Teach English in BAda'erhu Zhen - Xing'an Meng — Hinggan

When teaching English in a foreign country, there are many factors a teacher must be aware of and many unique obstacles the English teacher must overcome to be successful. One of those very important factors is culture. Every country has its own culture and social norms. Violating any social norms or behaving in a way not aligned to the country’s culture with alienate students and maybe even violate laws. It is therefore critical to be aware (at least generally) of the culture of the country where you are teaching and to always conform to the expected social norms. There are some general rules that you should bear in mind when working in a foreign country. To mention a few, consider the following: Find out as much as possible about the country / region you will be working in before you go, by researching books such as the Lonely Planet guide or the Culture Shock series. Use the formal greetings of the country until you find that alternatives are not considered inappropriate. When in the country, at work, be conservative in your manner, speech and actions until such a time that you are confident that you will not offend anyone Never express political or social opinions unless you are certain that your comments will not be misrepresented. Don’t be sarcastic with your students as it may not be understood. Don’t make comments about people from the organization who are not there. Making any miscalculations in this regard count jeopardize your long-term success in the teaching role and leave you feeling like a social pariah. By learning about your students culture, you are showing them respect and probably earning their respect in return. By offending your students by coping against their culture, you show a definite lack of respect and give off an indication that you don’t really care about them as students. They can hardly be blamed for tuning you out after such an indiscretion. Another very useful free website with relevant information regarding culture is www.cyborlink.com. The site is “recommended and used by college professors to teach their business school students the importance of understanding the uniqueness of cultures around the world, and how to apply the skills of cultural understanding to become more successful in the global business environment”. The site is very helpful to quickly learning the skills of proper etiquette, manners, and intercultural communication for different countries and regions around the world. The site also offers the Geert Hofstede Analysis for many countries and regions. Geert Hofstede developed a model that identifies four primary dimensions to differentiate cultures. Having insight into the cultural dynamics of a country can be very helpful to understand why people act the way they do, and the appropriate way you should act while in that country. The following is a list of questions to find answers to before arriving at your new teaching job in a foreign country. What is a brief history of this country or region? What religious and political denominations are there? How friendly and open are the country’s people to foreigners? What language is spoken? Is there more than one? What are the main points of cultural heritage? What dress code will I have to adhere to in the classroom? Are there any dress codes I will need to bear in mind in my free time? What body language / gestures should be avoided? What gifts are acceptable to give or receive? What conversation topics are taboo? Are there any formal protocols to cover in conversations / meetings / negotiations? These are but a few of the many considerations to take into account when teaching in a foreign country.