10/26/2021; Week 7: Response to Cross-Cultural Students in the Classroom

 

Cross-Cultural Students in the Classroom

by Aranza Garza 

TESOL and ESL classes are filled with students from different cultures and different backgrounds, as TESOL or ESL teachers, you will have the challenge of having this many cultures in one classroom.

According to Oxford languages, cross-cultural means "relating to different cultures or comparison between them" and this is exactly, what will happen in a TESOL or ELS classroom, and teachers will have to be prepared to understand and manage these situations. 

One the video Cross-Cultural Students in the Classroom professor Ivers mention a few of the situations that could happen in a class. For instance, the comparison between American and Asian students' behaviors in a classroom. Because of their culture, American students are more open, and they have more confidence with their teachers, till the point of forming a professional friendly relationship with them; This is the complete opposite of how students in Asia behave with their professors, therefore, when Asian students come to universities in the United States, they are shocked of how American students act around their teachers. 

This is not the only difference. I come from Mexico, where they are strict with the uniform situation, in most private and public schools, students have to wear identical uniforms until high school, but in the United States, this is not an obligatory rule, therefore, Mexican students may be stranged when knowing this information. 

These are just a few examples of situations that cross-cultural students could have in classrooms (more specifically ESL and TESOL classes), and as mentioned before, teachers have to be ready. Professor Ivers tells us the story of how his son got in trouble for saying "Yes sir" to his professor, who took this as sarcasm when in reality it was a sign of respect. During my education, most students called their teachers "Profe" informally, this was because of the good relationship they had with them, but in other cultures and places, this could be seen as disrespectful behavior. 

As teachers of such diverse classes, you should understand these differences, and as professor Ivers said, "give them the benefit of the doubt." Knowing and applying this to your classrooms and life will make you a more understanding and better teacher.

Question to reflect: 

• What kind of situations could happen in a regular classroom from your country or culture that could be different from others? 
• How would you be aware of these differences if one of your students had them instead of you?

REFERENCES:

Cross-cultural students in the classroom, BYU Idaho, uploaded by Tim Tanner, (March 12th, 2015), LINK

Oxford languages, cross-cultural meaning LINK