Teach English in Xingou Zhen - Jingzhou Shi

A multicultural world urgently needs a culturally sensitive educational system. In most countries around, schools are filled with students who come from different cultures. The variety of cultural backgrounds of students in schools is beneficial for the academic community as it contributes with their different experiences that provide all students with the opportunity to learn about different aspects of life. Students in a multicultural environment learn to be culturally aware and to develop a sense of identity as individuals. Even though a diverse school is a wonderful place for students to learn and grow, it’s also important to construct a classroom environment that is culturally sensitive and responsive to the needs of the students. The teachers must foster the importance of cultural awareness in the classroom because it permits students to comprehend the differences between cultures, helps the improvement of communication skills and encourages the students to adapt their approaches for a positive outcome in cross-cultural interactions. A culturally aware classroom can widen a student’s perspectives about the differences of other cultures. Every individual carry within themselves their culture, as it is part of who we they are as humans. Students will execute actions and express themselves according to the culture they come from, which can differ from others. Therefore, teachers must create a classroom environment where the students can share, appreciate and respect each other’s culture. Promoting intercultural communication sensitivity and multiculturalism is a possible measure to overcome ethnocentrism and reduce conflicts among inter group interactions (Dong, 1995). In such manner, the students are brought together to respect their differences embracing who they are as a group. Also, building a high level of cultural sensitivity can help students to feel comfortable communicating with others from a different cultural background. Multicultural variety in a classroom should not represent an obstacle, it should represent a great opportunity for the teacher, students and school community to grow culturally and enrich their day to day pedagogical practices. An effective communication can help students who are not native English speakers not to feel marginalized or pressured into abandoning their native language in favor of English. In a culturally responsive classroom, diversity of language is celebrated, and the level of instructional materials provided to non-native speakers are tailored to their level of English fluency (Lynch, 2015). In addition, reinforcing cultural sensitivity can help students to modify the way they reach out to people, and communicate their thoughts for a positive outcome when they interact with other people from different cultures. At some point in life, the student will experience the diversity of the outside world. In order to facilitate students’ personal and professional success in a diverse environment, it’s necessary for the students to adapt their thoughts and approaches for a positive outcome in cross-cultural interactions. In this manner, students can widen their perspective, while still retaining their personal values. In conclusion, a multicultural school needs a sensitive educational system that is welcoming and sensitive to the needs of the students. Teachers are responsible of building a culturally aware classroom where students can share their knowledge about cultures and respect the differences they might encounter with other students that come from other cultural backgrounds. In addition, it’s important to make the students feel welcomed and establish a healthy communication in the classroom. Considering many students’ first luggage isn’t English, it’s essential to make them feel welcomed and show interest in their language and encourage them to speak in English comfortably without disregarding their native language. Additionally, students will eventually have an encounter with the diverse world, therefore, to help them be successful in a different and multi-cultural environment, is vital that the students learn to respect the differences in culture with other individuals. To become culturally sensitive takes time and a willingness to learn and understand one’s culture and people who come from different cultural backgrounds. Dong, Q (1995). Overcoming Ethnocentrism through developing intercultural communication sensitivity and multiculturalism. Human Communication. Vol. 11, No.1 1p 2-38. Lynch, M. (2015). 6 ways teachers can foster cultural awareness in the classroom. The Advocate.org