CULTURE AND THE LANGUAGE TEACHER

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PRIMAWATI YUNITA IKARIDA T. AFIF KURNIAWAN ERVIRA ROSANA R. ADITYA ARIEF N. DHIMAS DWI

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ENGLISH DEPARTMENT FACULTY OF TEACHING AND TRAINING EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF MUHAMMADIYAH MALANG

QUESTIONS 1. What is reasonable working definition of culture? 2. What cultural adjustment process do most sojourners experience? 3. What are the benefits of adapting to another culture? 4. What cultural concepts can ESL/ESL teachers teach students? 5. What problems do some EFL/ESL teachers have related to culture and language teaching and learning?

What is reasonable working Definition of culture?

Although there are many ways to define culture, here it refers to the common values and beliefs of people and the behaviors that reflect them. At the risk of over generalizing, it is possible to talk about common beliefs and values and about how they can differ from culture to culture, as well as about the behaviors associated with them. To illustrate how values and beliefs can vary, lets look at the way people make use of time in two different cultures, mainstream North American and Saudi Arabian. Time, for the average American, is very important. Americans are constantly setting deadlines based on time, and the will stop conversations before they are finished, looking at their watches and saying *Oh! Excuse me! I have ti gi or Ill be late.* American English is filled with references to time. Time is something to be on, spent, gained, kept, filled, killed, saved, used, wasted, lost, and planned. In contrast, Arabs see time as *following from the past to the present to the future, and the flow with it.*1 Social events and appointments do not always have fixed beginning or ending. If a time for appointment has been set, under many circumstances it is acceptable to be late especially if the person is engaged in a maintaining friendship and engaging in human interaction is more valued than being on time. The value assigned to equality among people is another way to illustrate different values and behaviors across cultures. For Americans, equality is highly cherished value. Americans say that all people are creates equal opportunity to succeed in life. Thus, an American ideal is to treat people as equals regardless of their status. For example, although a custodian and professor at university probably would not become close friends, they would engage in friendly chat in elevators an hallway, and neither would act in ways to make the other feel personally inferior or superior.2 Unlike Americans, the majority of the world sees equality quiet differently. Rank, status, and authority are considered to be far more important. For example, in Thai society there exists the possibility of social mobility (a Thai peasant can end up being prime minister, for instance). However, while in a particular status or class, Thais, including those in lowest status, tend to accept this condition as part of their fate.3 Within this system, Thais value well defined social behaviors that specify the status of each person. For example, if the presence of a professor, a student would not engage in friendly unless addressed, and he or she would be would be expected to behave in specific ways that show that professor has a higher status. One way to reflect the other person*s higher status is to show kreeng jai, define as *a mingling of reverence, respect, differences, homage, and fear.*4 The Thai student would also keep his or her head slightly lower than the professor*s while passing.

A final example of how value an behaviors across cultures can differ the value associated with avoiding conflict and maintaining harmony among people. While some Americans value direct confrontation to solve conflicts, people from Asian countries generally value avoiding confrontations. They have developed Japanese society is upset with someone, ho or she will likely not confront the other person directly but will behave in a particular way, such as being unusually silent or ignoring person, providing the other person with clues that there is a problem. = Likewise, Lotians and Thais will avoid direct confrontation by being indirect. For example, if a Thai woman is angry at her friend, she will be indirect, perhaps by talking with another friend about the problem within earshot of the offending friend. Or she might invite everyone except the offending friend to eat lunch with her. For some Americans, especially males, being indirect would seem dishonest and insincere. Distrust can result. For many Asians, blatant, blunt, direct confrontation would disrupt the highly valued harmony among people. Quite often, values and beliefs of a group of people have a deep philosophical foundation. For example, traditional Islamic Arab values can be trace in almost every respect to Holy Al-Quran. The belief that God alone, not humans, can control all events derives from the teachings in this holy book, as does the belief that each person*s fate in the hands of God. Likewise, Theravada Buddhism is at the heart of traditional Thai beliefs. For example, the belief that emotional extremes should be avoided stems from Buddhist teachings.*

What Cultural Adjustment Process Do Most Sojourners Experiences?

