Norton, B. (1995). Social identity, investment, and language learning. TESOL Quaterly, 29(1), 9-31.
The study examines the intrapersonal struggles in language learning and how in order to develop a fluency in a language it is dependent more on personal investment rather than motivation. Examples included a mother who was steeping outside of her comfort zone and speaking on the phone with her landlord, which is very difficult to do in a second language, because her family's well-being and survival was at stake.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Chp5 Noel
The Identity Construction Process
There are three main perspectives on how identities are constructed and this chapter examines how personal ethnicity and cultural awareness are key factors in the stages of personal identity construction. p.161-164
There are three main perspectives on how identities are constructed and this chapter examines how personal ethnicity and cultural awareness are key factors in the stages of personal identity construction. p.161-164
Multiple Intelligences
Christison, M.A. (1995/1996). Multiple Intelligences and second language learners. The Journal of Imagination in Language Learning and Teaching, 3. Retrieved August 20, 2010 from http://www.njcu.edu/cill/vol3/chritison.html
The website explores Gardner's theories of multiple intelligences and why they are a more physiological than a talent or attributes. There are many ways to be intelligent within each intelligence and how each person holds many intelligences and an individual intelligence profile. These intelligences should be considered for each individual.
The website explores Gardner's theories of multiple intelligences and why they are a more physiological than a talent or attributes. There are many ways to be intelligent within each intelligence and how each person holds many intelligences and an individual intelligence profile. These intelligences should be considered for each individual.
Off the boat
Mamgain, V., &Collins, K. (2003). Off the boat, now off to work: Refugees in the labour market in Portland, Maine. Journal of Refugee Studies, 16(2), 113-146.
Mixed study about the Somali refugees working patterns in Lewiston Maine. Some conclusions: Women tend to do better the higher level of education, length of time in Miane does not affect the employment, and prior jobs prediction of current employment [which is also true of most Americans in our society]. Some of the cultural disconnectedness that refugees face are cotidian factors like paper work, punctuality, how to handle family emergency, interviews, religious differences.
Mixed study about the Somali refugees working patterns in Lewiston Maine. Some conclusions: Women tend to do better the higher level of education, length of time in Miane does not affect the employment, and prior jobs prediction of current employment [which is also true of most Americans in our society]. Some of the cultural disconnectedness that refugees face are cotidian factors like paper work, punctuality, how to handle family emergency, interviews, religious differences.
Rhetoric
Connor, U. (2002). New directions in constrastive rhetoric. TESOL Quaterly, 36(4), 493-510.
Contrastive rhetoric is comparing the stylistic academic writings across languages. In the history of rhetoric studies focus on comparative text, linguistics, writing as a cultural activity, classroom based studies and genre specific studies.
Some conclusions-
Finnish writers write less metatext
English text used more direct assertive and positive positions
Japanese writings tend to be more reader responsible and less writer responsible.
Contrastive rhetoric is comparing the stylistic academic writings across languages. In the history of rhetoric studies focus on comparative text, linguistics, writing as a cultural activity, classroom based studies and genre specific studies.
Some conclusions-
Finnish writers write less metatext
English text used more direct assertive and positive positions
Japanese writings tend to be more reader responsible and less writer responsible.
Becoming Black
Ibrahim, A. (1999). Becoming Black: Rap and Hip-Hop, race, gender, identity, and the politics of ESL learning. TESOL Quarterly, 33(3), 349-369.
A study of French-speaking African immigrant teenagers who identify with the Black culture and it is seen in speaking Black Stylized English, manners of dress, sports, and pop-culture. The identification with a marginalized culture is a result of basic needs to fit in to a collective memory, politics, history and location of their new community.
[I often wonder whether or not this occurs because of the dominant culture stereotypes or the Africans seek them out because they are group they are the most similar to? It is probably a combination of the two.]
A study of French-speaking African immigrant teenagers who identify with the Black culture and it is seen in speaking Black Stylized English, manners of dress, sports, and pop-culture. The identification with a marginalized culture is a result of basic needs to fit in to a collective memory, politics, history and location of their new community.
[I often wonder whether or not this occurs because of the dominant culture stereotypes or the Africans seek them out because they are group they are the most similar to? It is probably a combination of the two.]
When hate comes to town
Rabrenovic, G. (2007). When hate comes to town: Community response to violence against immigrants. American Behavioral Scientist, 51(2), 349-360.
Summary:
Conflict in between certain members of dominant community and Somali immigrants in Lewiston, Maine right after 9/11 attacks. The mayor voiced that many viewed the Somalis as an economic burden, in a plea to the Somali community to discourage other Somali populations to migrate to Lewiston. However the elders of the Somali community had already agreed to do this.
