SOCIOCULTURAL SOCIOCULTURAL FACTORSFACTORS

Wilson Burgos ArocaWilson Burgos ArocaJosé Luis Moreno SolanoJosé Luis Moreno Solano

INDEXINDEX• CULTURE• STEREOTYPES OR GENERALIZATIONS?• ATTITUDES• SECOND CULTURE ACQUISITION• SOCIAL DISTANCE

How to measure social distance ?How to measure social distance ?• TEACHING INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE• LANGUAGE POLICY AND POLITICS

ESL and EFL Linguistic Imperialism and Language Rights Language Policy and the “English Only” Debate

• LANGUAGE, THOUGHT, AND CULTURE The Whorfian Hypothesis

• CULTURE IN THE LANGUAGE CLASSROOM• CONCLUSIONS

CULTURECULTURETOOLS

ARTS

IDEAS

KNOWLEDGE

CUSTOMS

TEACHING

SKILLS

SCIENCE

LANGUAGE

CULTURECULTURE

• According to According to • Jhon Donne: “ No man is an island, Jhon Donne: “ No man is an island,

entire of itself; every man is a piece entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main”of the continent, a part of the main”

• Larson and Smalley: a “blueprint” Larson and Smalley: a “blueprint” that “guides the behavior of people that “guides the behavior of people in a community and is incubated in in a community and is incubated in family life” family life”

CULTURECULTURE

Matsumoto:Matsumoto:

• Dynamic Dynamic • System of rulesSystem of rules• Established by groups and Established by groups and

unitsunits• SurvivalSurvival• Attitudes, values, beliefs, Attitudes, values, beliefs,

norms, and behaviorsnorms, and behaviors• Shared by a groupShared by a group• Harbored differently by Harbored differently by

each specific uniteach specific unit• Communicated across Communicated across

generationsgenerations• Potential to change across Potential to change across

timetime

CULTURECULTURE

ATKINSONATKINSON

Learners Learners socially socially

construct construct identities identities

within within learning learning

communities communities and native and native

cultural cultural milieu.milieu.

STEREOTYPES OR STEREOTYPES OR GENERALIZATIONS?GENERALIZATIONS?

• Example: How do women drive?Example: How do women drive?• An oversimplified manner of viewing a An oversimplified manner of viewing a

culture, using exaggerating categories.culture, using exaggerating categories.• Stereotypes form due to our own Stereotypes form due to our own

perception view to others (a closed-perception view to others (a closed-minded view of other cultures).minded view of other cultures).

• Culture differences must be learnt and Culture differences must be learnt and accepted when learning an L2.accepted when learning an L2.

• Turn individual perception into Turn individual perception into appreciation.appreciation.

EXTENDED ACTIVITYEXTENDED ACTIVITY

Brainstorming Brainstorming stereotypes in stereotypes in different countries different countries and cultures.and cultures.

ATTITUDESATTITUDES

• Coming from stereotypesComing from stereotypes• Gardner and Lambert: “Motivation as a Gardner and Lambert: “Motivation as a

construct made up of certain attitudes”construct made up of certain attitudes”• Based on insufficient knowledge, misinformed Based on insufficient knowledge, misinformed

stereotyping, and extreme ethnocentric stereotyping, and extreme ethnocentric thinking.thinking.

• Ex. Better proficiency by students who did not Ex. Better proficiency by students who did not want to stay in the USA.want to stay in the USA.

• Positive attitudes can help learning and L2.Positive attitudes can help learning and L2.• The role of teachers to change negative The role of teachers to change negative

attitudes.attitudes.

SECOND CULTURE SECOND CULTURE ACQUISITIONACQUISITION

• Learning a second language involves Learning a second language involves learning a second culture.learning a second culture.

• Robinson – Stuart and Nocon: Culture Robinson – Stuart and Nocon: Culture learning is a “magic carpet ride to another learning is a “magic carpet ride to another culture”culture” A foreign language could present culture as “a A foreign language could present culture as “a

list of facts to be cognitively consumed” by the list of facts to be cognitively consumed” by the student. (No interaction with culture)student. (No interaction with culture)

It is a “ process of perceiving, interpreting, It is a “ process of perceiving, interpreting, feeling, being in the world… ”feeling, being in the world… ”

AcculturationAcculturation A reorientation of thinking and feeling.A reorientation of thinking and feeling.

SECOND CULTURE SECOND CULTURE ACQUISITIONACQUISITION

• Culture shockCulture shock 1st stage: excitement and euphoria of 1st stage: excitement and euphoria of

the new culturethe new culture2nd stage: Intrusion of more and more 2nd stage: Intrusion of more and more

cultural differences cultural differences 3rd stage: Acceptance of differences in 3rd stage: Acceptance of differences in

thinking and feeling surround themthinking and feeling surround them4th stage: Assimilation, adaptation.4th stage: Assimilation, adaptation.

