Teach English in DafengduiZhen - Tianjin

Cultural Sensitivity in the ClassroomAn important component to teaching EFL classes is being culturally sensitive. There are numerous preparations a teacher can make in order to be more culturally sensitive, and to promote cultural awareness and sensitivity in the classroom. Being culturally sensitive is about understanding student behaviour and attitudes by understanding their cultural background . This allows for greater understanding, more effective learning and teaching, and respect between students and the teacher. As such, gaining knowledge of the cultures of your students is very important. This will most likely be easier if you are teaching a monolingual class. Prior to starting the course, you can do your own research via the internet and books, and also by arriving in the country earlier and experiencing first-hand the customs of the culture, and connecting with local people. Multilingual classes will often have students from a variety of cultures. Get to know your students, and do some research based on their different cultural backgrounds. Sometimes people of certain cultures will have a preferable learning style and will respond better to particular teaching techniques1. Cultures which are more collectivist may prefer group work rather than working alone. They may be more reluctant to speak out in class. Other cultures may promote individualism, and students may be more than willing to participate. A good way to accommodate both types is by implementing a cooperative learning strategy1. This involves using lots of student-to-student based activities and group work. This creates a more relaxed atmosphere for students, and allows everyone to actively participate. It is important, however, to realise that just because students are from the same country, or speak the same language, does not mean they adhere to the same cultural traditions. It is important to be mindful of cultural differences, but it is also important not to stereotype or be overly rigid in your cultural expectations. You need to take into consideration the individual nature of the class, and of the students, as well. Multilingual classes can be a good opportunity to not only demonstrate cultural sensitivity, but develop culture sensitivity in the students. By drawing from all of the students cultures throughout the lessons, you can create an environment in which everyone?s diversity is celebrated, and students get to engage with cultures that they would not usually be exposed to. Incorporating culture into the curriculum will make the lessons more relevant and interesting for the students. Culturally responsive lessons can boost self esteem as well1. As such, it is still very valuable to draw from a variety of cultures to create lessons in monolingual classes. Tasks that encourage cultural awareness include presentations on different countries, cross cultural comparisons of cultural holidays and food, multicultural news articles and reports, travel brochures, and talent quests . It is imperative that the teacher does not exhibit judgemental attitudes about different cultures, or discriminate against students for any reason, let alone their culture . It is a teacher?s role to teach, not to pass judgement. In conclusion, being culturally sensitive is an important aspect to teaching EFL classes. It allows you to better understand and respond to your students. It allows you to teach better, to create more enjoyable lessons, and to build mutual respect with the students. Researching your students? cultures is essential to this process. You can then adapt your class work and teaching style accordingly.