Cultural Values Contrast: Education Part 3

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Cultural Values Contrast: Education

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Discussions
America
Discussions are good and necessary. Eloquence is important.

Middle East
Discussions are long and intense. Eloquence is extremely important. 

Asia
Discussions are brief with short turn-taking. To speak too much is a sign of conceit and superficiality. 

Latin America
Discussions are good and necessary. Eloquence is important.

Conflict and Resolution
America
Conflicts are handled face to face in a quiet manner.

Middle East
Conflicts are handled through a mediator and indirectly.

Asia
Conflicts are handled indirectly and often involve a third party. Harmony is very important.

Latin America
Conflicts are handled somewhat indirectly at first, but face to face.

Space
America
Persons talking stand 2 1/2 to 3 feet apart and at a slight angle. Eye contact is direct.

Middle East
Same sex persons talking stand 18 inches apart and face to face. Eye contact is intense. Eyes may be lowered or averted to show respect.

Asia
Persons talking stand 3 - 4 feet apart and face to face. Eye contact is direct. Eyes may be lowered to show respect.

Latin America
Persons talking stand 2 feet apart face to face. Eye contact is direct. Eyes may be averted or lowered to show respect.

Teachers
America
Teachers are to provide information not in texts, to structure learning, and to provide guidance in research. Students are to actively participate in the learning process by reading, questioning and synthesizing ideas.

Middle East
Teachers are to clarify text and provide moral guidance. Students are to memorize and return information in the humanities, but sciences are the same as USA.

Asia
Teachers are to clarify text and provide moral guidance. Students are to get correct answers on tests.

 Latin America
Teachers are unquestioned authorities who do not emphasize critical thinking. Form is more important than content. Students are to memorize and return information.

English language teachers need to be cognizant of these cultural values to accommodate their students' diverse social, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds and to hone on their linguistic needs. Being oblivious of these conflicting views about teaching and learning and/or deliberately ignoring  them can have an adverse effect on collaborative learning in the classroom. In a US college or university where representatives of various linguistic and cultural systems are enrolled in a content course, some of the cultural views may clash and affect student learning and ultimate success. 

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