Out of the three reading topics for this week, Cultural Miscommunication is one that I feel is most often used by the media to portray the different responses many commonplace gestures and customs have in other cultures. Even though I, myself, do not watch much television, I have seen several of the commercials referenced by the video (the eel one cracks me up every time!) and have those aha! moments where the light bulb goes off and I realize the world does not always think as I do. In one of my classrooms this year, I have been fortunate enough to have three of our German foreign exchange students at the same time and it has been enlightening (on both sides) to hear of some of the small differences our cultures have, for instance, last week we were discussing the weekend and found out that while we (in America) would say “I am sleeping in,” my German students would say, “I am sleeping out.” Such small words can change the inference and lead to puzzlement on both sides unless both are open to an honest exchange of ideas and thoughts.
Luckily, our school hosts many students from other parts of the world and almost every single one of our Language B teachers are have come from somewhere else on the planet (three of our Mandarin teachers alone are from China!), which makes for some very interesting conversations both on the teacher’s and on the student’s side of the equation. The increased understanding and tolerance these discussions bring are, in my opinion, a fine example of how there is no “true” way and demonstrate the importance of cultural diversity and acceptance in the classroom environment. As an ESL educator, I believe it is critical to find the balance between welcoming the new without disregarding the previous to lower the active filter and promote a warm relationship within the classroom and beyond. In the talk “Loving Others and Living with Differences” by Elder Dallin H. Oaks he advises, “We should love all people, be good listeners, and show concern for their sincere beliefs. Though we may disagree, we should not be disagreeable” (Oaks, 2014) and demonstrates how loving and serving, not being “right,” is the ultimate goal. Teaching should be reciprocal with learning and those who create a safe environment in which to do so will provide the best possible setting for their student’s success.
References
Oaks, D. (2014, October). Loving Others and Living with Differences. Retrieved February 5, 2019, from https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/loving-others-and-living-with-differences?lang=eng
8 Causes of Miscommunication and Misunderstanding. (n.d.). Retrieved February 5, 2019, from https://www.userlike.com/en/blog/causes-of-miscommunication (Image)
