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Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1998 16:51:47 -0500 (EST)
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From: Laurie Frazier <lafrazier@yahoo.com>
To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov>
Subject: [NIFL-ESL:2501] Re: : effective teacher - cultural
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I seem to agree with several of you that it is certainly not effective
teaching to "abolish" certain behaviors in our students (as if we
could wield such power in the first place!) It is widely accepted that
in order to create an environment that is conducive to
learning,especially learning a language, we must provide a
non-threatening environment in which our students can feel free to be
express themselves and make errors without being humiliated or openly
criticized for being "wrong" or "different". This sort of threatening,
authoriarian attitude in an ESL teacher disturbs me.
However,I do also think that we have to be realistic with our
students. I don't think we are doing them any favors if we fail to
prepare them for or at least inform them of attitudes they are likely
to encounter outside of the classroom. The sad reality is that sexism
and racism is alive and well, as well as plenty of "assimilate or get
out" attitudes. There are also behavioral expectations, especially in
the workplace. I think our students at least need to be informed of
those general expectations, taught how to adapt to them if they
choose, and be informed of the consequences if they do not. For
example, I do tell my female students that at work they may be
expected to sit near and work closely with men, because American
workplaces at least claim to value equality and teamwork. I have to
prepare my students to work in manufacturing industries in semi-rural
Mid-west USA. The truth is that a lot of people in this environment
are not very accepting of anything foreign, and the burden is placed
on immigrants to adapt if they want to succeed. I do not, however,
force my students to do anything in my classroom that they are truly
uncomfortable with, as long as they are not hurting or offending
anyone else. The degree to which they choose to adapt to the
mainstream culture is their choice.
==
Laurie Frazier
Service Center for Workforce Development
309 Lake Hazeltine Drive
Chaska, MN 55318
(612)368-8887
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