teilpresent.ppt

Culture in Teaching English as an International Language

Presented by…Onwaree Promta

Ph.D. Student (EIL) 5628600067Faculty of Liberal Arts and Science

Graduate School of Kasetsart University,Kampaengsan Campus, Nakorn Patom, Thailand

Contents

• The role of culture in language teaching

• Rational for culture learning

• Culture content in language teaching materials

•The role of culture in discourse communities

• A culture of learning

• The spread of English and CLT

•Challenge to the use of CLT

•Toward an appropriate methodology for EIL

.

Culture in TEIL Culture in TEIL

Teaching Method and EIL

Teaching Method and EIL

www.themegallery.com

languages

customs

communications manners

beliefs

cultureculture

religious

values

(Goode, Sockalingam, Brown, & Jones, 2000).

thoughts

practices

courtesies

*and ability to transmit the above to succeeding generations.

How communication in language and culture are tied up?

Kramsch (1998)Kramsch (1998) Thanasoulas (2001)Thanasoulas (2001)

language expresses cultural reality

language embodies cultural reality

language symbolizes cultural reality

culture is the ‘foundation’ of communication and it is a ‘must’ in language learning process.


Why should culture be taught ?Why should culture be taught ?

• Lack of cultural competence in the target language would surely lead to transfer from the native language to the target language . ( Lado ,1957 ; Dweik ,2000 ) .

• Learning culture helps understand non-verbal communication . Understanding the elements of non-verbal communication in the target culture , would facilitate communication and improve mutual understanding among interlocutors. ( Dunnet et al in cited in Barker , 2003 )


• Learning culture helps learners observe similarities and differences among various cultural groups . (Kramsch, 2001 )

• Culture influences language teaching . It influences the choice of the language materials. (Mckay , 2003 )

The role of culture in language teaching

Establishing a sphere

of interculturality

Establishing a sphere

of interculturality

Teaching culture as an

interpersonal process

Teaching culture as an

interpersonal process

Teaching culture as difference

Teaching culture as difference

Kramsch (1993) outlines several

new lines of thought regarding the teaching of language and culture.

The teaching of culture, especially in relation to an international language


An individual identifies with and accepts the beliefs, values, and practices of a particular culture.

Biculturalism vs Interculturalism

biculturalism

Interculturalism, on the other hand,

assumes a knowledge of, rather than

acceptance of another culture.

interculturalism

Level of culture

Aesthetic sense Sociological sense

Level of culture

1 2

Pragmatic sense

4Semantic sense

3

Custom and institution

Cultural norm influence what language is appropriate for what context

Literature, film and music

A culture’s conceptual system is expressed in the language

Aesthetic sense & Sociological In dealing with culture in the aesthetic sense,

particularly in relation to literature, one of the first steps that needs to be taken is to examine what kind of cultural information is in the text and in what ways the content might appear unusual to members of another culture.


Let us take, for example, a rather routine lesson on garage sales that is presented in the context of asking for and giving advice (Hynes & Baichman, 1989).


Describe the term “garage sale”1

Discuss with classmate2

Doing the worksheet3

Give advice 4

The chapter opens with the following instructions:


Iranian students might be very surprised by the exercise in which they are to ask other students for advice

In Iran, they are generally sold items indoors in the seller’s

home

In Iran, they are generally sold items indoors in the seller’s

home

.

Iranian students would be surprised and perhaps offended by the idea of

buying used mattresses, sheets, blankets, and

underwear.

Iranian students would be surprised and perhaps offended by the idea of

buying used mattresses, sheets, blankets, and

underwear.

Iranian students might be puzzled by the

selling of pictures with frames

Iranian students might be puzzled by the

selling of pictures with frames

If, for example, this particular text were to be used in Iran, many things would be quite unfamiliar to the students

If the teacher were from a culture that had garage sales, the teacher might explain the meaning that garage sales have for various people in the culture

1

2

How might the cultural elements in the text on garage sales then be dealt with explicitly so as to establish a sphere of interculturality and develop cross-cultural awareness?

Teacher encourage students to consider their own culture in light of this event.

Semantic sense The semantic dimension of culture is relevant in the

teaching of lexical items. Cultural information on this level is often embedded in common phrases that are introduced in texts with no historical, cultural, or sociological explanation provided. the Big Three Big Stick Diplomacy yellow journalism,

Should terms that are highly country specific be introduced, or are there terms that have developed from more general Western traditions, that are more applicable to the use of an international language?