• AnomieAnomie

EXTENDED ACTIVITYEXTENDED ACTIVITY

Sharing with the class Sharing with the class the process of second the process of second culture acquisition.culture acquisition.

SOCIAL DISTANCESOCIAL DISTANCE

• Refers to the cognitive and affective Refers to the cognitive and affective proximity of two cultures that come proximity of two cultures that come into contact within an individual.into contact within an individual.

• According to Jhon Schumann:According to Jhon Schumann:DominanceDominanceIntegrationIntegrationCohesivenessCohesivenessCongruenceCongruencePermanencePermanence

HOW TO MEASURE SOCIAL HOW TO MEASURE SOCIAL DISTANCE?DISTANCE?

• Lack of objectivity.Lack of objectivity.• Perceived Social Distance through Perceived Social Distance through

the Professed Difference in Attitude the Professed Difference in Attitude Questionnaire (PDAQ).Questionnaire (PDAQ).

• Optimal distance model (at stage 3 Optimal distance model (at stage 3 of second culture acquisition).of second culture acquisition).

• Second culture acquisition in adults Second culture acquisition in adults and children (differences).and children (differences).

TEACHING TEACHING INTERCULTURAL INTERCULTURAL

COMPETENCECOMPETENCE• The need of being sensitive to the The need of being sensitive to the

fragility of students when promoting fragility of students when promoting cultural understanding and self cultural understanding and self awareness.awareness.

• Sociocultural competence: best Sociocultural competence: best model of L2 – C2 is to learn a model of L2 – C2 is to learn a language where culture in directly language where culture in directly experienced.experienced.

TEACHING TEACHING IMPLICATIONIMPLICATION

• In your learning or teaching In your learning or teaching experiences, have you encountered experiences, have you encountered situations where cultural classroom situations where cultural classroom expectations have been expectations have been misunderstood?misunderstood?

CULTURAL CATEGORIES CULTURAL CATEGORIES TO STUDY CULTURAL TO STUDY CULTURAL

NORMSNORMS• Individualism:Individualism: a loosely integrated society. a loosely integrated society.

Opposed to collectivists, which are tightly Opposed to collectivists, which are tightly integrated.integrated.

• Power distance:Power distance: Inequality between Inequality between societies in a culture.societies in a culture.

• Uncertainty avoidance:Uncertainty avoidance: Perceiving situations Perceiving situations as unstructured, unclear, unpredictable…as unstructured, unclear, unpredictable…preference to avoid those situations.preference to avoid those situations.

• Masculinity:Masculinity: Biological and social roles of Biological and social roles of sexes in a culture.sexes in a culture.

EXTENDED ACTIVITYEXTENDED ACTIVITY

Creating a short sketch Creating a short sketch where the cultural where the cultural categories to study categories to study cultural norms are cultural norms are evidenced.evidenced.

LANGUAGE POLICY AND LANGUAGE POLICY AND POLITICSPOLITICS

• Teaching English as a way of homogeneityTeaching English as a way of homogeneity• World Englishes: Nativization of the language, World Englishes: Nativization of the language,

from inner circle countries to outer ones.from inner circle countries to outer ones.• English as a native language (ENL) a second English as a native language (ENL) a second

(ESL) or as a foreign (EFL) has been attacked (ESL) or as a foreign (EFL) has been attacked by more than sociolinguistic reasons.by more than sociolinguistic reasons.

• English must be seen in terms of broad range of English must be seen in terms of broad range of its functions and its penetration into the society.its functions and its penetration into the society.

• Discussion between native English-Speaking Discussion between native English-Speaking teachers (NESTs) and non native English-teachers (NESTs) and non native English-Speaking teachers (non-NESTs).Speaking teachers (non-NESTs).

• Evaluating English proficiency in the four skills.Evaluating English proficiency in the four skills.

EXTENDED ACTIVITYEXTENDED ACTIVITY

Discussing political issues on Discussing political issues on language policies in Colombialanguage policies in Colombia

- National Bilingual Program National Bilingual Program Colombia Colombia Bilingüe 2019Bilingüe 2019

- Bilingual project in HuilaBilingual project in Huila- Bilingual project in your Bilingual project in your

school school

ESL AND EFLESL AND EFL

• ESL : English within a culture where ESL : English within a culture where it is spoken natively.it is spoken natively.

• EFL: English within a culture where EFL: English within a culture where it is not spoken natively.it is not spoken natively.