This was a difficult time in the nation where hate towards Muslims and American pride sentiments. There was danger of a dangerous hate group the World Church of the Creators going to Lewiston and the community held a diversity rally. The community response was successful according to three factors.
1. there is a history of tolerance in the community 2. local leaders do not benefit from the conflict 3. minority group is not perceived as a threat to the majority [4. the leader of the hate group that was planning to come to town was scheduled in court the same day]
Summary:
Conflict in between certain members of dominant community and Somali immigrants in Lewiston, Maine right after 9/11 attacks. The mayor voiced that many viewed the Somalis as an economic burden, in a plea to the Somali community to discourage other Somali populations to migrate to Lewiston. However the elders of the Somali community had already agreed to do this.
This was a difficult time in the nation where hate towards Muslims and American pride sentiments. There was danger of a dangerous hate group the World Church of the Creators going to Lewiston and the community held a diversity rally. The community response was successful according to three factors.
1. there is a history of tolerance in the community 2. local leaders do not benefit from the conflict 3. minority group is not perceived as a threat to the majority [4. the leader of the hate group that was planning to come to town was scheduled in court the same day]
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Acculturalization: assimilation-integration-rejection-deculturalization
Notes on
Berry, J.W. (1989). The acculturalization process and refugee behavior. Context: Southeast Asians in California, 10 (75), 1-4.
Acculturalization- is when 2 autonomous cultures meet and one becomes the dominant while the other either assimilates to the new culture, integrates into the new culture while maintaining their identity, rejects the new culture, or deculturalizes all together ( removes from both cultures).
*Good point-groups who were minorities in their homeland have different acculturalization experience than groups who were the dominant cultures in their societies.
Multiculturalism- is not just having many cultural groups- * it also needs to have a society that pursues multi-cultualism- like signs in Canada being multilingual
This article brings to mind the acculturation of the Aztec indians by the Spanish conquistadors. Many died and lost their language of Nauhtl, but the religious ideologies remained. They saw many similarities in Catholicism. Catholics had many saints and the Aztecs has many Gods that they worshipped. When the Aztecs were forced to go and pray at church they hid their statues of their deities inside the saint statues. It is similar with their infrastructure. Many of the pyramids still existed and were hidden under the churches and buildings that the Spanish built. Therefore I would say despite Spanish best efforts to force assimilation upon the Aztecs, the Aztecs managed to integrate into the European culture.
Berry, J.W. (1989). The acculturalization process and refugee behavior. Context: Southeast Asians in California, 10 (75), 1-4.
Acculturalization- is when 2 autonomous cultures meet and one becomes the dominant while the other either assimilates to the new culture, integrates into the new culture while maintaining their identity, rejects the new culture, or deculturalizes all together ( removes from both cultures).
*Good point-groups who were minorities in their homeland have different acculturalization experience than groups who were the dominant cultures in their societies.
Multiculturalism- is not just having many cultural groups- * it also needs to have a society that pursues multi-cultualism- like signs in Canada being multilingual
This article brings to mind the acculturation of the Aztec indians by the Spanish conquistadors. Many died and lost their language of Nauhtl, but the religious ideologies remained. They saw many similarities in Catholicism. Catholics had many saints and the Aztecs has many Gods that they worshipped. When the Aztecs were forced to go and pray at church they hid their statues of their deities inside the saint statues. It is similar with their infrastructure. Many of the pyramids still existed and were hidden under the churches and buildings that the Spanish built. Therefore I would say despite Spanish best efforts to force assimilation upon the Aztecs, the Aztecs managed to integrate into the European culture.
Noel Chapter.4
Classroom Orientations and Learning Styles
Deficiency Orientation- the mode of thinking that the student is deficient is something. There is a set norm and those who don't think in that way are norm and can either conform or fail. It blames the students community and family life for those deficiencies.
Differences Orientation-the mode of thinking that the student is an individual and has the teacher responsible for taking action in investing in the student's personal intelligence strengths and teaching to that.
Learning styles and intelligences
Multiple intelligences- there are many types of intelligences-everyone has a different mind modes of thinking and therefore modes learning.
Deficiency Orientation- the mode of thinking that the student is deficient is something. There is a set norm and those who don't think in that way are norm and can either conform or fail. It blames the students community and family life for those deficiencies.
Differences Orientation-the mode of thinking that the student is an individual and has the teacher responsible for taking action in investing in the student's personal intelligence strengths and teaching to that.
Learning styles and intelligences
Multiple intelligences- there are many types of intelligences-everyone has a different mind modes of thinking and therefore modes learning.
