How does an instructor discuss culture without imposing it?

[metal56]

There have been some complaints that quite a few native speaking teachers who teach the target culture as part of an ESL/EFL program do so in a self-serving and hegemonic way. In a language academy context, is there a way to guarantee that this does not happen?

[revel]

Hey all.

In a language academy, the answer is easy, simply prohibit teachers from teaching culture. In two hours a week there is hardly time for students to assimilate the grammar of the week, and teaching culture might be anectdotal but certainly shouldn't be the main focus.

A couple of years ago a group of kids in 5th grade asked me who I was going to vote for, either Kerry or Bush. I told them that I was not going to vote for either Bush or Kerry and besides, my political opinions were none of their business. Three mothers called my boss complaining that I was talking about politics in class when I should only be teaching English. My boss immediately prohibited me from talking about politics in class (something I don't even do with adults) and I said "OK" and let it go at that.

Refuse to buy and use books that put sub-titles like "British English" or "American English". Use generic books that teach the material necessary for improving whatever the students are there to improve and then send them to Ireland or America or India to learn the cultural aspects of the language through experience.

peace,
revel.

[lolwhites]

It sounds a bit harsh that you were pulled up for "talking about politics" when the students had brought the subject up themselves and you had made a point of NOT discussing it with them. But IIRC the customer is always right in the academias.....

"Culture" is such an all-encompassing term that I need more specific idea of what Metal has in mind before responding.

[metal56]

"Culture" is such an all-encompassing term that I need more specific idea of what Metal has in mind before responding.

We could begin here:

The accumulated habits, attitudes, and beliefs of a group of people that define for them their general behavior and way of life; the total set of learned activities of a people.

[metal56]

Or here:

The values, traditions, norms, customs, arts, history, folklore, and institutions that a group of people, who are unified by race, ethnicity, language, nationality, or religion, share.

[metal56]

Towards the colour purple and international culture:

McKay identifies three types of cultural materials: target culture materials, learners' own culture materials and international target culture materials. For her, the best one is international target language materials, which supposedly covers a variety of knowledge from different cultures all over the world using the target language (McKay, pp. 9-10). That will most probably increase the learners' interest rather than imposing only one culture all the time and prevent learners from having the fear of assimilation into a specific culture, and help them respect other people's cultures...

While using cultural content in classrooms, teachers should keep in mind that English is an international language, and culture is an aid to motivate our students rather than something to be taught.

http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Kilickaya- ... erial.html

How can we investigate culture without teaching it?

[lolwhites]

Surely it's possible to teach people about culture without actually saying "it best/right...". After all, I learned about the world's main religions at school without anyone attempting to indoctrinate me into any of them.

Not all students are solely interested in the language, insofar as it can be divorced from its cultural context. There are those who actually want to learn about other cultures; in fact, a student who plans to spend time in an English-speaking country, or do business with American, British or Australian companies will need a certain amount of cultural awareness if they want to land their contracts or not get beaten up. It it wrong to say to a student "when ordering two drinks from a bar in Britain, don't shout to get the barman's attention, and don't hold up two fingers with the nails facing him when ordering two pints"? It's certainly culture, but I think it's pretty useful advice.

[metal56]

It it wrong to say to a student "when ordering two drinks from a bar in Britain, don't shout to get the barman's attention, and don't hold up two fingers with the nails facing him when ordering two pints"? It's certainly culture, but I think it's pretty useful advice.

Would you consider such advice self-serving and hegemonic?

[Anuradha Chepur]

Well, I always tell my students that learning English is not just about being grammatically correct. It is not only about what to say, but also about what to not say, it's also about being politically correct, polite, social; about not being rude blah blah blah.
Since I teach adults, some of them feel their egos pinched, when they are told that the question they asked their classmate, "Did you get the job in the reserved quota for backward castes?" is politically incorrect and impolite. They try to explain.... Then I tell them that I need to guide my students in such matters just as I need to guide them when they make grammar mistakes.
Some are quite receptive, though.

[metal56]

Then I tell them that I need to guide my students in such matters just as I need to guide them when they make grammar mistakes.
Some are quite receptive, though.

