Understanding Other Cultures

Culture and Education

Cultural differences can appear in a variety of nonverbal modes, such as body language, gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, and distance between speakers, as well as through cultural norms for verbal communication regarding silence, questions, and discourse styles (Díaz-Rico, 2008). Further, ELLs have a range of prior schooling experiences that range from none to intermittent to world-class.

Often, the academic context ELLs are familiar with is vastly different than that found in the U.S., which is primarily a reflection of American culture. For example, some international students feel that making direct eye contact with a teacher is a demonstration of disrespect, while American teachers might interpret a lack of eye contact as a display of disobedience or guilt.

Also, in some countries, students believe the teacher is the ultimate authority and may not feel comfortable asking questions. Teachers should be aware of this possibility and other cultural differences in interaction and be willing to discuss them and adapt accordingly. Díaz-Rico (2008) suggests that before teachers can implement research-based practices in cultural inclusion, they need to reflect on their own cultural values. She extensively describes ways a teacher can accommodate a variety of cultures, whether it be through a recognition of different concepts of time, dress code, school rituals, or other values. In addition, Reyes and Vallone (2008) suggest that teachers complete informal research on unfamiliar cultural practices by interviewing colleagues or bilingual parents and adapt instruction accordingly. Then teachers can use language, examples, artifacts, and community resources that are relevant to the students’ cultures to validate their heritage and make the lesson more applicable to their lives.

Finally, a number of ELLs have had their formal schooling interrupted, which presents another challenge for teachers. Students who have missed significant time in school, whether in the U.S. or abroad, may not be aware of the conventions for school behavior. Teachers should remember, however, that these students’ lack of knowledge does not equate to a lack of cognitive capacity or intelligence.

Teachers should be sensitive to cultural differences in working with ELLs’ families. If the parents and/or relatives of an ELL are unable to speak English as well as the child it is difficult for them to help with homework or be involved in the school community. However, parents can participate more actively if notices are sent home in their language, or if the district endorses an organization where they can meet to discuss school issues. (i.e., Hispanic Parent Teacher Association). Teachers can become aware of the resources available at the school and district level for ELLs and their families, such as translation services or hotlines for parents who speak a specific language. In addition, teachers can encourage parents to read to their children in the home language and conduct exploratory activities in the home language to increase cognitive development (Díaz-Rico, 2008). (For more information on this topic, see the section on Family Involvement in the previous chapter, pp. 26-27.)