Noel Chp.3
Immigration
Societal Concepts
Types of Immigrants Assimilation a+b+c=A
1. voluntary minorities Melting pot a+b+c =d
2.involuntary minorities cultural pluralism a+b+c= a1+ b1+c1
3.autonomus minorities classical pluralism a+b+c=a+b+c
4. refugees
push pull model-
- people are pushed out of their homelands for reasons of expulsion (economic, political)
-people are pulled and attracted to a place (economic and political advantages)
US Immigration- melting pot
Dominant population of Western European settlers overtook the native americans
1800s Nativism- old immigrants were the true Americans-
Americanization (assimilation) of students 1900's
Standardized testing biases- 1920's IQ scores used for political purposes
(those who scored higher were those who had been in the US longer)
=>Superiority of European heritage=> National Origins Act- 1924- restricted the number of immigrants allowed to enter to a % of the ones already in the US with the exception of the old immigrants
This is how the dominant culture remained dominant. Wasn't changed until 1965.
1862 U.Grant banned Jews from Tennessee
Irish-Catholics-anti Irish sentiment mid-1800s
Chinese due to economic prejudice- Chinese exclusion act
Japanese- illegal to own land (no asian rights in court)
Mexican- migrant laborers 1929-1934 US repatriated 400,00 Mexicans- sent them home
200,000 were US citizens: Bracero program- migrant workers
(more recently border crossing)
Puerto Ricans-1917 US citizens- circulatory migration as a way of life
kinship immigration-sending members of families over gradually
Refugees-a person who is given asylum in a country- from persecution of race, politics, religion, nationality, social group...not poverty
1982- Plyer v. Doe - children cannot be denied free education based on their immigration status
1990s Proposition 187- illegal immigrants were not allowed the freedoms of daily life- illegal
immigrants therefore cannot attend school at all, no nonemergency medical care, including child
shots- this proposition was ended, but certain states fine landlords for renting to illegal immigrants
****Very important point***** The immigration status of the family has a large impact of the student.
-parents may not want to attend school, library or any government/ public functions for fear of the INS
I have faced the challenge of imparting this to teachers and administrators who complain about the lack of parental support from immigrant parents. I wish more teachers realized that all government/ public functions in immigrants minds are connected. Although we may see no major risk in attending a school Halloween party, the immigrant may think there are men with guns there ready to take them away; depending on their schemata.
Stages of Immigrant Americanization
_arrival survival
_culture shock
_coping
_acculturation-mainstreamed and may take leadership roles within their cultural communities
4 categories of identity in relation to cultural groups
1. traditional 2.bicultural 3. acculturated (adapted to new society) 4.marginal (at ease nowhere)
General cosonance- family relations after the family has moved
General disconsonance- when one acculturates and the other doesn't leading to role reversal and family conflict
Imposition- of a new culture resulting in the destruction of original culture
Native Americans- killed, moved from sacred homelands, moved to reservations, American schooled their children- where they beat the culture and language out of them
Blacs and Mexicans were intentionally not educated to maintain the dominant culture
Societal Concepts
Types of Immigrants Assimilation a+b+c=A
1. voluntary minorities Melting pot a+b+c =d
2.involuntary minorities cultural pluralism a+b+c= a1+ b1+c1
3.autonomus minorities classical pluralism a+b+c=a+b+c
4. refugees
push pull model-
- people are pushed out of their homelands for reasons of expulsion (economic, political)
-people are pulled and attracted to a place (economic and political advantages)
US Immigration- melting pot
Dominant population of Western European settlers overtook the native americans
1800s Nativism- old immigrants were the true Americans-
Americanization (assimilation) of students 1900's
Standardized testing biases- 1920's IQ scores used for political purposes
(those who scored higher were those who had been in the US longer)
=>Superiority of European heritage=> National Origins Act- 1924- restricted the number of immigrants allowed to enter to a % of the ones already in the US with the exception of the old immigrants
This is how the dominant culture remained dominant. Wasn't changed until 1965.
1862 U.Grant banned Jews from Tennessee
Irish-Catholics-anti Irish sentiment mid-1800s
Chinese due to economic prejudice- Chinese exclusion act
Japanese- illegal to own land (no asian rights in court)
Mexican- migrant laborers 1929-1934 US repatriated 400,00 Mexicans- sent them home
200,000 were US citizens: Bracero program- migrant workers
(more recently border crossing)
Puerto Ricans-1917 US citizens- circulatory migration as a way of life
kinship immigration-sending members of families over gradually
Refugees-a person who is given asylum in a country- from persecution of race, politics, religion, nationality, social group...not poverty
1982- Plyer v. Doe - children cannot be denied free education based on their immigration status
1990s Proposition 187- illegal immigrants were not allowed the freedoms of daily life- illegal
immigrants therefore cannot attend school at all, no nonemergency medical care, including child
shots- this proposition was ended, but certain states fine landlords for renting to illegal immigrants
****Very important point***** The immigration status of the family has a large impact of the student.
-parents may not want to attend school, library or any government/ public functions for fear of the INS
I have faced the challenge of imparting this to teachers and administrators who complain about the lack of parental support from immigrant parents. I wish more teachers realized that all government/ public functions in immigrants minds are connected. Although we may see no major risk in attending a school Halloween party, the immigrant may think there are men with guns there ready to take them away; depending on their schemata.