Most of us have mixed emotions about moving to another country. This is true for those of us who have relocated to teach EFL, or in the case of nonnative speakers of English, to study and live in English-speaking countries. We are excited about the prospect of a new way of life. We are delighted about discovering obvious differences: the shape of buildings, the products in stores, and the way people dress. However, as we find places to live, begin our jobs, and use the transportations system, we begin to actually feel the impact of the culture on our lives. We discover that we have to think about, even prepare for, the most simplistic daily activities, such as paying bills, buying food, doing laundry, taking a bus, and using a telephone. These day-to-day activities soon weigh on us, resulting in culture shock. As Wallender, a Peace Corp volunteer puts it: In a very real sense, all the convenient cultural cushions we have become accustomed to having around are in one moment totally dislodged. Youre left flat on your back with only that within you for support.

Some of us exhibit symptoms of culture shock. We may become depressed or nervous, and we may complain about the food, the weather, housing, and the host peoples behavior. We might become physically ill, make irrational comments, have fits of anger over minor incidents, or become very homesick, spending endless hours writing to friends and family. At the workplace we may appear to be tired, disoriented, nervous, or confused. We give obviously wrong answer to students questions, give unreasonable assignments, and complain to the students about things that would ordinarily seem trivial, lecture obsessively, and complain about the administrations and rules. Some of us react to culture shock by withdrawing. We stay home, sleep, and generally avoid contact with people in the host culture. Some of us temporally withdraw to the expatriate community to ease the symptoms: we may seek refuge from everyday problems by avoiding participation with people in the host culture. Some end up staying in this safe harbor, as it is familiar and comfortable. However, by surrendering to the seemingly more pleasant world of people like ourselves, we sacrifice dreams: our visions of making friends, learning the language, and living among the people of the host culture becomes blurred. For some of us, what was a pleasant refuge becomes a void, one in which life can become vaguely unsatisfying. Although some of us reach out to the refuge of the expatriate community to escape culture shock, others of us react differently to culture shock. We continue to endure, dispite the discomfort. Instead of withdrawing, we reach out into the larger community, making friends and working out problems as they arise. We reflect on and learn from our experiences, and as we do this, we start to realize that we are adjusting. Everyday life becomes routine. We can get on a crowded bus like a native, give exact change for a purchase, have fun a party, visit a friend in the hospital, or play games that were once foreign to us. Such adjustments are typified by an understanding that cultural behaviors and values are simply different. We still have cultural stress and problems to contend with, but we become more empathetic, understanding that people in the host culture have been raised in a culture different from our own. Likewise, we develop a greater ability to tolerate and cope with the external cultural patterns We acquire alternative ways of behaving, feeling, and responding to others. As we adjust, self-confidence increases, and as we interact freely, a new self-image emerges, a new identity as a participant in the host culture. Quite often, when it is time to return home, some of us are sad to leave, and there are those in the host culture who are sad that we are leaving.

What are the benefits of adapting to another culture?

Although adapting to another culture can be an arduous experience, there are benefits that make the effort worthwhile. The benefits of successful cultural adjustment include A fuller sense of security The possibility of more success in the workplace The possibility of establishing meaningful relationships with people from the culture The possibility of gaining fluency in the language of the host country A deeper understanding of ones own culture A deeper understanding of oneself

Sortie points out that when living in another culture, ignorance is the breeding ground for anxiety. When we attempt to interact with people in the culture without knowing what is expected of us or what to expect, we become apprehensive. However, the more we learn about the culture through our experience, the easier it is to make predictions, and this can reduce apprehension. Another benefit for some sojourning EFL teachers is that friendships with local people can develop over the course of living and working in the culture, and indeed, these friendships can become lifelong. Related to making friends is learning the language. Although some friendships are developed through the use of English, some can be built on the language of the host country. As we gain confidence through practice (and study) and control over the language, and as the local people get to know us, friendships develop. Although previously isolated , we are now invited to weddings and local religious events, to homes for dinner, and to participate in sport events. Those of us who have successfully adjusted to the host culture also discover that we have a better understanding of our own culture. When in our own countries, most of us do not necessarily have chances to reflect deeply on our cultural selves as profoundly as we do during the cultural adjustment process. Having to face living in a place where values and behaviors are different from our own provides a way to reflect on our own values and behaviors. In short, once we encounter another frame of reference, we begin to see what we never could before. Culture shock can be considered a deep learning experience that can lead to a high degree of self-awareness and personal growth. As a former peace corps volunteer from Ethiopia puts it. it was the re-birth of me. I came away with a totally new concept of life and living, new values, stronger feeling, far richer experiences than I ever would have had in a lifetime in the states.