• The contexts in which English is The contexts in which English is taught determines the ways to teach taught determines the ways to teach it.it.

LINGUISTIC IMPERIALISM LINGUISTIC IMPERIALISM AND LANGUAGE RIGHTSAND LANGUAGE RIGHTS

• Propagation of English in the world and Propagation of English in the world and implications on people’s linguistic and implications on people’s linguistic and cultural aspects.cultural aspects.

• Reconstituting “cultural inequalities Reconstituting “cultural inequalities between English and other languages”.between English and other languages”.

• The genocide of colonial language due to The genocide of colonial language due to the spread of English.the spread of English.

• Laws to promote native language Laws to promote native language development.development.

• High respect of students’ culture and High respect of students’ culture and native language (diversity among human native language (diversity among human beings).beings).

TEACHING TEACHING IMPLICATIONSIMPLICATIONS

• Should schools, institutes, and Should schools, institutes, and universities refrain from teaching universities refrain from teaching English so that heritage languages English so that heritage languages and cultures can be preserved?and cultures can be preserved?

• In what way has your language In what way has your language learning or teaching experience learning or teaching experience valued home languages and valued home languages and cultures?cultures?

LANGUAGE POLICY AND LANGUAGE POLICY AND THE “ENGLISH ONLY” THE “ENGLISH ONLY”

DEBATEDEBATE• Language policies: Sociopolitical domain Language policies: Sociopolitical domain

of second language acquisition.of second language acquisition.• Language of the education: An entity Language of the education: An entity

decides to offer it in a designated decides to offer it in a designated language.language.

• Discussions about the language of Discussions about the language of education: Linguistic and cultural education: Linguistic and cultural imperialism and diversity.imperialism and diversity.

• The minority cultures and their suffering The minority cultures and their suffering due to the “English only” policy.due to the “English only” policy.

LANGUAGE, THOUGHT LANGUAGE, THOUGHT AND CULTUREAND CULTURE

• Words shape our lives: The case of Words shape our lives: The case of advertisements.advertisements.

• What a language can hide of reality.What a language can hide of reality.• A language frames the way people A language frames the way people

think: Political rhetoric, an example.think: Political rhetoric, an example.• The structure of a question can The structure of a question can

affect its answer.affect its answer.

LANGUAGE, THOUGHT LANGUAGE, THOUGHT AND CULTUREAND CULTURE

• The discourse level of The discourse level of language, sometimes used for language, sometimes used for persuasion: influential in our persuasion: influential in our cognitive and affective states.cognitive and affective states.

• Conversational discourse Conversational discourse styles may be a factor of styles may be a factor of culture.culture.

• Lexical items used by a Lexical items used by a person shows the intersession person shows the intersession of his culture and cognition.of his culture and cognition.

LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGE AND THOUGHTTHOUGHT

THE WHORFIAN THE WHORFIAN HYPOTHESISHYPOTHESIS

• Does language reflect a culture? Does language reflect a culture?

VS VS

Does language shape a culture?Does language shape a culture?• Linguistic relativity in the Linguistic relativity in the

interaction of language and cultureinteraction of language and culture• The use of meta-languagesThe use of meta-languages

EXTENDED ACTIVITYEXTENDED ACTIVITY

Creating an advertisement Creating an advertisement that persuades the client that persuades the client to buy it.to buy it.

TEACHING TEACHING IMPLICATIONSIMPLICATIONS

• To what extent have your foreign To what extent have your foreign language learning or teaching language learning or teaching experiences involved internalizing experiences involved internalizing cultural thought patterns along with cultural thought patterns along with the language form themselves?the language form themselves?

CULTURE IN THE CULTURE IN THE LANGUAGE CLASSROOMLANGUAGE CLASSROOM

Cultural activities in the classroom must include:Cultural activities in the classroom must include:• Customs and belief systems.Customs and belief systems.• Analysis of stereotypes.Analysis of stereotypes.• Degrees of willingness to participate openly.Degrees of willingness to participate openly.• Analysis of linguistic imperialism.Analysis of linguistic imperialism.• Treatment of Students’ Uncertainty Avoidance.Treatment of Students’ Uncertainty Avoidance.• Roles of males and females.Roles of males and females.• Connections between language features and Connections between language features and

cultural ways of thinking, feeling and acting.cultural ways of thinking, feeling and acting.• Previous experiences on students’ native Previous experiences on students’ native

culture.culture.

CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS

• Culture is a big influence when learning a second and a foreign language in terms of cominucating, socializing and stereotyping.

• The creation of a new culture identity when acquiring a language.

• Culture shocks to overcome in the learning process.

• Teachers as the support of stereotyping cultures.

• The role of English in the world