Stages of Immigrant Americanization
_arrival survival
_culture shock
_coping
_acculturation-mainstreamed and may take leadership roles within their cultural communities
4 categories of identity in relation to cultural groups
1. traditional 2.bicultural 3. acculturated (adapted to new society) 4.marginal (at ease nowhere)
General cosonance- family relations after the family has moved
General disconsonance- when one acculturates and the other doesn't leading to role reversal and family conflict
Imposition- of a new culture resulting in the destruction of original culture
Native Americans- killed, moved from sacred homelands, moved to reservations, American schooled their children- where they beat the culture and language out of them
Blacs and Mexicans were intentionally not educated to maintain the dominant culture
Monday, August 15, 2011
Stereotypes, Prejudices Noel Chapter 2
Reactions and notes on Chp.2
Noel, J. (2008). Developing multicultural educators (2nd ed.). Long Grove, IL: Waveland.
Noel, J. (2008). Developing multicultural educators (2nd ed.). Long Grove, IL: Waveland.
- hermenuetical consciousness of prejudice-to recognize that context-society, its traditions, its prejudices - is not isolated from our identity.
- stereotyping -creation of mental categories in order to group people, items, or events.
- Noel says here this is a cognitive process not emotional
- Forming of stereotypes-why? in order to sort out the overwhelmingness of the world- simplify
- How? minds focus on distinctive stimuli
- huerist thinking- mental shortcuts to make quick and efficient judgements
- Social identity theory- people get their self-worth from the groups to which they identify- the in-group. People will associate positive attributes to the in-group and the adverse to the out-group
- non-dispositional characteristics- are behaviors outside of one's control that is not her "fault".
- dispositional characteristics - consistently displayed is stable over time and is in control of the individual (can be dangerous if applied to the whole group without evidence to support)
- attribution error- when people make assumptions about a group based on the individual behavior
Pre-judge->prejudice
-Racial and cultural difference theory- people instinctively fear and dislike cultures that are different
-Economic competition theory- feel that a loss of control- someone or something is causing my hardships
(especially during times of turmoil)
-Traumatic experience theory develops as a result of trauma in combination with other factors
-Frustration-Aggression theory- certain personalities are more prone to prejudice
[completely surprised at the percentage of hate crimes being towards Jews]
Racism- belief in superiority on one's own race
social upheavel- times of turmoil
idealism- replaces religion
need to belong
ambition
power
self-hatred
individualized racism +power= institutionalized racism
semiotics-mainfestations such as signs and symbols that represent racism within a society
Education-achievement gaps, quality gaps, tracking, subtractive schooling- the removal of one's own language & culture self-fufilling prophecy
Second language learning personal accounts
Reflections on article
Pavalenko, A. (2003). I never knew I was bilingual:Reimagining teachers identities in TESOL.
Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, (2)4, 251-268.
Reading this article reminded me of all of the emotions that one encounters in learning a second language.
It is easy to feel stupid, like a child and like you will never be successful. Many native speakers actually treat you that way. Giving the L2 learner the boost in self-esteem by redefining what it means to be bilingual to using the language in some function on a daily basis, is helpful.
Pavalenko, A. (2003). I never knew I was bilingual:Reimagining teachers identities in TESOL.
Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, (2)4, 251-268.
Reading this article reminded me of all of the emotions that one encounters in learning a second language.
It is easy to feel stupid, like a child and like you will never be successful. Many native speakers actually treat you that way. Giving the L2 learner the boost in self-esteem by redefining what it means to be bilingual to using the language in some function on a daily basis, is helpful.
Imagined Communities
A brief reflection on the article
Kanno, Y., & Norton B. (2003). Imagined communities and educational possibilities: Introduction. Journal of Language Identity and Education, 2(4), 241-249.
The concept of imagined community is the idea that groups of people who share a cultural bond that have never met one another and never will meet one another. The relationship is imagined and not based on reality. Imagined communities can cause issues if the ideals of individual in the perceived community are not met or if the fears become a hinderance in living their real life. The movement towards globalization is enabling people to join many more imagined communities because the possibilities of the internet are endless.
[I love this concept of the imagined communities. I often like to reflect on the fact that the majority of my concerns are not based in tangible or real danger. It is reassuring for me to think that money is literally just paper. All that divides us are imaginary lines drawn with a magic marker.]
Pluralization & Culture Shock
Notes and reflections based on the reading
Kim, Y.Y. (2008) Intercultural personhood: Globalization and a way of being. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 32, 359-368.
