Chapter 10: Culturally Based Language Teaching
This chapter is all about examining the belief systems, values, roles, behaviors and rules of the students in our classrooms. I loved the passage on page 272 about culture not just being about specific holidays, dances, or foods, although those things are also important, they do not define one’s culture (Diaz-Rico). The patterns, language, social customs, rituals and geography of the student’s family have more to do with the way a child sees his/her world. Educators would do well to take note of these cultural beliefs and include them in the curriculum. As stated before, when a student feels validated, respected and understood the learning environment becomes less threatening. Educators are challenged to communicate with parents and community members to form positive relationships. They are encouraged to integrate or embed the learners cultural into the target language so that English is more accessible to the students. This author also warns educators not to be culturally marginal to “embrace biculturality as a positive outgrowth of ‘dynamic in-betweennes’ so those who learn English can feel themselves enriched by an expanded sense of personal and cultural alternatives enabling them to maintain roots in the native culture while sprouting wings in English” (Diaz-Rico, p 285); the ultimate goal.
This is the website for the magazine, Diverse. There are links to many articles which discuss topics relevant to today’s culturally diverse population in education, http://www.diverseeducation.com
Hayward commented on the importance of incorporating the student's culture into activities. She stressed the belief that students come to school with a strong sense of their individual home culture. She feels that it is vital to form a strong relationship with the child; this can be accomplished by attempting to understand the home culture. She noted a study by Arizona educators. It is ironic that this school's educational system has such a regard for the culture, but not its people...the message being sent to its families and the community not one of mutual understanding.
ReplyDeleteI agee with Juan Barro, culture in most classrooms is little more than a cliche. One must delve deeply beyond the surface to truly understand a person's culture. As the chapter stated and Juan emphasized, culture involves the intangibles such as rules and values. It also involves things that are seen, heard, touched, and tasted. Social interactions, foods, music, rituals are all important facets which can be explored, least we forget the soul of culture, language.
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