Teacher' view vs. students' view:

"As previously pointed out, the teaching of culture is seen as integral to school's mission. Several teachers who spend time discussing culture indicated that they discuss "mainstream elements" such as food, holidays, and clothing. They believe that any part of American culture is essential in the students' education and acculturation process. The teachers believe that with this knowledge, students will be better able to interact in the community and communicate more effectively.

http://writing.berkeley.edu/TESL-EJ/ej33/cf.html
Students expressed a similar feeling--that classes should include some cultural component, but their reasoning was somewhat different. They want explicit cultural lessons only as they relate to increasing proficiency. As one student said, "I am not concerned about culture except that it helps me know English. I think there should be some culture, but mostly English. Understand English more easily." The students appear much less overtly concerned about acclimating and more concerned with learning English."

[revel]

Hey all!

"The students appear much less overtly concerned about acclimating and more concerned with learning English." this from metal's last posting is my experience as well. Students can ask me about general cultural aspects, but those aspects usually come up in relation to some work we are doing in class.

I didn't study Spanish culture in any of my formal study sessions (I learned Spanish totally on my own, never went to a class, never had a private tutor) and yet I needed to know and understand Spanish culture once I decided to make Spain my home. I admit that it has helped a great deal in my use of Spanish to communicate my thoughts; however, I would have considered specific cultural teaching as unnecessary when trying to get a grasp on the subjunctive, for example.

Can't avoid talking about culture, and best in a more advanced class where such chat can be considered "conversational practice", but so little time to get them to articulate consonants for me to be explaining the multi-faceted (sp) thing known as culture. I usually advise them to watch the "Simpsons" and leave it at that. (My family was exactly like the Simpsons, I know many American families are not at all like those portrayed in the Simpsons, but well, it's fun to watch, isn't it?)

peace,
revel.

[metal56]

Well, I always tell my students that learning English is not just about being grammatically correct. It is not only about what to say, but also about what to not say, it's also about being politically correct, ...

On English teaching in India, do you think that western teaching methods can be used globally in in that country?

Extract:

I will question whether it is always possible for children to learn in the ways advocated by mainstream western thinking, exploring which teaching methods may need to be abandoned or adapted to suit local conditions.

http://dudeney.com/iatefl/gisig/resourc ... ch2004.pdf

Later in the same article it is suggested that western teachers, or those teachers using western methods, in India may be seen as intruders:

Widdowson (1990, 187) recognises that a pedagogy may be “highly effective in places which favour person-oriented education but impossible to implement in places where different ideology calls for a very different kind of interactional engagement in class, one based on a clear positional definition established by tradition.” Prabhu, a great innovator in India, compares the introduction of a new pedagogy to “an intruder into teachers’ mental frames.” (1987, 105)

[Anuradha Chepur]

I don't know what Western teaching methods are. I'm trained in the CIEFL methods, which are modern, and I presume similar to Western.
I even don't apply the CIEFL methods totally. I stick to the basic science, but I also have to adapt the application according to the situation, just as a doctor would customise the dosage etc.
I don't think any method can be applied just for the heck of it.

As for those eccentrics who are against modern teaching techniques, hopefully they should be on the verge of retirement. We can hope for better attitudes from their successors.

The problem with those eccentrics is that they are still stuck with the 'Wren and Martin' approach to the teaching of English.

[metal56]

I even don't apply the CIEFL methods totally. I stick to the basic science, but I also have to adapt the application according to the situation, just as a doctor would customise the dosage etc.
I don't think any method can be applied just for the heck of it.

Indeed:

"Perhaps we should take a lesson from the good sense of the travelling salesman who used to visit the Indian village where I lived. He was an outsider to the village, but he knew his customers could not shop often in town and that they had little money or time to buy things, so he selected his wares carefully. Among his goods were hand fans made of bamboo. Most people would have preferred to buy electric fans, but these were beyond their budget. Anyway, the electricity supply usually failed in the summer's heat – and he couldn't have carried heavy goods on his bicycle. We were glad the travelling salesman sold hand fans."

Same text as above.

As for those eccentrics who are against modern teaching techniques, hopefully they should be on the verge of retirement. We can hope for better attitudes from their successors.

Do you think that the so called collective methods (mentioned in the article) are out-of-date? They seem to be just what students prefer in some Indian teaching contexts.

[Anuradha Chepur]

Could you edit your post Metal?
I'm unable to make out which part of it is what you wrote and which part is what you have quoted from the article.

Also, my computer is unable to open the article which is in pdf.
Can you give the html link?