Kim, Y.Y. (2008) Intercultural personhood: Globalization and a way of being. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 32, 359-368.
- Due to globalization pure culture no longer exists- at some point people's cultural views are faced with another culture and identities shaken and questioned
- Kim's refers to intercultural personhood as a concept of the modern day dynamic cultural identity that relates and adapts to multiple different cultures
- Pluralism-multi-culturalism Novak claims that the "point about the melting pot is that it did not happen" Instead there were ethnic power movements [This is very true throughout history. I just look at the history of the town of Milford, MA were I went to high school. There was a very large deep seeded Italian population who controlled the politics in the town. Then there was an influx of Portuguese. We used to joke about the Portuguese mafia. Portuguese families own the seven coffee shops in town. The main function halls are the Macagaino Club and the Portuguese Club. During the 1990's there was influx of Puerto Ricans. About ten years ago the Brazilians brought in their version of the Portuguese language and are currently dominating downtown Milford. The Portuguese and the Brazilians do not get along. Most recently I was actually translating for the Milford school system to a group of indigenous people from Guatemala that spoke Quechua and come from an agrarian society. Interestingly enough the police were now faced with questions of how to deal with families who are killing pigs in their bathtubs. The school system needs to learn how to aid immigrants in how to brush their children's teeth. In Milford racial tensions are high. There is adaptation, but for the most part it is just periodic ethnic power movements. The Italians and Portuguese have now moved to the middle-class, while the newcomers are impoverished.]
- positivity bais- the dark side of culture "cultural identity at any cost"-trying to keep pure cultures is impossible "cultural consumers are not dupes." We will adapt what works from each culture.
- "Open system"- everyone can adapt their own culture
- Culture shock -acculturalization & deculturalization- culture shock comes in waves and is extremes in emotion that lessen over time until adaptation occurs. People adapt better, if they experience a lot of stressful situations in the beginning of moving to the culture
- Identity transformation- [I equate this with Tantra- my religion] move from the individual to the universal- realizing we are all humans and have the same needs and wants
- Intercultural personhood is a positive move in society because of the experiences are helping shape who we are today. [Yin sees a lot of good in this move towards globalization. I wish I did. I see a lot of negative. Not because I am into maintaining pure and authentic cultures, but the reality of racial tensions, spread of poverty and disease. The loss of traditional families. The spread of a culture that values profit over people around the world. I truly feel this attitude will be the extinction of the human race.]
Sunday, August 14, 2011
What culture works best for me?
Noel, J. (2008). Developing multicultural educators (2nd ed). Long Grove, IL: Waveland.
Components of culture-
This section charts out specific aspects of cultural communication, organizational, and intellectual styles and draws examples of how they function in certain societies. This book is extremely well structured easy to follow and well written. I am learning a lot such as: the organization of time as monochronic or polychronic. I want to move to a polychronic society. I feel like that would be less productive, but overall healthier for my body. I am sure both styles entail benefits and disadvantages, but I think that too much of either can be problematic. I noticed the differences in countries like the Dominican Republic where people run on island time and they show up when they can, if they can and in Mexico, where people's lives took priority over deadlines. I never knew that was a mode of communication or that there was a classification for concepts of time. This classification and structure of cultures is fascinating to learn.
High Context Society Pro's Con's
-accountibilty -less freedom for socio-economic mobility
-more human contact -more room for unhealthy and unfair relations
such as nepotism or abuse of power
-low stress -not very productive, less capitol, poverty
Low Context Society Pro's Con's
-independence -less healthy human bonds and lack of social
support and the all important sense of belonging
-highly productive -emphasis on productivity has lead to the neglect
of human wellness and lead to stress and disease
-fluid socio-economic mobility -loss of sense of belonging and connectedness
to geographical location, family, and respect
of history and elders
Personally after living in a low context society moving to a high context culture was so refreshing for my mental health. Honestly, I was so stressed that I couldn't breath. I now seek out the high context culture in my home by reprioritizing where my time and energy is spent. I seek out high human contact activities and communities like contra dancing. There are so many aspects to culture the beauty of living in a multicultural society, you can pick and choose which aspects work for you and embrace them.
Functionalist Perspective on Cultural Socialization- education serves only to maintain the predominant power in power. [This viewpoint is so sad yet true. I see it everyday. Schools are extremely political and the children with the most influential parents can shape the policy in the district. SAD.]
Components of culture-
This section charts out specific aspects of cultural communication, organizational, and intellectual styles and draws examples of how they function in certain societies. This book is extremely well structured easy to follow and well written. I am learning a lot such as: the organization of time as monochronic or polychronic. I want to move to a polychronic society. I feel like that would be less productive, but overall healthier for my body. I am sure both styles entail benefits and disadvantages, but I think that too much of either can be problematic. I noticed the differences in countries like the Dominican Republic where people run on island time and they show up when they can, if they can and in Mexico, where people's lives took priority over deadlines. I never knew that was a mode of communication or that there was a classification for concepts of time. This classification and structure of cultures is fascinating to learn.
