable them to appreciate the language hence an effective learning environment is created. I have considered the analysis of the system of teaching English language in Malaysia which is a multicultural country. Malaysia is characterized by differences among its people which arise from difference in culture, ethnicity, status and individual differences. Research carried out in different learning institutions across this country have indicated that the factors mentioned above have contributed a lot to the attitude of students and teachers towards teaching process of foreign languages. Most Malaysians do not speak in English and there has been a perception that learning of English language will erode away the cultural values of the learners. Majority of the Malaysians still think that use of the English language in the teaching process will consequently make the students forget their native language. These beliefs and perceptions have been major drawback towards achievement of a strong economy that definitely requires graduates who can speak, write and basically communicate in English language effectively. In my opinion, language teachers should place much emphasis on ways that unite people across different cultural backgrounds rather than on the differences in the cultures. Cultural competence of any language teacher begins by understanding culture and acknowledging that in the era that we are living, in education is becoming multicultural. Cultural incompetence by a language teacher in a classroom characterized by culture diversity, may lead to miscommunication and undesirable behaviors among the students. The consequences of such behavior are that it creates a barrier between the student and his tutor, his family and the entire community. Ultimately, the emotional, academic and social expectations of such a student are hampered and the end results may be detrimental. With such an understanding, it can be clearly stated that cultural competence of a language teacher is not an option but rather a necessity. In addition, it is not a skill that educators will chose to acquire at ones pleasure but a foundation that all language teachers in their respective institutions should strive to have in order to achieve their teaching goals. The importance of cultural competencies in any given learning institution cannot be overemphasized since it is a stepping stone toward attainment of high academic achievements as well as building a healthy and emotional environment for both the teachers and the students. According to Olsen, Bhattacharya & Scharf (2006), a language teacher should understand five major things about culture; there exists a thick line in the diversity of all cultures, everyone has a culture, cultures are dynamic, cultures must not necessarily have defined causes and differences in power and status complicates cultural differences. Valuing diversity should be the starting point towards acquisition of cultural competence for language teachers. This means that the teacher should be in the position to identify the different cultures represented in his class and have an in depth understanding regarding all these cultures so that he get to appreciate all of them. Another behavior that is important in developing cultural competence is conducting cultural self- assessment. Self-assessment entails undertaking a personal reflection on things done by other culture that might not be too appealing to you and trying to find ways in which one can cope with them whenever they come up during the teaching process. Knowledge on different cultures is also key point in developing cultural competence. This can be achieved by referring to literature materials as well as the web on the different practices across cultures such as the mode of dressing, staple food of different communities, and ways of communication among other factors. This enables the tutor to know what is expected of his students and it is also an important tool in eliminating disputes and misunderstanding with his students. In the situation where a teacher is posted to teach in a school away from his community, he should be able to adapt to the cultural diversity of the community he is serving and fit in their cultural context in all ways possible. A teacher who is culturally competent should also embrace culture dynamism in such a way that he is ready to accommodate changes in behavior of his students as a result of change in cultural practices from the community they come from (Cowan, 2006). Cultures are interpreted and understood differently by different people due to differences in patterns of behavior, beliefs and values. Culture can enhance between people in a given setting or bring disintegration between them since culture is understood differently by different people (Cakir, 2006). Students in class characterized by students from diverse cultural backgrounds will communicate differently which will in return affect the learning process directly. Cultural awareness in this context will come in handy to avoid situations where student’s performances are affected simply due to their cultural background. According to Gonzalez (2005) cultural awareness is process that continuous to progress and develop throughout life and entails being conversant with one’s culture as well as knowing the culture of others. It suggests a better understanding of the differences in the ways of life between communities with respect to values, beliefs, customs and norms. Gonzalez (2005) points out that by encouraging cultural awareness among people of different walks of life will enhance relationships, collaborations and interactions. Effective communication in classroom setting is dependent on cultural awareness of the students as well as the teachers themselves (Quappe and Catatore, 2007). The extent to which one understands his culture and that of others determines how one reacts to actions done by people of a different culture, attitude and behavior of learning. Therefore, in the light of the role of cultural awareness, it is vital for teachers to incorporate components of different cultures into their programs as a strategy of improving learning process. Institutes that have integrated culture aspects into their system have demonstrated appreciation and understanding of intercultural differences. Incidences of misunderstanding