What Cultural Concepts Can EFL/ESL Teachers Teach Students?

Teachers can teach concepts that only can bring about appreciation for people and culture but also can be useful for students when the students are placed in cross-cultural communication situation. 1. Cross-culture communication includes adapting behavior 2. Cross-culture communication involves problem solving 3. To understand a culture, get to know individuals 4. To understand another culture, study your own

Cross-cultural Communication Includes Adapting Behavior A part of learning to communicate with people from other cultures is knowing how to adapt one's behaviors, including one's nonverbal and discourse behaviors.

Nonverbal Behaviors across Cultures nonverbal behavior includes kinesics (facial expressions, gaze and eye management, gestures, touch, and posture and movement) and proxemics (the use of space, such as the distance people sit or stand from each other) To introduce kinesics differences for example, the first is the French walk as if the space around them is extremely limited, while Americans tend to walk with free-swinging arms and at a loose and easy gait. The second is people shake hands differently in different cultures. For example I show students that some Germans use a firm grip, pump the arm, maintain strong eye contacts, and step closer during a handshake. Some Japanese use a weak grip, no arm pump, and no eye contact. The third is touch. For example, American males touch each other far more often and more body parts than do Japanese males. Related to touch is the use of space and distance, and his can also vary greatly across cultures. According to Edward T Hall, middle-class white American use space according to the following distance definitions.

Intimate distance. From body contact to a separation space of eighteen inches. An emotionally charged zone used for lovemaking, sharing, protecting, and comforting. Personal distance. From one and one-half to four feet. Used for informal contact between friends. A small protective sphere or bubble that separates one person from another. Social distance. From four to twelve feet. The causal interaction distance between acquaintances and strangers. Used in business meetings, classrooms, and impersonal social affairs. Public distance. Between twelve and twenty-five feet. A cool interaction distance used for oneway communication from speaker to audience. Necessitates a louder voice, stylized gestures, and more distinct enunciation.

Discourse Behaviors across culture EFL students can benefit from exposure to discourse behaviors. These include the appropriate ways people interact in social settings, such as how to greet, make promises, approve, disapprove, show regret, apologize, request, complain, give gifts, compliment, invite, refuse an invitation, offer, and thank. In America, for example, the hostess will open the gift and thank the person. In contrast, in China and Thailand, the receivers of the gift will often set it aside, not open it in front of the guests. It is because they do not want to hurt the guests' feelings they do not like the the gift and their feelings are obvious. The other example is the way they compliment each other can also differ from culture to culture. North Americans tend to compliment each other more often. They compliment almost anything. In other cultures, people do not compliment each other as often, and the way they give the compliment often different. They are not only different in complimenting each other, but also different in reacting to compliments. Most Americans will accept a compliment at face value, while Japanese and Chinese will often react with modesty.

Cross-cultural Communication involves Problem Solving

A part of learning to communicate with people from other cultures is knowing their way to solve their problems. One way to teach this process is to have students introduce real cross-cultural problem they face. In ESL settings, it is easy to do. Students interact with people from host culture and with ESL speakers from a variety of cultures. However, in EFL settings it approach is problematic. Most students in EFL do not have daily contact with people from other cultures. An alternative to using real cross-culture problems is to use imagined or case history scenarios.

To Understand a Culture, Get to Know Individuals It is possible to generalize the cultural values and behaviors of a large group of people. But, there is a danger in categorizing a group of people into one single set of values and behaviors. Because, not all British are reserved, not all Japanese are indirect, and not all Americans are competitive. There is two ways to teach students the importance of getting to know one person at a time, treating each as a distinct and unique individual. The first way is to discuss it with them as a whole class, and for some students who already like to personalize their experience, this can make a difference in the way they perceive learning about people from different cultural backgrounds. Another way is to draw the student attention to the differences among individuals in their own culture and have them relate this knowledge to other cultures. Then make the point that it is important to get to know what each person values, rather than generalizing that all people in a culture believe in or value the same things.