Clearly, an answer to this question rests largely on the language learning goals of the students.

.

• the Big Three• Big Stick Diplomacy• yellow journalism,

• Pandora’s box• The Midas touch• The good Samaritan

Pragmatic sense The pragmatic sense of culture is generally

introduced in the teaching of speech acts, such as giving and receiving compliments, or asking for information.

One danger that can arise in approaching this level of culture is that materials can assume that learners want to acquire rather than learn about how particular speech acts are enacted in specific countries.

Rationale for culture learning


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Brutt-Griffler (1998) argues that

when we say that people in

the Outer and Expanding Circle

are English –using, we must admit

at least the possibility that

they may use English for

all the purposes to which

a language may be put.

There are no needs to include

culture in the teaching of EIL.

English is deracinated or

uprooted from its original cultural

soil; only special registers of

science and technology, business

and geopolitics are used”•

Is teaching culture necessary to the teaching of an International language?

Brutt-Griffler (1998) Gonzalez

What way is culture essential to the teaching of a language?

Brown (1986) proposes that culture is necessary because “it is really an integral part of the interaction between language and thought. Cultural patterns, customs, and ways of life are expressed in language; culture-specific world views are reflected in language.

Which particular culturally influenced uses of English do learners need to acquire?

Lexical innovation are occurring in the development of many nativized varies of English. These innovations often provide a means to describe a cultural aspect of local life.

“Marina kids” in Singapore ‘minor wife’ in Thailand.

Lexical item which include cultural knowledge need to be acquired because of their frequent use in international context.

Saluveer’s (2004) Marie- Victoire Klein (2004)

In summary, all of these studies indicated that integration of culture into language classes

enhanced students’ learning positively. While their motivation towards language learning

is increasing, students’ communicative abilities are building up.

Cultural content in language teaching materials

Cultural Materials

– Source culture (home culture)

– Target culture (inner circle countries)

– International target culture (outer/expanding circle)

See the next slide for a visualization of cultural materials.

(McKay 2002)

Inner Circle

Outer Circle

Expanding Circle

e.g. USA, UK, Australia

320-380 million

e.g. India, Singapore150-300 million

e.g. China, Germany100-1000 million

Kachru (1989)

TARGETCULTUREMATERIAL

INT’L TARGETCULTUREMATERIAL

SOURCECULTURE MATERIAL(for most E-Teacher countries)

McKay (2002)

Target-culture materials

Target-culture textbook

Target-culture textbook

Source-culture teacher

Source-culture student

Target-culture teacher


Paola Vettorel Verona University Identity and Culture in teaching EIL

Source-culture materials

Source-culture

textbook

Source-culture

textbook





EIL

International-culture materials

International-culture textbook

International-culture textbook





The role of culture in discourse communities

Swales (1990)Swales (1990)

Swales (1990) argues persuasively for the need to separate the notion of speech communities from discourse communities. He maintains that discourse communities are different from speech communities in that literacy takes away locality and parochiality since the writers are more likely than speakers to communicate with members in distant places and react to writings from the past.


participatory mechanism community

specific genres

common goals specialized terminology

Information exchange

Discourse communities

(Swales 1990: 29)(Swales 1990: 29) (Swales 1990: 29)(Swales 1990: 29)

high level of expertise

The rise of EIL, along with the development of new technology, has enabled the development of discourse communities that are geographically, ethnically, and socially quite diverse.

EIL is essential to the existence of many of these specialized discourse communities: at the same time it is their growth that is fueling the spread of English. Indeed one of the major reasons many individuals have today for learning English is to join discourse community. In terms of teaching EIL, what knowledge do individuals needto partake in one?

In terms of teaching EIL, what knowledge do individuals need to partake in one?

Obviously, they need expertise in the discourse community’s field, knowledge that is generally acquired outside of EIL classroom. Finally they need knowledge of the community specific genres. It is here that EIL classroom can be most useful.

Obviously, they need expertise in the discourse community’s field, knowledge that is generally acquired outside of EIL classroom. Finally they need knowledge of the community specific genres. It is here that EIL classroom can be most useful.

