Kassandra Martinez

Mr. White

English 12

October 7, 2016
The Importance of Culture

Throughout the years educators have noticed that students have different ways of

learning. Numerous ways of teaching methods are incorporated in language classes or cultural

studies, there are ways to get a student's attention and give them a clear understanding of

different cultures. One way of introducing language and culture is through events and activities

held at school, mainly represented through food, art and music. Reluctance is sometimes seen

when people are exposed to new different types of environments and lifestyles. Many teachers

are still trying to find new methods of presenting these types of topics to captivate students

attention. Why is cultural education so important?

Language teachers spend about 10% of their classroom time teaching culture, 25 years

later a study stated that teachers claim to spend about half of their instructional time on culture

(Dema et. al 77). There is confusion as to when students should start learning about culture,

typically it is predicted that students should have more understanding of the language itself

before learning about its cultural background. Culture should be presented on the first day of

class and each day after that moment. There has been a large decrease in second and third year

enrollment in foreign language classes; if cultural representation is taught right at the beginning

the concept can be communicated to a larger group of people (Peck). Inclusiveness should be

strived for while teaching students who are from a minority ethnic or racial background, they
will start to express their individuality as well as take pride with their culture group. A culturally

responsive class setting will also encourage teachers' to understand and recognize each student's

cultural background, and provide a way for them to incorporate the information into the

curriculum, therefore promoting inclusion (Lynch).

Celebrating foreign events and festivals are many students favorite activity. A main way

to achieve events accessible to students is through having International Week held at schools

every year. International Week is an opportunity to celebrate international education and

exchange worldwide. This will help prepare students interact with a global environment and will

encourage students to study abroad, learn, and exchange different experiences (International

Education, n.d.). These kinds of activities help students participate in the cultural heritage of the

people they are studying (Peck). Students will also be motivated to take part in extracurricular

activities that will affect their behavior, self-esteem, grades, attitude, school completion,

productivity and in a social aspect (Massoni). Clubs are extracurricular activities students have

access to when looking for new ways to learn more about other countries,current events and etc..

Taking part in an extracurricular activities connects students more to their school, its faculty, and

school values (Mahoney, 2000; Mahoney & Cairns, 1997). Each club or sport is different

students can meet different people in all types of groups. They can interact with people with the

same backgrounds as them and communicate with people they share interests with. Usually the

people that students meet are students that they would normally never talk to or become friends

with (Massoni).

Culture shows contrasts that can be observed between the behavior of people from

different communities and underestimating the strength and depth of cultural differences should
not be handled lightly (Sturges). Many communities, especially minorities, tend to reject their

heritage due to racism and discrimination; By incorporating arts and culture activities into a

community, residents are able to share their stories, participate in learning moments, and

establish or reestablish relationships with other diverse groups of people. This could improve a

communitys understanding of history and heritage of place, teach tolerance and possibly

provide opportunities for people to more actively participate in community planning processes

(Hodgson). There is a misconception that Americans struggle with cultural ignorance. The

assumption is so often made because Americans are usually only exposed to news outlets that

solely cover topics specifically in America, proving that not all news outlets provide global

perspective. Although it is possible to start searching for news sources that do report on what is

happening globally. People can also start to hold American media accountable for the news they

provide. Social media is a way to start demanding more worldwide news, and is also another way

to inform friends or colleagues on issues (Chimes Staff).

Overall, one of the main ways a teacher can successfully teach a student learning a new

language and culture is by acknowledging the diversity of their student population and helping

them understand the importance of promoting cultural awareness (Lynch). Nelson Brooks has

identified five meanings of culture: growth; refinement; fine arts; patterns of living; and a total

way of life. Today, most students in America live in a monolingual and monocultural

environment. They tend to make premature and inappropriate value judgments about others who

dont share the same customs or traditions as them. This can cause them to view the foreign

language they are trying to learn as peculiar and even ill-mannered (Peck). In order to prevent
this type incomprehension teachers should continue to try to incorporate more methods into their

lesson plans.

Work Cited

Brooks, Nelson. Teaching Culture in the Foreign Language Classroom, Foreign Language

Annals, Volume 16. New York: ACTFL, Inc., 1983.

Chimes Staff. "Staff Editorial: America's Struggles with Cultural Ignorance." The Chimes. Biola

University, 1996-2016. Web. 07 Oct. 2016.

Dema, Oxana, and Aleidine J. Moeller. "Teaching culture in the 21st century language

classroom." (2012).

Hodgson, Kimberley. "How the Arts and Cultural Sector Strengthen Cultural Values and

Preserve Heritage and History." How the Arts and Cultural Sector Strengthen Cultural

Values and Preserve Heritage and History. American Planning Association, 2011. Web.

6 Oct. 2016.

"International Education Week | Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs."Bureau of

Educational and Cultural Affairs. U.S. Department of State, 2009. Web. 06 Oct. 2016.
Lynch, Matthew. "6 Ways Teachers Can Foster Cultural Awareness in the Classroom." Education

Week. Editorial Projects in Education, 2015. Web. 06 Oct. 2016.

Mahoney, J., & Cairns, R. (1997). Do extracurricular activities protect against early school

dropout?Developmental Psychology, 33(2), 241253.

Mahoney, J. (2000, March/April). School extracurricular activity participation as a moderator in

the development of antisocial patterns. Child Development, 71(2), 502516.

Massoni, Erin. "Positive effects of extra curricular activities on students."ESSAI 9.1 (2011): 27.

Peck, Deborah. "Teaching Culture: Beyond Language." 84.03.06 Teaching Culture: Beyond

Language. Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute, 2016. Web. 6 Oct. 2016.

Sturges, Paul. "Understanding cultures, and IFLA's Freedom of Access to Information and

Freedom of Expression (FAIFE) core activity." Journal of documentation 61.2 (2005):

296-305.