To Understand a Culture, Study Your Own The next concept worth teaching is that much can be gained from studying their own cultural behaviors and values. To teach students about their own cultures, the teacher can design questions for students to answer that provide them with chance to explain their own cultures to the teacher and classmates. Then compare theirs with the other cultures. The other way to teach them to study about their own culture is to use picture. For examples, by showing Thai students pictures that illustrate the ways Thais sit. It is possible to highlight that it is impolite to point one's foot to another person. Then they compare it with how some people in other cultures sit, and even practice the way other people in other culture sit. What Problems Do Some EFL/ESL Teachers Have Related to Culture and Language Teaching and Learning?

The I Cant Seem to Adjust Problem. EFL teachers and ESL students and nonnative EFL teachers studying abroad go through a process of cultural adjustment. Ex: taking a bus, buying soap, doing laundry, paying bills. There are things we can do as an EFL teacher in a new culture to make the adjustment prosess easier:

1. Give your self time, We can recognize that cultural adjustment takes time 2. Recognize, accept, and treat symptoms of culture shock, To step back and reflect on personal feeling and behavior 3. Talk with others who have successfully adjusted, To learn about what others have done to adjust 4. Learn as much as possible about the host culture, To give us a window as reinvented as it is into understanding much about the host culture 5. Get involved with people in the host culture, We learn about what to expect and how to behave 6. Study the language of the host culture, To gain an even deeper understanding of the culture and making adjustment

The Learning the Language of the Host Country Problem EFL teachers living abroad who want to learn the language of the host country. Most of us start out with great enthusiasm however many give up. Most of us have dream of gaining great proficiency however many give up too. Learning the language of the host country include : 1. Keep studying the language, We have to devote considerable energy and time to studying the language if we want to become fluent in the language of the host country. Some of us join a language class, do our homework, and attend classes regulary 2. Take on the responsibility foy your own learning, We have to take on the responsibility for our own language. This plan might include attending classes, collecting, and studying language texts. Perhaps to make use of all the resources available to us, including people in the community, Ex : (1)decide on what to learn for the day(e.g. how to buy train tickets), (2) prepare an imagined conversation in the target language with the help of a native speaking tutor or mentor,(3) practice the conversation with the mentor or tutor, (4) community, finding people and speaking to them(e.g.,at the train station), and (5) evaluateour progress

3. Create and implement a learning plan, We can talked with people at the public(ex: at he public bath, the local stores, and the laundry), we can went on dates with women who you knew would be willing to speak Japanese with us, we can join a yoga club where you could use Japanese, we can go on weekend hiking trips with a non-English speaking Japanese and we can drink a few beers each week at a place where few were interested in speaking English with us. So we can learn a lot from these friends, 4. Builrelationships with people in the community based on appropriate use of the language
We must establish a network of people, becoming a

member of several groups within the community for example yoga club, a local restaurant, and the community center Its important to build relationships with people in the community, its through interaction with them that it becomes possible to make progress in the language, because language and culture are inexorably linked The Cheating Problem In some cultures students have liberal attitudes toward copying homework and sharing answers on tests. In Thailand, for example student very creatively design ways to help each others on exams, this alright with some Thai students. Its more important for them to network, to create a strong working relationships with classmates than to pass the test without help from classmates. In other cultures-for example, in Latino culture- helping out others in this way also seems to be fairly valued. The students from Latino cultures believe thatchating is wrong but see no problem in occasional use of cribnotes, copying someone elses homeworks, and letting someone copy their work. As EFL/ESL tachers we need to recognize that cheating is a culturally based problem. We can learn about what cheating means to the students, what they believe is acceptable and not acceptable cheatingbehavior. Then we can teach the about our own values and, in ESL settings, the values of the people around them-for example, American professors and students. Its through mutual understanding that students can learn to change their perceptions and behaviors about cheating. In some EFL settings, it would even be a mistake to expect students to change the way they help each others.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Brown, H.D.1991. Breaking the Language Barrier. Yarmouth, Maine: Intercultural Press Storti, C.1989. The art of Crossing Cultures. Yarmouth, Maine: Intercultural Press. Zanger, V.V.1933.Face to face: Communication, culture, and collaboration Gebhard, G.J.2000.Teching English as a Foreign or Second Language. Michigan: The University of Michigan Press.