Integrating Culture in the Language Classroom

Integrating Culture in the Language Classroom

Trish Pashby, University of Oregon,

Leslie Opp-Beckman, University of Oregon,

Topics, Session 08

·  Announcements

·  Overview

·  Activity 1: Brainstorm, Graphic Organizer, Network Tree

·  Part I: What is Culture?

·  Part II: Culture in the Classroom

·  Activity 2:

·  Conclusion, Q & A

Announcements

·  Introductions

·  Continuing the series, starting November 2005
http://thaiuo.uoregon.edu/

·  Homework to share?

Activity #1: Brainstorm, Graphic Organizers, Network Tree

Working in groups. Choose a unit or theme from your text and
list as many matching cultural
topics as you can.

Part I. What is culture?

Definition

Culture “is the shared beliefs, symbols, and interpretations within a human group...The essence of a culture is not its artifacts, tools, or other tangible cultural elements but how the members of the group interpret, use, and perceive them.” (Banks, 2001)

Characteristics of Culture

It is learned; it is transmissible;

it is dynamic; it is selective. (Porter and Samovar, 1994)

Culture “shifts in and outside our reflective awareness.”

(Erikson, 2001)

4 Areas of Culture

1)  Aesthetic (film, music, literature, media)

2)  Sociological (organization and nature of family, interpersonal relations, customs)

3)  Semantic (whole conceptualization system which conditions perceptions and thought processes)

4)  Pragmatic/Sociolinguistic (background knowledge, social and paralinguistic skills, and language code necessary for successful communication)
(Lessard-Clouston, 1997)

Culture and Communication Are…

“…inseparable because culture not only

dictates who talks to whom, about what, and how the communication

proceeds, it also helps to determine how people encode messages, the

meaning they have for messages, and the conditions and circumstances

under which various messages may or may not be sent, noticed, or

interpreted.” (Samovar, Porter, & Jain, 1981)

Intercultural Understanding

“...[I]t is insufficient to promote the use of English as a mere

linguistic tool. Rather, its function as a means for intercultural

understanding and communication should be further expanded.

Therefore, the teaching of English as a second or foreign language

should not be limited to teaching English as a linguistic skill, and

thus the scope of language learning should be broadened into one that

incorporates intercultural awareness and understanding as well.”

(Kim, J., 2002)

Examples of the “Teddy Bear Project” at the Islamic School in Bangkok

International Education and Resource Network (iEARN)

http://www.iearn.org/

Started in 1988, iEARN is the world's largest non-profit global network that enables teachers and young people to use the Internet and other new technologies to collaborate on projects that both enhance learning and make a difference in the world.

Featured Projects and Activities:

Teddy Bear Project. A project that aims to foster tolerance and understanding of cultures. After teachers register, facilitators match partner classes, which then send each other a Teddy Bear or other soft toy by airmail through the normal postal system. The bear sends home diary messages by email at least once a week. The students write the diary messages as if they are the visiting bear describing its experiences in the new culture. Available for Prep/Kinder to Year 9, this project provides opportunities for authentic writing by providing the students with a real audience. Participants can login to the Teddy Bear Project Forum to register.

Part II. How can we integrate culture into the foreign language classroom?

Benefits to Students

Students “benefit most when our culture lessons and the cultural

aspects of our language teaching are well planned and developed.”

(Lessard-Clouston, 1997)

Goals

Our goals for must reflect the general, specific, and dynamic

aspects of culture. We must help students:

1)  Gain knowledge of the target language culture.

2)  Develop skills in communication and behavior in the target language.

3)  Become aware of dynamic nature of the target culture as well as their own.

Challenges for EFL Teachers

Teachers may avoid including culture lessons in their language

classes because their time is limited, they are unsure of what to

teach, and do not have practical activities with which to do it.

(Omaggio in Cullen, 2000)

Obstacles include lack of preparation, lack of cultural insight, lack

of sources of information, which could result in presenting

misconceptions to their students. (Kim, J., 2002)

Ethnographic Approach

Teachers and students need to become ethnographers and explore their

own beliefs about culture, not only of the target language but also

of their native language. This experience can be used as the basis

for cross-cultural application and analysis.

Studies show “students prefer to discuss various cultures in

general, followed by discussions of their native culture, then followed by the

culture of their target language.” (Kim, J., 2002)

Cultural Texture

According to Cullen (2000), in order to create a “cultural

texture” in the classroom, we need to include a variety of information

sources, activity-types, and selling points:

1)  information sources: video, CDs, TV, readings, internet, stories, students’ own information, songs, newspapers, realia, fieldwork, interviews, guest speakers, anecdotes, souvenirs, photographs, surveys, illustrations, literature, etc.

2)  activity-types: quizzes, action logs, reformulation, noticing, prediction, research, etc.

3)  selling-points (contrasting views): historical vs. modern, older vs. younger generations, city vs. country life; stated beliefs vs. actual behavior; similarities vs. differences

Activity #2, Cultural Texture (Cullen)

Match Content from Activity 1 to:

·  Information sources

·  Activity types

·  Selling points (contrasting views)

What “cultural texture” items did your group choose, and why?

Practical Tips

·  Personalize.

·  Vary activities, don’t use just discussion.

·  Choose a suitable level of difficulty.

·  Choose high interest topics.

·  Use group work.

·  Don’t try to cover everything.
(Cullen, 2000)

References

Banks, J. (2001). Multicultural education: Issues and perspectives. (4th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Cullen, B. & Sato, K. (2000). Practical techniques for teaching culture in the EFL classroom. The Internet TESL Journal, VI (12). Retrieved July 21, 2005 from http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Cullen-Culture.html

Erikson, F. (2001). Culture in society and in educational practices. In J. Banks and C. Banks (eds.) Multicultural education: Issues and perspectives (4th ed. Pp. 31-58). New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Kim, J. (2002). Teaching culture in the English as a foreign language classroom [electronic version]. The Korea TESOL Journal, 5 (1). 27-39.

Lessard-Clouston, M. (1997). Towards an understanding of culture in L2/FL education. The Internet TESL Journal, III (5). Retrieved July 21, 2005 from http://iteslj.org/Articles/Lessard-Clouston-Culture.html

Porter, R. and Samovar, L. (1994). An introduction to intercultural communication. In L. Samovar & R. Porter (eds.) Intercultural communication: A reader. (7th ed., pp. 4-26). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company.