Article Review Of The Article 'Culture In Second Language Teaching'

Many popular theories of second language acquisition have been analyzed throughout history. The socialization of L2 learners, their present emotional state that is present at time of acquisition, as well as the comprehensible input and output with the use of scaffolding play a major role in second language acquisition. Let us also not forget the importance of written expression as well as reading comprehension with these L2 learners. Each play a role in language development. However, I believe that in acquiring a language, one must use a variety of techniques that work together to create a balance within the learning environment. Furthermore, all L2 learners learn differently and so a variety of resources will need to be used based on the ability of each student. There are many theories that have been developed by highly qualified experts in the field on linguistics. However, I will address those areas that I agree with as I present my personal theories on second language acquisition.

The students have a difficult time understanding cultural behaviorisms, especially when they cannot have it explained to them on a personal level. Learning language involves cognitive and academic development, and their first languages must be involved when learning a new one. Finding the appropriate level of challenging material for students who are trying to understand new concepts in a foreign language is also very difficult, since they must incorporate both the child’s first language, and the new one. (Ludhra 2008).

Culture is a convenient way of describing the ways members of a group understand each other and communicate that understanding “Culture is not only race or ethnicity; it includes gender, sexual orientation, education and literacy level, profession, hobby, or life experience that may include violence, trauma, or disease. Each of these cultures has their own language or slang, and group behavior and beliefs”

Many English language learner students have experiences and socialized outlines that are diverse from the mainstream body. Each student, whether or not they are labeled as an ELL, come from a different set of backgrounds, personalities, families, and beliefs. All three educators have recognized the trend in their classrooms and have embraced the multicultural teaching using culturally responsive instruction. This type of teaching method inspires educators to adjust their instruction to meet the learning standards of all students. They believe that students should have the experience to use both their native language and the second language to draw real-life connections. Teachers that support the background of both languages are helping student’s link together vocabulary and word development to strengthen language development. All three educators believed in the variation of reading; including materials, text books, supplementary programs and fictional books. The adaption of numerous reading styles can assist diverse students to become more effective and competent users of the English language. They also reported that not only is it

The Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition defines Culture as the “shared patterns of behaviors and interactions, cognitive constructs, and affective understanding that are learned through a process of socialization. These shared patterns identify the members of a culture group while also distinguishing those of another group.” (Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition)

Culture is defined as the sum total of ways of living built up by a group of human beings and transmitted from one generation to another (Staff, 2015). Culture effects the way a person perceives, communicates and behaves in the world, what is “socially” acceptable in one culture is not necessarily acceptable in another. Common language, gestures and signals are used to communicate within each culture and are therefore an extension of culture and how you speak is effected by what you were taught and how you view the world. Communicating is a give and take process and it is an experience that you share with someone.

Language is perhaps the most important key to understanding culture in general and the specific values, beliefs, attitudes, and opinions of a particular individual or group.

The World Languages curriculum consists of four Essential standards, including “Interpersonal”, “Interpretive”, “Presentational”, and “Culture” which are delivered in one semester. In regards to the last strand, the students are required to build an understanding of the practices, perspectives and products of different cultures and societies. Likewise, the students is required to compare their own culture and the target culture.. It is expected to teach and prepare our student to compete in a global society and help them to expand their knowledge of the world. This knowledge implies to teach concepts that are obviously very diverse and complex and require an extra effort from students and teachers. To complicate things, most of our students lack the

The majority of countries around the world, including the United States, contain different linguistic and cultural groups. Despite this, few educational systems truly embrace these diverse languages and cultures inside the classroom or through instruction (Pinnock, 2009). “Language is the channel through which people’s cultures are transmitted”, but promoting only one or two languages deemed important the school system is separating many children from their culture (Pinnock, 2009). The ways in which language and culture are utilized in the classroom can be a “vital barrier or enabler” in successfully achieving national education goals (Pinnock, 2009). By embracing cultural as well as linguistic backgrounds and implementing them into classroom instruction, educators can help reduce the barriers facing an increasing population of English language learners in America’s educational system.

A second language teacher has a significant influence on how the learners will achieve in their learning or fail. First and foremost, a second language teacher should understand the other language's culture to build a communication bridge between her and the learners. Once students feel valued and their culture is respected, they will feel motivated and try to discover the second language enthusiastically. The effective teacher cares about a learner as a human being.

Having the ability to create and use language is one of the most distinctive features of mankind. Humans learn their culture through language and hence, our culture is transmitted through language. Culture is a defining feature of a person’s identity resulting in how they see themselves and the groups in which they identify (Bakhtin., 1981). It’s universal, because all individuals in the

Teaching the role of culture in foreign language classrooms should be considered just as important as all other lessons. According to Zimmermann (2012) Culture is “the characteristics of a particular group of people, defined by everything from language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts.” Culture is not just learning their holidays, religious beliefs, traditional food or even their language, it is much deeper than that, it is showing our students another world without promoting stereotypes. Hence, we must try and reach out to our students in many ways to figure out what interests them, what is appropriate and what are linguistically and culturally responsive that will give them

Studying about the human culture lets us look into other cultures from an up-close and more personal perspective to understand their culture from there stand point. We must use a different approach, as anthropologists who conduct their research by understanding that there are two approaches for evaluating a culture and that is emic and etic. I will be examining an aspect of my own culture and I will also examine an aspect of another culture from an emic perspective. I will demonstrate a culturally relativistic perspective, without using opinionated or judgmental language. Throughout this paper I will also try to examine an aspect of my own race and its cultural practices and behaviors. The main topic of my paper is Education. I want to be able to show that no matter what culture you come from, education is for anyone. I will examine the rights of education in the United States and discuss anti-school culture among Sweden boys to show why girls perform better in school than boys.

For many years, the teaching and learning of a second language has been the norm in schools throughout Europe and the United States. Teachers approached language instruction in a variety of ways like the Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) method, where students are taught fluency through conversation, or the Lexical Approach in which learners are able to understand and speak in large quantities of specific vocabulary and idioms (Richards and Rodgers 83-229). However, as the world progressed technologically, the methods of learning new languages transformed. Language teachers still inhabited classrooms and implemented these approaches, but computer programs complemented the lessons. Subsequently, desktop and mobile applications such as Duolingo surfaced, completely altering the way in which people were able to learn new languages. Although this media technology was the first of its kind, it is not necessarily new. While it can be considered “old” media, Duolingo still had a major impact on society, affecting social relationships and following technology.

According to Zimmermann (2015) Culture is the characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people, defined by everything from language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts. The Center for Advance Research on Language Acquisition goes a step further, defining culture as shared patterns of behaviors and interactions, cognitive constructs and understanding that are learned by socialization. Thus, it can be seen as the growth of a group identity fostered by social patterns unique to the group.