Swale (1990) offers a valuable framework for promoting such knowledge. He contends that language learning tasks for English for specific purposes should entail attention to the relevant discourse community itself.

Swale (1990) offers a valuable framework for promoting such knowledge. He contends that language learning tasks for English for specific purposes should entail attention to the relevant discourse community itself.

He maintains that in order for material designers to understand a discourse community, it is important that they undertake ethnographic studies involving observations participations interview Questionnairesand so on

He maintains that in order for material designers to understand a discourse community, it is important that they undertake ethnographic studies involving observations participations interview Questionnairesand so on

Chapter 5: Culture in Teaching English as

an International Language

Have you everHave you everheard someone say any of the following, or something similar?

“Chinese students are so quiet, rarely participating in discussion. I don’t know if they understand.”

“They sit in the front row(s), looking serious, taking notes, etc. but they seldom say anything.”

“I can’t believe they copy chunks of stuff without any hesitation. Warnings on plagiarism don’t seem to make sense to them. What should I do?”

• “His English is OK, but it’s difficult to figure out what he is up to (in the essay). Why can’t he be straightforward?”

• “She (PhD student) seems to think I know everything and expects me to guide her step by step. In other words, she wants me to do the thinking for her…”

• If the answer is yes, what does it suggest?

The DebateThe Debate

Some say:

Ignore all these! International students come here to receive a British education, so they should and they do adapt, de-culturate, re-learn, accommodate, acculturate, etc. (i.e. to do things OUR way). So we stick to what we do.

Others say: We need to study their experience here and there and to

internationalise our curriculum, our pedagogy, etc. Teachers need to develop intercultural understanding and to

communicate better with each other.

The DebateThe Debate

In order to do that, they say: We need to know differences between ‘cultures of learning’

e.g. Confucian culture of learning Socratic culture of learning

We can then explore a common ground, or a space or place where we can celebrate our differences. Etc.

Culture of Learning

•Values and beliefs of quality teaching and learning shared by a particular national group and the norms or behaviours that are built on them

Philosophical assumptions about

the nature of teaching and learning, perceptions of the respective roles of and responsibilities of teachers and students, learning strategies encouraged,

and qualities valued in teachers and students

.

(Cortazzi & Jin, 1996)(Cortazzi & Jin, 1996)

(Hu, 2002) (Hu, 2002)

Culture of LearningCulture of Learning

Nature of learning

Nature of learning

.

culture of learning

Typical role of Teacher

Typical role of students

Socratic versus Confucian Conceptions of Learning

Socratic versus Confucian Conceptions of Learning

– Socratic Conception of quality learning which is widely discussed as learning philosophy for all is a western exemplar that values questioning of accepted knowledge and generate and express own hypotheses on such bases.

– Confucian Conception values effortful, respectful, and pragmatic leaning of knowledge as well as behavioral reform. (Tweed and Lehman, 2002)

Socratic conceptionsSocratic conceptions

Main theories of learning

– Constructivism (Steffe & Gale, 1995; Biggs 1999)

– Phenomenography (Marton & Booth, 1997)

Core argument:

Learning is a way in which learners interact with the world. Quality learning takes place only when they generate their own knowledge on the basis of the existing and when they engage themselves with higher cognitive-level processes.

Confucian Conceptions 1Confucian Conceptions 1

– Confucian learners consider knowledge to be commodity to be transferable between teacher and student.

– Quality learning is accomplished through successive repetitions and iterations, each of which drills deeper and deeper into the knowledge transmitted. One questions it only

when s/he understands it properly (Pratt, 1992b) Memorisation (the lowest cognitive level activity) and

hard work are strongly emphasised!


In exploring the “paradox of Chinese learners” – rote learning, large classes, expository methods, relentless norm-referenced assessment, etc. but good academic performance – Watkins and Biggs (1996) summarise features of Chinese learners as follows:

1. Understanding through the process of memorising

2. Success attributable to hard work, not ability

3. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation mutually inclusive

4. Respect for seniority and conformation to group norms

5. Individual success tied to family face

6. Collaborative learning outside classroom


Authors in Watkins and Biggs (2001) characterise Chinese teachers as follows:

