Session 4

1. Session 4 Cultural and Professional Aspects

2. Cultural Understanding Relationships between language and culture • Customs: Play an important part in language learning because they directly affect interpersonal exchanges. What is polite in one culture might be offensive in another. • Beliefs and Institutions: Has a strong emotional influence on ELLs and should always be respected. While customs should be adaptable, like switching registers, no effort should be made to change the beliefs or the institutional values of an ELL. Differences should be addressed respectfully. • Studying the history and various art forms of a culture reveals much about them and offers opportunities to tap into knowledge.

3. Cultural Variables • Individual vs. Collective: Being aware of our own teaching style and preferences so we can provide a wide variety of activities in different modes so all cultures have opportunity to experience education in familiar ways. • Some cultures respond differently to cooperation and competition • The respect of an ‘authority’ figure. • Gradually introduce students to a wider array of learning experiences New Immigrants Share their Stories

4. Cultural Variables • High Context vs. Low Context in Language: A culture’s tendency to use high-context messages over low-context messages in daily communication. • High Context: prefer in-groups which leave many things unsaid because they are culturally implicit. Words and word choices are extremely important as a complex message can be communicated with few words to insiders. (French Canadian, French, Russian, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Arab, Chinese, Japanese) • Low Context: needs to be more explicit when communicating, and individual word choice is less important (German, American, English, Australian, English Canadian)

5. Cultural Variables • Nonverbal Behaviors: Cultures have different nonverbal behaviors • Nodding means “yes” in English, “no” in Greek • Differences should be explained and respected

6. Teaching and Learning Styles • Cooperative group work: Based on the premise that many cultures are more comfortable working in collaborative groups. Even though this is true, some students may feel that the teacher is the only academic authority and should answer questions rather than peers. • Include culturally sensitive learning materials and text. • The key to any reading program is extensive reading • Avoid materials that distort or omit certain historical events, portray stereotypes, contain loaded words, use culturally offensive speech, portray gender roles, elders, and family inaccurately

7. Teaching and Learning Styles Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning

8. Teaching and Learning Styles • Show and Tell: A good strategy for raising multicultural sensitivity. Misunderstandings can be worked into discussion by asking to share an incident that lead to cultural misunderstandings. Diversity in the Classroom • Visual/holistic vs. Verbal/linear-sequential: Some students learn best through seeing information (text, charts, pictures) and others prefer to hear the spoken message. Still others learn through tactile experiences. • Holistic-analytical learner: processes information as whole or broken down into pieces. • Verbal-imager tends to represent information either as words or images

9. Culturally Inclusive Classroom • Achieved only by those who study the cultures of their students. Ideas to create a culturally inclusive classroom as follows • Textbooks- observe the roles of males, females, people of color, and ethnic minorities • Analyze the nonverbal communication you use and focus on teaching students what you mean • Communicate respect and interest in students and their cultures • Classroom sends a positive, welcoming message • Encourage home/school interaction. Attend cultural celebrations in your students’ communities • Assess content and not only language ability • Avoid using students as translators for their parents. • Understand the cultural conflict between the dominant school culture and the minority home culture

10. Factors Influencing Language • Social Factors: gender, social status, age, occupation, and educational level have impact on language acquisition. How learners perceive themselves and what opportunities available to them influence their attitudes toward education. • Previous Schooling: children who have not had the opportunity for schooling ma feel that they are too old for the elementary education they need and are struggling to obtain. Many immigrant children are highly motivated and struggle silently to obtain the education they need.

11. Legal and Ethical Issues • Lau vs. Nichols: Cannot discriminate based on language and must provide appropriate educational accommodations to non-English speakers • Castaneda vs. Pickard: 1978 Texas segregation of ELL’s only permissible when the benefits of remedying language barriers outweigh the adverse affects of segregation • Title VI Civil Rights Act, 1964: No person because of race, color or national origin shall be excluded from participation or denied benefits, or otherwise subject to discrimination if program receives federal funds.

12. Legal and Ethical Issues • Title VI: Prohibits denial of equal access because of limited English proficiency. Specifically prohibits programs that don’t teach English as soon as possible, Dead End track programs. Requires parents receive information in a language they can understand, prohibits SpEd classification based solely on inability to speak English. • Equal Education Opportunities of 1974: Requires schools to design language programs to climate language barriers in schools. • Plyler vs. Doe: 14th amendment prohibits states from denying a free public education to undocumented children. Prohibits schools from requesting documentation of legal status (K-12)

13. The Dream Act Undocumented Shadows

14. Effects of Regulations • Programs are designed based on regulations set forth by state and local governments. The following have been identified as promoting high standards for ELLs: • Learning is facilitated through cooperative, productive efforts of the teacher and the students. • Language and literacy should be developed throughout all instructional activities. • Content is contextualized using the skills and experiences of home and community. • Students are challenged cognitively. • Students need to be engaged in warm, instructional conversation when working on activities.

15. Role of the ESL Teacher • Advocating for Students: • Explore options to participate in school band, science club, match club, sports teams, etc. • Encourage families to make full use of public resources like the public library. Programs provided after school for families as well. • Local establishments like the YMCA, parks, museums to help families enjoy recreational facilities.

16. Needs of English Language Learners • Inhibition: Students may be inhibited about trying to say things in their target language. They might worry about what others think of their speech. They might be afraid of making mistakes or shy about speaking in front of others. • Attitudes: Typically evolve from internalized feelings about oneself and one’s ability to learn a language. If people experience discrimination because of accents or cultural status, their attitude toward the value of second language acquisition may change. • Anxiety: Less able to express individuality, which makes expression of a new language even more threatening and uncomfortable.

17. Needs of English Language Learners • Self-Esteem: All learners can experience stress if forced to go beyond their comfort level. Using techniques that decrease stress and emphasize group participation rather than getting the ‘right answer’, reducing anxiety. • Teachers’ Expectations: Expectations regarding learning goals should be high for all students. Expectations for behavior should be clearly stated and posted. • Classroom Culture: Teacher is responsible for establishing an effective classroom community in which all kids feel safe. Provide demonstrations and scaffolding as needed, but all kids encouraged to make guesses and take risks.

18. Strategies for Collaboration • Plan meetings at hours when parents can attend. • Maintain a friendly main office with translation services. • Invite parents to help out in the classroom. • Call parents or send home hand-written notes in first language with good news about children • Encourage parent-to-parent communication and hotlines • Provide school materials in native language • Provide handouts of parents’ rights • Create a classroom newsletter for parents

19. Planning for Transitions Transferring poses some concerns High school offers less school support to individual students Students experience lower grades School attendance suffers Academic motivation drops Mental health problems such as substance abuse, depression Helping with transitions Visit the new campus Meet the freshman principal, counselor, former students Holding a question/answer session for incoming students Registering

20. Feedback of Parents/Caregivers Advisory Committees • Autism Advisory Committee (AAC) • Citizens’ Advisory Committee for Special Education (CACSE) • District English Language Advisory Committee (DELAC) • GATE Parent Advisory Committee (GAC) • Migrant Education Parent Advisory Committee • Parent Education/Involvement Task Force • Parent Teacher Association • School English Learners Advisory Committee (SELAC)

21. Professional Development Organizations and Publications Relevant to ESL • TESOL (Teachers of English Speakers of Other Languages • Bilingual Association of Florida • (CAL) Center for Applied Linguistics • (OELA) U.S. Department of Education’s Office of English Language Acquisition Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement for Limited Proficient Students