From the first word, the study of a second language is the study of another culture. Language and culture are intertwined, and ESL instructors need to be aware of the cultural similarities and differences between the students and the people of the host nation, as well as the varied cultures among the students themselves.
"Cultural involvement begins as soon as the student, at even the most elementary level, moves from the analysis of language to language use," write Linda Crawford-Lange and Dale Lange.
Students learning English, or any other language for that matter, also learn the target culture: "Through the study of other languages, students gain a knowledge and understanding of the cultures that use that language and, in fact, cannot truly master the language until they have also mastered the cultural contexts in which the language occurs." (National Standards)
How is culture tied to language acquisition?
Language and culture are inseparable. We don't have to downgrade or change our culture or methods, nor do we have to erase our students' cultures. Rather we need to realize that cultures are different. We should be ready and willing to help students make the transition to the dominant culture here in the
Here is an example of cultural conflict from an American's point of view: An American student is in Latin America, and he obviously commits a grave error while applying the principles of his home culture to a new situation. He relates the following serious misstep:
"I got a little too excited about this good-looking young lady, you know? I tried to make conversation with her, and I guess she felt like I was coming on too strong, I mean ... I just wanted to talk to her. I guess she couldn't understand me because the next thing I knew, four cops were hauling me off."
This may be an extreme encounter, but cultural missteps are easy to make even for those who know the language. In order to be proficient in communication,
The classroom
As Danh Pham points out, students need to know that class participation is important. In many countries, students sit quietly and do not interact with each other or the instructor. In the U.S., students are expected to speak up and often debate various points of view.
Those used to a traditional system of memorizing texts will obviously have some difficulties with the western system of analysis and critical thinking. Grading scales are different. Students may not be familiar with letter grades since their home countries may use a 0-100 scale.
Group work is more common here, and students may find it awkward at first. Professors will have office hours and are more accessible than those in their home countries.
Acculturation
Individual experiences vary in degrees of acculturation. One may totally assimilate to the new culture and adopt the host culture completely. Conversely, one may experience separation and avoid contact with people in the host country.
A middle stage is integration where the visitor or resident maintains the home culture while participating in the new culture. Finally, the most extreme case is where one rejects both the home and new culture, referred to as minimization.
Some expatriates may "go native," learning the host language and integrating into the society. Others will live in compounds or separate communities and have little or no contact. Even those trying to assimilate will face hurdles.
The question arises: How can intercultural understanding come from a skill-oriented, behavioristically-conceived program of language study? Does cross-cultural awareness come out of being able to master a grammatical point or order a meal using English as a second language? How do learners feel about the possible loss of their own culture while they are mastering a new one?
The solution is that learners should be actively engaged in the new culture and need to see how it is different from their own.
"The learner is not simply situated in one culture and observing another; the learner is an intercultural participant, interpreter and mediator," writes Angela Scarino.