1. Teachers promote learning and moral behaviour by setting themselves up as models both academically and socially

2. Teachers are authoritarian in class but also play a pastoral role outside class

3. Orchestrated teacher-centred teaching is welcomed and can be effective in large classes

4. Good teachers are perceived as those who have deep knowledge, friendly and good moral examples

Chinese PerceptionsChinese Perceptions

N = 135 (Cortazzi and Jin, 1996)

A good teacher A good student

Has a deep knowledge Is hard working

Is patient Learns from each other

Is humorous Pays attention to teacher

Is a good moral example

Respects and obeys teacher

Contrastive Studies - Hammond & Gao (2002)Contrastive Studies - Hammond & Gao (2002)

Dialectic(Asian)

Dialogic(Western)

Teacher Holds power, knows all, controls space

Shares power and exp.ce, creates space

Student Listens, follows instr.s, just a student

Contributes, make proposals, a scholar

Learning focus

Fixed, fragmented, transmitted

Emergent, connected to whole, constructed

Education systems

Protect status quo, encourage compet.n,

Create future, encourage collab.n

The Historical Development of Language Teaching Methodology

Situational Approach

TPR

1900 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990

Cooperative Learning

Content-Based Learning

Task-Based Learning

Pre-Method Methods Era Post Method Era

Based on Richards & Rodgers,

Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching 2001

Grammar

Translation

Audio-lingual

Situational

The Direct Method

The Oral Approach

Communicative Language Teaching

The Lexical Approach

T P R

Suggestopedia

The Silent Way

Community Lang. Learning

Cont. Cont.

Today many educators content that CLT is dominant

approach in ELT. Although, CLT is generally accepted, there are

many numerous way to which it is defines:

Richard and Rodgers (1985) Richard and Rodgers (1985)

designapproach procedure

method

Richard and Rodgers (1985) Richard and Rodgers (1985)

procedure designApproach

the assumptions, beliefs, and theories about nature of language and language learning that inform the method.

the relationship between theories of nature of language and language learning that form the function of instructional materials and activities

the classroom techniques and practice that are the results of particular approach and design

Holliday (1994)Holliday (1994)

– ‘Weak Version’ was developed largely in private institutes, either in Inner countries or sponsored by Inner countries in other countries or BANA methods. (BANA stands for Britain, Australia, and North America).

– Holliday argues that a high premium is placed on oral work and maximum student participation in group and pair work.

• ‘Strong Version’ was developed in public education systems either in primary and secondary schools or in universities in Inner Circle countries. (TESP version: territory, secondary and primary).

• The focus is on learning about how language works in discourse. Students carry out tasks which are designed to pose language problems that help them understand how a text is constructed.

• Holliday argues that the strong version of CLT may be more applicable to a wider range of teaching contexts, particularly Outer and Expanding Circle countries. However it is the weak version that is generally referred to when educators talk of CLT.

What has led to the widespread promotion of the weak version of CLT as the most productive approach for teaching English?

What has led to the widespread promotion of the weak version of CLT as the most productive approach for teaching English?

• Tollefson (1991) suggests one reason. He argues that the spread of English is linked to what he terms the ‘modernization theory’.

• Modernization theory is a theory used to explain the process of modernization within societies. Modernization or modernisation refers to a model of a progressive transition from a 'pre-modern' or 'traditional' to a 'modern' society.

• According to this theory, western societies provide the most effective model for ‘underdeveloped’ societies attempting provide the most effective model for ‘industrialization’

• Tollefson (1991) mentions that the spread of CLT is not only because of ‘modernization theory but also because educators in these countries have advocated its adoption i.e.

• In Japan, in 1989 and 1990 the Ministry of Education release new guidelines to study of foreign language in junior and senior high schools which one of the primary aims of the new curriculum was to require teachers to promote speaking and listening skills.

• The final factors that has clearly contributed to the spread of CLT is textbooks.

• Many CLT textbooks, published in Inner circle countries, encourage activities which support the weak version of CLT.

• However, textbooks published outside the Inner Circle can also reflect a CLT methodology.

• For example in Morocco, The ministry of Education textbook for secondary schools (Further Steps in English) notes that the purpose of the book is to introduce communicative activities as role plays, discussion topics and games

Challenges to the use of communicative language teachingChallenges to the use of communicative language teaching

• Outer Circle educators challenge the use of CLT on the ground that it is not a culturally sensitive methodology.

• Ellis (1996) argues that there are several aspects of CLT that make it ‘unsuitable for Asian learners and teachers?