High Context Society Pro's Con's
-accountibilty -less freedom for socio-economic mobility
-more human contact -more room for unhealthy and unfair relations
such as nepotism or abuse of power
-low stress -not very productive, less capitol, poverty
Low Context Society Pro's Con's
-independence -less healthy human bonds and lack of social
support and the all important sense of belonging
-highly productive -emphasis on productivity has lead to the neglect
of human wellness and lead to stress and disease
-fluid socio-economic mobility -loss of sense of belonging and connectedness
to geographical location, family, and respect
of history and elders
Personally after living in a low context society moving to a high context culture was so refreshing for my mental health. Honestly, I was so stressed that I couldn't breath. I now seek out the high context culture in my home by reprioritizing where my time and energy is spent. I seek out high human contact activities and communities like contra dancing. There are so many aspects to culture the beauty of living in a multicultural society, you can pick and choose which aspects work for you and embrace them.
Functionalist Perspective on Cultural Socialization- education serves only to maintain the predominant power in power. [This viewpoint is so sad yet true. I see it everyday. Schools are extremely political and the children with the most influential parents can shape the policy in the district. SAD.]
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Knowing and catering to student expectations and challenges
Knox, J. (1999). Culture and language: What do our students need? ThaiTESOL Bulletin, 12(1), 41-51.
The most useful points that I derived from this article for my career are the following.
many teachers do not do this.)
The most useful points that I derived from this article for my career are the following.
- What cultural knowledge do our students need in order to succeed in their goal language experience? (i.e. travelling, passing an oral exam, citizanship) Each goal warrants a different empahsis of the instructed language.
many teachers do not do this.)
- What cultural factors will affect your student's learning? (cultural differences in classroom behavior, best classroom practices for to match the student body) This is different for every class. I had a class of Chinese students who I never thought would like to act things out and do skits, but they were more engaged and more sucessful than some of the Italian classes.
- Infuse lessons with culture when teaching the language and preface this with the explanation that English is an internationally spoken language and certain manners and cultural pieces will vary upon where you are.
- It is imprtant to be aware of expectations of your students for classroom cultural before you decide how to manage your class. I have a funny story about this. I was asked to teach a class of adults a conversational class in ESL to a group of predominately South Americans. In South America it is a sign of respect to call someone "teacher" because that is a revered position, which requires education. So I asked the students to raise their hands when they needed my assitance, which was very often. I had such a difficult time with this class becuase instead of raising their hands they would all yell out "teacher" all at once. In my mind calling me teacher I felt was a sign of disrespect, like these people didn't even care to learn my name. The class ultimately could sense the frustration that I was emmitting.The next day I went in with a nice rehearsed speech of how I found them not following my requests of raising their hands and calling out to be disrespectful. They articulated the cultural difference and I maintained my position of this is what I expect in this class. Ultimately there were more of them than me and the habit of calling out "teacher" from their homes of Venezuela and Columbia were so engrained, that I lost that battle. I knew that they meant no harm and I got over it. In the end I am serving them, so why wouldn't I cater my class to what works for them?
Defining, Shaping and Understanding Culture
Observations based on reading:
Street, B. V. (1993). Culture is a verb: Anthropological aspects of language and culture process.
In D. Graddol, L. Thompson, & M. Byram (Eds.). Language and culture (pp.23-43). Clevedon, UK:
BAAL and Multilingual Matters.
[My perspective will be found in brackets.]
[Before reading the article my definition of culture as a Spanish teacher and a former ESL instructor was;
Culture- practiced customs that are based on the accepted 'norm' or shared beliefs that give members a sense of belonging due to familiar or shared experiences.
[ I felt it important to summarize this article in order to clarify meaning for myself. ]
Summary of reading:
Streets goes onto quote Thornton in an attempt to prove that "culture does" and is not static. Street moves on to explain the notion of authentic culture and the anthopoligical hegemony of 'meanings' being the central piece defining culture. He claims that preocupation with menaings is a "theotretical weakness in the discipline" (p.26)"
His view on authentic culture is that the concept is precarious because it leaves anthropologists to discover the culture as an object instead of allowing a particulur culture to be discussed and contested (p.27).
Street brings in a quote from Asad to make the points that is not a social object because culture and social structures are a result of human meanings. In other words culture doesn't change independent of people. People are constantly changing, therefore culture cannot be an object or a noun. His logic is leading us to the direct conclusion that it must be a verb. [As if verb were the only other part of speech. Could culture be an adverb?]
