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Cultural Sensitivity in the ClassroomCultural sensitivity plays an importance in every aspect of our lives and is no different when you are teaching in the classroom. It is not just about being aware of different cultures traits but also being tolerant of these differences. The idea of having a multinational classroom can be daunting to some new ESL teachers as this would the majority experiencing this. That said being sensitive to a range of different cultures all in the same room is important as this goes hand in hand with the course work and the teaching skills of the teacher as it builds trust, confidence and rapport with the student. There are a few common mistakes made by an ESL teacher when it comes to ?grouping? their students. For example you may come across a group of students you are to teacher english to that all speak chinese but are from different parts of Asia. The mistake in this scenario would be to assume they have complete cultural traits because they speak the same language. Another similar cultural assumption that could be made is students coming from a multilingual countries share the same backgrounds. This would be wrong as do as each may still hold firm values and ideals from where the language they speak originated. Understanding cultural differences can be understood a lot better by researching the country you are going to and the students themselves and where they come from. This will help you to gain some background knowledge into the students learning english and what teaching style will most impact them. After gaining the right cultural background information it is appropriate to use this not just for your teaching style but also for the style of the classroom. A classroom that supports multiculturalism creates a comfortable environment for the students to relax and learn to their fullest potential. Obvious examples of showing diversity in the classroom is decorating the room with various country themes, ie. Flags, pictures, maps etc. Introducing games which show a welcoming appreciation of each student?s different cultural backgrounds. Lesson plans can also be based around this. Cultural awareness lessons spark for interest in all students to have others share their knowledge of their country and being on the same level of english as the other students helps boost confidence levels to converse. Even the teacher should be encouraged to share the cultural knowledge of England and other english speaking countries for the students to have understanding of cultural practises in these countries while using english. These methods practised in the classroom can promote a culturally sensitive classroom between the students and the teacher. The examples above fused together with prior research of the cultural background's of the students in your class give the students more time to learn the course work and less time feeling conscious about how different they may be to the rest of the class. The key to respecting your student's cultural differences is all about respect, diplomacy and patience; this will show the students a level of care of your behalf and allow them to care in turn for your cultural beliefs.