and misinterpretations are rare in such an environment and better results are always the end results. As much as the mode of teaching a language matters, it is of paramount importance that the teacher places more emphasis on what is being taught than how it is being taught. Teaching standards are used to achieve this objective since they provide a focus on the course contents and give a description of what is to be taught and the approach that will be taken in achieving this. From a cultural perspective, a language teacher should design his instructional and curricular strategy in such a way that it does not only focus on the language but more importantly how it is communicated (Kramsch, 1993). Since students have different view of things and draw different inferences from them depending on their cultural background, instructors should encourage students to speak out their opinions and responses concerning problem encountered during the learning process. Sharing of such ideas will not only motivate students to think critically but will also cause them to broaden their thinking capacity and be able to look at things in the way other people view them. Provision of regular assessments is important in helping the students identify their weak points hence make any relevant improvements. Students are also able to evaluate their understanding of the foreign language based on the performance of the assessments. Students, who perform well in foreign languages, be it English or any other seem to appreciate the subject and hence the culture form where the language has originated. When students share ideas on cultural basis, it is easier to remember those concepts during exams and therefore it is the responsibility of the language teacher to divide discussion groups in such a way that culture diversity is evident in each group. Every student in the group will be motivated to explain something to his fellow students from a different culture in a way that makes sense to them and in the process make them appreciate his culture. It has been proved that teachers can actual affect the speed in which the learner capture a foreign language in terms of reading and writing by encouraging them to learn new languages. Teaching language learning skills is an inspirational tool for the students to learn other languages other than English. English which happens to be an international language should be a compulsory language in all learning institutions more so in Malaysia. English serves as vehicle that enables the students to interact with people of other countries, races and cultures. The most appropriate way to emphasize this aspect to both learners and instructors is to establish a system that incorporates intercultural communication into English language lessons. Understanding of the English language gives the learners the urge to learn other languages as well as studying of other cultures. Learning English acts as an eye opener to the students on the importance of learning foreign languages and languages with the most important one being enhancement and building of their career prospects (Lustig & Koester, 1999). According to Jackson (2006), teachers should be well equipped with skills of dealing with cultural dynamism in a manner that meets the needs of each and every student in classroom. Moore et al (1998) conducted a survey in over 100 schools in Texas to investigate if foreign language teachers made use of technology in teaching of culture. The research sought to find out if technological resources such as CD-ROMs, videodiscs and computer networks are used in classroom activities to teach on matters concerning culture. The survey revealed that Japanese teachers made most use of technology devices in the teaching process and especially in the use of World Wide Web. In the growing technological world in is recommendable that teachers encourage their students to use such resources in order to take advantage of networking and real time communication in understanding cultural diversities and behavior. Social networking such as Facebook and tutter are important devices in mending the gap existing between cultures across the world. By encouraging students to register in such programs the teacher stands to benefit since his class will comprise students who appreciate cultural diversity in addition to exploration of a variety of cultural product. When teacher forms a low opinion on a student and hence undermines the expectations of a student based on limited cultural and intellect sophistication may subsequently lead to deterioration in the performance of the student. The perception that some students cannot achieve high grades is definitely a misinformation which should be abolished from the minds of educators. According to Cakir (2006), victims of these misconceptions form a self-fulfilling prophecy and their performance may remain low as much as they have the ability to produce better results. The need for equality of students should be a basic requirement for teacher having classes in culturally diverse classes. They must refocus and review their beliefs about linguistically and culturally diverse students by transforming their low opinions to high opinions in a way that will lead to progress and success in education. The way in which the teacher communicates with his students determines the performance distribution during exams and the continuous assessment tests. As it is the case in many schools, teachers seem to have preference for student from rich families and also those from the majority group rather culture. This is always done at the expense of students from poor backgrounds and minority groups. Stereotyping and the cultural deficit theory have far reaching repercussions in widening the cultural gap among students and the community at large. To mend this gap, performance of students should be rated on the basis of their actual capabilities and not according to their culture or financial status. Well intentioned teachers should be able to identify slow learners in their class and preferably offer them extra tuition. For the purpose of providing an understandable perspective to the foreign culture, the teacher should use comparison in answering questions in class. Drawing such comparisons and not being one sided enables the students to appreciate the cultures each other