Week 7 2/15/2021 Cross-Cultural Students in the Classroom

    

    

My husband, James, could spend all day out on the tractor, with the cows, or hiking through the forest.  He could go all day without speaking to another human being.  When he gets home and I start talking to him, he gives one word answers.  I would think that he would be happy to have someone to talk to and communicate with, but I often get one word answers.  

This is my friend Alicia and I. Alicia can speak 100 words per minute and can go all day long talking.  When she comes to visit, she tries to start up a conversation with James.  She has learned that he doesn't have a whole lot to say, but that if she can talk about something he is interested in, then James will have a lot more to say. Over the years, she has found that if she talks about hunting, looking for antlers, cows, gardening or history, then their conversation will be a lot less one sided as she gets James to open up.  

  Some students may be like Alicia and have a lot to say, they may express themselves very loud, bold, and want to be apart of everything. Just because they express themselves more openly, does not mean they are bad or disrespectful students.  Sometimes students can become disrespectful because they feel the need to say everything they are thinking. Some teachers feel like they can never get their point across because someone is always interjected and interrupting. Some teachers feel like the students are engaged when they have something to say during class. They expect the students to participate in this manner.  As a teacher, I can set forth my expectations.  I have to be flexible for students who have a lot to say and learn by asking questions and making comments to the lesson.  

Other students may be more like James.  He does not add to the conversation unless he really has something to add to it.  Some students may have one word responses.  This may not be because they are not engaged or that they don't care or that they don't know the answer.  It is likely a personality or culture trait. Some students have been taught that to only speak when spoken to.  They show respect to the teacher by sitting quietly and listening to the lesson.  Again, if the teacher sets forth the expectation, is willing to be a little flexible, the students will feel more comfortable in her classroom.     

I can use the example of James and Alicia in my TESOL classroom. Some students may be more outspoken, have a lot to say about the lesson, and be very interactive.  Other students may seem more quiet, only giving one word answers, and be much less expressive.  One thing we can all learn from Alicia is to find common ground to build a relationship.  If we want to hear from a student that is much less expressive, we will need to give them better opportunities to speak and to speak about things they are interested in.