Differences in Cultural Values and Implications for Teachers

Differences in Cultural Values

How people are expected to behave and think differs among cultures

Time – American culture emphasizes future success whereas others honor the past and historic traditions

Family – often includes extended family affecting interaction with the children

Hierarchy- some rigid authoritative cultures where women and children not treated with respect, teachers viewed as authority figures, and active and dynamic communication between teachers and students not expected or encouraged

Implications for Classroom Teachers

Create meaningful learning contexts for ELLs by noticing how ELLs respond to instruction and assessment and making connections to cultural values, experiences, and prior knowledge.

Cultural differences affect students’ understanding of content, interactions with teachers and other students, and behavior in learning situation.

Teachers must know about different cultures and language uses. We must understand that differences in communication and thinking styles do not indicate deficiency in ability.

Cultural awareness helps us understand and appreciate the range of values, learning styles, and possibilities for students in our the classrooms.

Using cultural diversity as a resource for classroom learning benefits all students!

Connecting to life experiences of ELLs makes learning more real and meaningful and offers other students opportunities to learn about different cultural perspectives.