There has been a perception that communication is mainly about the spoken language. Such perception is widely accepted in homogeneous societies that shared a common language. The United States has always been considered a “melting pot” where people from other backgrounds blended into a common American identity. However, the field of English language learning has shown that perception to be greatly flawed. Research has concluded that there is more to learning English than just cognitive functioning and phonetic development. Words have meaning only as they relate to the culture in which they are used. Cultural influence has become a critical component in students’ language learning development. That awareness of cultural sensitivities impacts classroom decisions and can lead to positive learning outcomes.
Culture is a system of behaviors and beliefs that are inherent in a particular society or ethnic group. These belief systems make some things acceptable in certain situations but not so in others. Such cultural patterns varied from place to place. What might seem normal in one part of the world may be looked down upon in another. In many societies there is a generally accepted dominant culture to which many people subscribe in various ways. Yet there are often various subcultures that reflect behavioral patterns and attitudes that may be significantly different than that of the dominant culture. There is no denying that culture intimately intertwines with language and communication.
There are so many cultural differences in the world that it is impossible to list them all in detail. Teachers have to be sensitive to the fact differences exist. For example, greetings, both verbal and physical, vary from one culture to the next. The American pleasantry ‘Hi! How are you?’ or a wave of the hand indicates an informal friendliness. In some cultures, it is expected that one should be more formal and inquire about the health of family members. The handshake is very common in many cultures but it is done so in different ways: some are strong and firm, others are soft and limp. In Asian cultures, a person greets another by placing the palms of his hands together and giving a slight bow. Latinos have a more ‘touching’ culture whereby they greet each other with hugs, kisses and vigorous handshakes.
Facial expressions convey many meanings in different cultures. In the United States, people express shock or surprise by opening their eyes widely and raising their eyebrows. To a Chinese person, he or she would see it as a sign of anger, while a person from Puerto Rico would see it as a lack of understanding. In Asia, respect for teachers, the elderly, and people in high positions is often shown by casting eyes downward. Americans, on the other hand, expect others to always look them in the eye. This and other forms of nonverbal communication are often taken for granted and can easily be misinterpreted if one is not conditioned to pick up such subtle cultural nuances.
In many cultures, hospitality is seen as very important. In Ireland, a visitor from abroad is expected to accept hospitality or risks insulting his or her host. Sharing food and drink is a way of showing friendship and gratitude. In cultures where great importance is put on maintaining a close extended family, any relative, no matter how distant, has the right to ask for hospitality.
In an effort to avoid conflict and misunderstanding inside the classroom, teachers should always keep an open mind and not make valued judgments when dealing with cultural differences. It is strongly encouraged that teachers take an active interest in their students’ native backgrounds so they can build rapport and cultivate long-term relationships. Students will appreciate the teachers’ genuine interest in their cultures thereby creating a more safe and comfortable learning environment in the classroom.
Increasingly, there is a multilingual and multicultural student body in TESOL/ESL classrooms which has compelled teachers to accommodate such widespread diversity in their English language instructions. The pedagogy of intercultural communication is currently shifting from teaching accurate facts and culturally appropriate behaviors to teaching the social and historical contexts that had given present cultural phenomena their meaning within larger cross-cultural networks.
It goes without saying that learning English and its cultural nuances can be a challenging process for non-native speakers. At times, the process will be frustrating especially if cultural conflict and misunderstanding exists within the classroom. English teachers always have to exercise patience and empathy when interacting with students in their language training. In recent years, as the world has become more interconnected, a greater emphasis has been placed on having teachers be educated in diversified instruction. Such cultural education training will help teachers be more attuned to the cultural sensitivities of their students and be able to respond to individual needs in regards to instruction, assessment and feedback.
(Adams 2009) (Colvin 1997) (Carter and Nunan 2009)