(p. 28-29) He discusses the formalization of speech limits the ability of people to respond and leads to authority and power, when the code is followed correctly. He discuss how Bloch equates formal speeches to coersion leading to social control by means of generalization and minimization of differences between percieved memories of shared events, which are also shaped by the orator.
[ I absolutely agree with the argument that formalized speech is nothing more than coersion. Look at Fidel Castro for example. He plays upon familiar history and common trials within the society to coerce his points. His speeches are so long winded and he plays on the emotions of the public through shared experiences within the culture that either everyone in the crowd is nodding their head in heartfelt agreement or half asleep because they forgot what his original point was in the first place. He is an extreme example of course, but if you look at any politican, pastor, even teacher ultimately this is what is done in a speech. We create a formula in which the listener has no ability to respond play upon shared experiences until hopefully the entire group nods their head in agreement or is left feeling like the orator has the power. Although this is a fantastic point about the shaping of cultures, I feel the point is off-topic when Streets is ultimately trying to define culture in different terms.]
Streets explains that Parkins warns Bloch against reducing cultures to it's performative functions (p. 31) which is to say analysizing the speeches as if a speech is the only factor in how culture changes and how authority and social structures are developed. Parkins claims that doing this would ignore completely the social context. [I completely agree with this idea that the shaping of culture is more than simply a speech to gain authority. One needs to also observe what events are taking place at that time that have created the opportunity for the speech be accepted by the people. Was there a war? Are people feeling an increased sense of need for change new direction or leadership? What are the predominant factors that create the social climate for one to gain power. That is to say that not every speech is what gains a person their position in society.] Parkins also goes on to debate Bloch in saying that how meanings gain power or authority do not define a culture more reflect that culture (p.31).
Streets moves on to say that Thornton describes the idea or perception of history to be the most important factor in shaping a culture. In other words the reality of what happened is irrelevant it is the hegemonic view of what happened that shapes a culture. Also that a culture is defined by comparison what one culture is not such as in the case of tribes in South Africa (p.32).
Moving back onto the definition of culture Street (1993) quotes Thornton who defines culture as a resource;
[Resource is also a noun.]
"while there are differences in the way that people behave and think and live, this reflects their differing access to cultural resources, as well as their use of these resources to make statements to each other about themselves"(p.33). In other words individuals within a society use the resources of the resources of culture to define their identity. [I believe that Streets uses this quote to show the uses of resources as an action and to further solidify that culture is something made by people who are constantly changing, which is a process or a verb.]
He continues to quote Thornton and talk about what culture does it 'creates boundaries' between people.
Streets also notes Cowan's separation from individualists and seeks an explanation of the group other than the constrained concept of culture and she finds this in the term hegemony (p. 36). She feels hegemonic ideas are generated by the majority are not forced by authority and are open to dissent, which results in a more fluid definition and defines the group as a more dynamic process (p.37). She specifically describes the beauty of hegemony as, "it explicitly makes problematic the links between conciousness, sensory experience, and power in a way that the concept of culture, as a set collective of shared symbols and meanings, does not" (p.37). [This is an amazing quote that delves into the thought that her definition of hegemony in replacement of culture is so complicated that study, and debate are encouraged because culture is that complicated. Culture cannot be pegged to meanings and symbols. These symbols and meanings represent different things to every member of the culture and are open to debate; as Street describes them as "multivocal and contradictory character and giving voice to the local perceptions and differences" (p.37).]
Street moves on to discuss the emphasis that anthropolgy placed on linguistics and language as defining culture as excessive. [Street prooves his point very well here. While reading I was yelling, "it is! Modes of communication are everything in a culture." Towards the end of reading I agreed that perhaps language is not as important in culture as I thought.]
Street successfully argues that many cultures do not need language to communicate in order to thrive. That many young are simply learning through immitation. He even goes so far as to mention modern literate societies are not cognitively more developing than their illiterate predecessors the young are simply immitating as they have in the past (p.39-41).
Culture is a dynamic process by which a set of people choose to live.]
Street, B. V. (1993). Culture is a verb: Anthropological aspects of language and culture process.
In D. Graddol, L. Thompson, & M. Byram (Eds.). Language and culture (pp.23-43). Clevedon, UK:
BAAL and Multilingual Matters.
[My perspective will be found in brackets.]
[Before reading the article my definition of culture as a Spanish teacher and a former ESL instructor was;
Culture- practiced customs that are based on the accepted 'norm' or shared beliefs that give members a sense of belonging due to familiar or shared experiences.
[ I felt it important to summarize this article in order to clarify meaning for myself. ]
Summary of reading:
- Defining Culture-
Streets goes onto quote Thornton in an attempt to prove that "culture does" and is not static. Street moves on to explain the notion of authentic culture and the anthopoligical hegemony of 'meanings' being the central piece defining culture. He claims that preocupation with menaings is a "theotretical weakness in the discipline" (p.26)"
His view on authentic culture is that the concept is precarious because it leaves anthropologists to discover the culture as an object instead of allowing a particulur culture to be discussed and contested (p.27).