and it brings about uniformity in class since the teacher in his comparison tries to identify a common ground. In this case students will start seeing the world as a common place for every person and no one culture is superior to the rest since all cultures are unique in their own ways. For learners to be able to appreciate the cultures of others, they must fully understand their own culture and be informed of all the aspects pertaining to it. It is therefore advisable for language teachers to engage their students their students in activities that will bring them closer to their cultural practices. In the recent times, culture values have been eroded by modernized and technology. It is therefore a high time that the education system intervenes in order to ensure maintenance of our diverse cultures. Language teachers should introduce forums in class where all students share and discuss customs, rituals, customs and traditions they have experienced or have taken part in. The teacher could also issue take home assignments requiring the students to find out certain aspects of their cultures and sharing the findings in front of the class could go a long way in enhancing cultural knowledge. According to Peck (1998), engaging the students in stimulating activities such making errands to the supermarket and giving a report on commodities used by different communities and for what purpose is an adequate tool in mending the cultural gap between them. To a large extent use of native languages in class play a big role in disintegrating the students based on cultural and linguistic discrepancies. It is the responsibility of the language teacher to ensure that only unifying languages or national languages are used to avoid conflicting issues such as situations where a feels communicating he cannot understand could be gossiping him. In conclusion, culture should be considered as a tool that unites in harmony from all walks of life. The assertion that cultural competence for both the teachers and students has a major role in reducing cultural gaps holds true. Education systems should ensure that language teachers emphasis on things that unites students from diverse cultures rather than narrowing down on the elements that divide us. The appreciation of an individual to the cultures of others is traced back to the idea that was created in him back in his school days. As mentioned earlier, language and culture are intertwined hence language teachers must focus teach culture since it not only equips the students with the skills to communicate but also on avoids stereotyping of some students. According to Straud (1999), Educators should put in mind that teaching culture entails creating awareness of personal cultures in a bid to build a cross cultural integration and also intellectual objectivity. Classroom teachers and especially those teaching on languages should strive in optimizing the opportunity to eliminate the notion about cultural and intellectual deficits attached on some minority groups so as that all people have equal chances in taking part in the building of the economy and in reaching higher levels of education. An institution that encourages cultural studies integration into its system stands a better chance to high performances as compared to those that do not apply such systems (Stern, 1992). To sum up, cultural awareness enables foreign language teachers to bring closer the cultures of the first language and the second one and applies effective communication skill in the classroom. Competence in linguistics and culture are important devices in helping foreign language teacher in working efficiently in a cross-cultural classroom. For achievement of improved communication skills and performance of language teachers there is need for training programs for them geared towards cultural proficiency. Due to increased interaction among nations, the need cultural knowledge by individuals is of paramount importance in ensuring that anyone can fit into any community since cultural practices of such a community will not be a barrier. This a stepping stone to improved global economy as one can travel anywhere around the world without fears of discrimination or stereotyping (Crozet and Liddicoat, 1999). References Cowan, P .(2006). What is Cultural Competency? One Teacher’s Perspective. Bloomington: Indiana University. Gonzalez, A. (2005). Cultural awareness. Retrieved February 22, 2009, from http://www.growth-coach.com/programs/culture Jackson, T. (2006). Starting with self: Using self discovery to prepare culturally competent teachers. Retrieved 20th May 2011, from http://coefaculty.valdosta.edu/lschmert/gera/volume4/Jackson-Self-use.pdf Cakir, I. (2006). Developing cultural awareness in foreign language teaching. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education (TOJDE), 7(3): 154-161 Moore, Z., Morales, B., and Carel, S. (1998). Technology and teaching culture: Results of a State survey of foreign language teachers. Calico Journal, 15(1-3): 109-128. Olsen, L., Bhattacharya, J., & Scharf, A. (2005). Cultural competency: What it is and why it matters. Retrieved 20th May 2011, from http://www.lpfch.org/informed/culturalcompetency.pdf Straub, H. (1999). Designing a Cross-Cultural Course. English Forum, vol. 37: 3, Holmes, J. (2008). An introduction to sociolinguistics. 3rd ed, Pearsoned Education Limited, England. Kramsch, C.(1993). "Teaching language along the cultural faultline", in Context and Culture in Language Teaching. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 205-232. Wardhaugh, R. (1998). "Ethnography and ethnomethodology", in An Introduction to Sociolinguistics. Blackwell, Oxford, pp. 237-254. Kramsch, C. (1993). Teaching language along the cultural faultline", in Context and Culture in Language Teaching, Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 205-232. Stern, H.H. (1992). "The intralingual-crosslingual dimension", in Issues and Options in Language Teaching, Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 279-299. Crozet, C. and Liddicoat, A. (1999). "The challenge of intercultural language teaching: Engaging with culture in the classroom", in Striving for the Third Place: Intercultural Competence Through Language Education, eds J. Lo Bianco, A.J. Liddicoat & C. Crozet, Language Australia, Melbourne, pp. 113-125. Read More