120 Hr TEFL Course Module 1-Understanding cultural backgrounds

Module 1: Teaching and learning

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1.2 Understanding cultural backgrounds

One of the first steps you need to take as an educator is to take their cultural background into account. Instead of trying to present you all the potential cultural backgrounds your students bring to the table (which could be an entire course in itself), we are instead going to focus on why it is important to consider your students’ backgrounds and why it can be useful to adjust your instruction to better address the varying backgrounds of your students

1.2.1 Why is it important to understand your students’ cultural backgrounds?

Language is directly related to culture because language is fluid and changes over time as the culture of a region changes. This is why such languages like Italian and French can both originate from Latin but still be fundamentally different. Latin was taken to these regions, and it developed as the culture of the regions developed, taking two very different paths in Italian and French. So, as much as it is important to teach cultural elements as you teach English, it is important to take into account the importance of an individual’s cultural origins. These cultural backgrounds can not only affect the way they learn a new language, but also the way they learn in general. Here are some ways that an individual’s cultural background can affect their learning of a new language:

• A student’s environment can have an enormous effect on the way they learn. Studies have shown that language acquisition is considerably affected by an individual’s background, and while learning a new language isn’t the same as learning your first language, environment can still be important in an individual learning a second language. A student who comes from a home that values education comes from a home that nurtures what he or she is learning. A student who comes from a home that values life experience over formal education might have more difficulty with traditional lessons.

• Students from various cultural backgrounds will react to different styles of teaching in different ways. Some of your students may be coming from a background of very strict, teacher-led instruction. Others may be coming from a background of more free, student-led instruction. While both styles have merit, you will find yourself needing to use differentiation to properly reach both of these students. You can determine how to best meet the needs of your students by simply asking them through an informal conversation or a standard pre-test. Let your students tell you how they learn best, and adjust your teaching to appeal to their needs.
• An individual’s cultural background can affect the way they think, which can affect the student’s performance in your classroom. Taking your students’ cultural backgrounds into account when you are designing and implementing your instruction will help you account for the potential different ways that your students think.