Culture is a treasure of a nation. Teaching language is a great opportunity to open the minds of our students to the wonderful and culturally rich world where we live. We can teach them the importance to respect all people and their beliefs, even when it seems to be so different from what they supposed to be wrong or right.
Cultural paradigms must be demystified. As teachers, it is our responsibility to build a bridge between our students and this diversified world. This way we can show them that what is strange is not necessarily bad. It is just different.
I have taught EFL in the South of Brazil during my entire life. Brazil is an amazing and big country, and because of this, we have many cultural paradigms in our midst. People from South have constantly claimed that Brazilians from North and Northeast do not work enough and that the South has to work for all. Recently, we have had some discussions about the separation of the three South states from Brazil, and this way we would have a new and richer country. Our students grow listening to these stories and to them it is the truth. Therefore, when students from those regions come to South, they have difficulty to be accepted and respected. In these situations, how can we make difference? We can make difference by means our example and work. In this specific situation, I bring examples that show how the North and Northeast regions have contributed and had contributed to building the nation that we are now.
Demystify cultural paradigms can demand hard work and perseverance, but it must be done. Is there a better place to these changes start than our classroom?
Isabelle
ResponderExcluirYour post reminded me of the time I decided to invite my Japanese friend and my Twainese friend to a Mexican restaurant. It was a very interesting expereince. I had wrongly assumed that because they were both Asian, they had a lot in common. I couldn't had been more wrong. During our lunch we starting taking about the cultural differences between twain and Japan, and I was amazed.
Something is similar is happening in one of my classes. All of my students are from the same state, but from different regions (counties) of the state, and there are some big diffences in their values and attitudes towards learning and work.
I have been looking for literature about the topic, but there's nothing available. It looks like this is going to be an opportunity to learn by experience and a chance to try to understand my students views of the world.
Alison, are you looking for literature on cultural differences overall, or specific differences in your state?
ExcluirA great call to action! As a teacher, you can change cultural misconceptions by demystifying paradigms.
ResponderExcluir