Street brings in a quote from Asad to make the points that is not a social object because culture and social structures are a result of human meanings. In other words culture doesn't change independent of people. People are constantly changing, therefore culture cannot be an object or a noun. His logic is leading us to the direct conclusion that it must be a verb. [As if verb were the only other part of speech. Could culture be an adverb?]
- Shaping Culture
(p. 28-29) He discusses the formalization of speech limits the ability of people to respond and leads to authority and power, when the code is followed correctly. He discuss how Bloch equates formal speeches to coersion leading to social control by means of generalization and minimization of differences between percieved memories of shared events, which are also shaped by the orator.
[ I absolutely agree with the argument that formalized speech is nothing more than coersion. Look at Fidel Castro for example. He plays upon familiar history and common trials within the society to coerce his points. His speeches are so long winded and he plays on the emotions of the public through shared experiences within the culture that either everyone in the crowd is nodding their head in heartfelt agreement or half asleep because they forgot what his original point was in the first place. He is an extreme example of course, but if you look at any politican, pastor, even teacher ultimately this is what is done in a speech. We create a formula in which the listener has no ability to respond play upon shared experiences until hopefully the entire group nods their head in agreement or is left feeling like the orator has the power. Although this is a fantastic point about the shaping of cultures, I feel the point is off-topic when Streets is ultimately trying to define culture in different terms.]
Streets explains that Parkins warns Bloch against reducing cultures to it's performative functions (p. 31) which is to say analysizing the speeches as if a speech is the only factor in how culture changes and how authority and social structures are developed. Parkins claims that doing this would ignore completely the social context. [I completely agree with this idea that the shaping of culture is more than simply a speech to gain authority. One needs to also observe what events are taking place at that time that have created the opportunity for the speech be accepted by the people. Was there a war? Are people feeling an increased sense of need for change new direction or leadership? What are the predominant factors that create the social climate for one to gain power. That is to say that not every speech is what gains a person their position in society.] Parkins also goes on to debate Bloch in saying that how meanings gain power or authority do not define a culture more reflect that culture (p.31).
Streets moves on to say that Thornton describes the idea or perception of history to be the most important factor in shaping a culture. In other words the reality of what happened is irrelevant it is the hegemonic view of what happened that shapes a culture. Also that a culture is defined by comparison what one culture is not such as in the case of tribes in South Africa (p.32).
- Defining Culture
Moving back onto the definition of culture Street (1993) quotes Thornton who defines culture as a resource;
[Resource is also a noun.]
"while there are differences in the way that people behave and think and live, this reflects their differing access to cultural resources, as well as their use of these resources to make statements to each other about themselves"(p.33). In other words individuals within a society use the resources of the resources of culture to define their identity. [I believe that Streets uses this quote to show the uses of resources as an action and to further solidify that culture is something made by people who are constantly changing, which is a process or a verb.]
He continues to quote Thornton and talk about what culture does it 'creates boundaries' between people.
- Understanding of Culture
Streets also notes Cowan's separation from individualists and seeks an explanation of the group other than the constrained concept of culture and she finds this in the term hegemony (p. 36). She feels hegemonic ideas are generated by the majority are not forced by authority and are open to dissent, which results in a more fluid definition and defines the group as a more dynamic process (p.37). She specifically describes the beauty of hegemony as, "it explicitly makes problematic the links between conciousness, sensory experience, and power in a way that the concept of culture, as a set collective of shared symbols and meanings, does not" (p.37). [This is an amazing quote that delves into the thought that her definition of hegemony in replacement of culture is so complicated that study, and debate are encouraged because culture is that complicated. Culture cannot be pegged to meanings and symbols. These symbols and meanings represent different things to every member of the culture and are open to debate; as Street describes them as "multivocal and contradictory character and giving voice to the local perceptions and differences" (p.37).]
Street moves on to discuss the emphasis that anthropolgy placed on linguistics and language as defining culture as excessive. [Street prooves his point very well here. While reading I was yelling, "it is! Modes of communication are everything in a culture." Towards the end of reading I agreed that perhaps language is not as important in culture as I thought.]
Street successfully argues that many cultures do not need language to communicate in order to thrive. That many young are simply learning through immitation. He even goes so far as to mention modern literate societies are not cognitively more developing than their illiterate predecessors the young are simply immitating as they have in the past (p.39-41).
- Reflection-Although Street drew weak connections between his sources and the main argument, through the juxtaposition of his choice of sources I learned a lot about anthropological perceptions of culture.
Culture is a dynamic process by which a set of people choose to live.]
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