• He argues that there is a need to recognize the social principles the underlie CLT and to strive these differences when CLT is used in eastern contexts.

• The most serious challenges to the spread of CLT comes from teachers outside of the Inner Circle who question the appropriateness of the approach for their particular teaching context.

• Burnaby and Sun (1989) The Chinese teachers believed that whereas CLT would be appropriate for Chinese students who intended to go to English-Speaking countries.

• An emphasis on reading and translation would the best meets the need of many English language learners in China. CLT approach would not help them to pass the traditional national examinations and CLT seems like games than series learning.

• Li’s (1998) interviews Korean secondary school teachers on the difficulties involved in implementing CLT demonstrate similar problems;

• 1) Educational system itself in which large classes, grammar-based examinations, insufficient funding, and lack of support for teacher education determines the implementation of this approach.

2) The students’ low English proficiency, lack of motivation for developing communicative competence, and resistance to class participation make it difficult to use CLT.

• 3) The teachers believe that their own inadequacies contribute to the problem. They feel that their deficiency in spoken English and sociolinguistic competence, along with their lack of relevant training and limited time to develop materials, add to their difficulties.

• Shamin (1996) describes her students’ reactions to innovation in her Pakistani university class, designed to make it more learner centered and thus more keeping which a CLT methodology such as group work, discussion then telling the students if they don’t like the changes, they could discuss the problem and suggest other alternative.

• She mentions that once the teachers has assumed a new role in the classroom, students may fell them too, can assumes new role, role that at times reflect their resistance to change.

Toward an appropriate methodology for English as an international language.Toward an appropriate methodology for English as an international language.

• Just the use of English today embedded in a variety of local contexts so, too, is the teaching of EIL. Every EIL classroom is influenced by various contextual factors. These include the political and social context


Click to edit title styleClick to edit title style

contextual contextual factors. factors.

- official language policies,- the role of English in the society, - economic resources appropriated to ELT, - linguistic and cultural attitudes toward EIL

• its English teaching objectives,

• material resources

political & social context

educational institution

teachers’ background & the students’ background.

• However, each classroom is unique. Because of this, as Prabhu (1990) points out, there is no best method and no one method that is best for a particular context. Hence, Prabhu suggests “sense of plausibility”

• This sense of plausibility is influenced by teachers’ own experience in the past as learners, by their own experience teaching, and their exposure to one or more teaching methods. A method then, for Phabhu is a highly developed and highly articulated sense of plausibility.

• This teachers’ sense of plausibility is exemplified in an article by Kramsch and Sullivan (1996) describing the use of a CLT textbook in English class in Vietnam. In observing the teachers’ use of these material,

• Kramsch and Sullivan found that the three central characteristics, the notion of classroom-as-family, teacher-as-mentor, and language-learning-as play, affected how the CLT textbook was used.

• The materials were designed to be used in small group work, but Kramsch and Sullivan found that in many instance the topics were examined by the whole class with a language family focus.

• Hence, even though the textbook writers may have intended the book to the used in a particular way, this group of students an teacher had their own culture of learning, a culture undoubtedly affected by the larger Vietnamese culture and the institutional structure of the university, yet still unique because of the shared history of individuals in the classroom.

• Kramsch and Sullivan mentions that such a view of appropriate pedagogy is in keeping with political motto, ‘Think globally, act locally’. It means ‘global thinking, local teaching’.

Chile case Chile case

• Ministry of Education developed an English Curriculum emphasizing to develop perceptive skills:

40 % reading comprehension

40 % listening comprehension

20 % speaking and writing

• Many in service teacher of English appear pleased with

the design because the Ministry provided the student the textbook and the cassette.

Cont. Cont. • but this support is less evident among pre-service teachers educators.

1) They mentions that some of the methodology instructors have not even seen in the textbook.

2) Others have expressed the opinion that the teacher educators were the better position to know what the student needed in term of methodology than the Ministry of Education.

• Those that espouse the development of the locally appreciate pedagogy argue that its design must be in the hands of local educators.

• ’.

Cont. Cont. • To the development of a locally appropriate pedagogy is

the need to clarify exactly what is meant by local educators. Ideally all the key players of educational reform – the Ministry of Education, in service teachers, teacher educators, and teachers in training should be involved in the design of a locally appropriate pedagogy.