Break all the rules of sensitivity, politeness and courtesy

A teacher explains: "I'm sure we think we're trying to help our students, encouraging them to speak, urging them, filling in awkward silences, repeating instructions to 'clarify'. In fact we dominate and intimidate them. They can't get a word in."

This teacher and others have given some very good and practical advice. Even Edward De Bono, the father of the approach to Lateral Thinking, had trouble with this and offered no revolutionary solutions except for calling on students directly.

But I suppose I often break all the rules of sensitivity, politeness and courtesy.

I know how to warm up to a class and how to get a class to warm up to me. After being a teacher for awhile you can start to read a classroom of students like a book. (But like all good books, you do get surprised from time to time.)

I usually reach a point with my students, here in China, when I give them "the talk". I tell them what Westerners think of them. I tell them Westerners think that they are often too quiet, too reserved, afraid to make a public mistake, afraid to step out, to give their own opinion and too concerned with unity with the group. I have heard many Western managers complain about this trait. (In fact, when I was doing teacher training around China, I even heard experienced Chinese ELT teachers complain about it, too. Funny thing was, even these teachers would sit quietly when I asked a group of them a question. They were really surprised when they discovered they were doing it as well.)

I tell students about the invisible wall that is between the teacher and students or speaker and audience. I tell them why they can feel safe in not answering my questions, because they are doing what the group is doing, nothing. To various extents, all peoples do this. I even tell them the tricks I use to break down this wall at the start of each class (games, warm-ups, etc.)

Is there something wrong with Chinese culture? No. It's different. But if my students are going to be talking to the world, if they want to be able to be effective with all manners of people, they need to realize what Westerners think and expect just as much as we need to sensitize ourselves to the different ways of Asians.

I then demand that they speak up and not do the group thing to me.

Do we need to teach the culture to teach the language?

Someone asked if culture, as related to the language, should be taught with the language. I think we can all agree the answer is "yes" and "no". This is another example where the question should be carefully framed in our discussions so that we can all be at the same starting point when we answer it.

Mert Bland, a teacher with considerable experience all over the world, answers the question if culture should be taught with the obvious first question, "which culture?", taking a perspective of EFL.

Maggie Sokolik, based in a university in California, takes a different viewpoint, but her outlook is ESL.

So let us agree on the same starting point. If we are teaching abroad we seldom know with which culture our students are going to interacting. I teach in China (another place Mert has been). The closest English speaking countries are Hong Kong, Singapore, Philippines and Australia, India but my students are also very interested in America. Do I need to teach those six cultures to them? And what about a needs analysis? It is quite likely they will be visiting, calling and doing business in Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand. And when they speak to Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Thai businessmen they will be speaking to them in English. So Mert's question is very valid, "which culture?" and the answer is correct for EFL, in the limited time frame that teachers have to teach their students it is best to stick to a basic English that would be useful for our students in all of those situations.

If we are talking about foreign students visiting, studying or living in California, should they learn about the culture of the United States as related to their English studies, I think every teacher would answer "of course".

Our students are not cultural virgins

Many teachers have laid out their viewpoints on the appropriateness of the teacher speaking frankly about personal feelings on various issues.

I can understand that some teachers, sensitive to being charged with "cultural imperialism" or not being "politically correct", would carefully control their communications to remain absolutely neutral on these issues.

But I think the cultural imperialism of today is a little different than the cultural imperialism of 50 or 60 years ago. My students show up in class wearing Nike shoes and a copy of an NBA magazine in their bag. I often have to ask them to put away their MP3's which are loaded with songs by Backstreet Boys or Britney Spears. I have to ask them to discontinue their excited discussions about the most recent cool American movie adventure so they can direct their attention to my class.

And I teach in China!

It is not much different at my business English classes at various American, French or Japanese joint ventures here in China. The difference only being the product, now it's cars, houses, travel abroad, technology gadgets or MBA programs. Rather than magazines it’s the latest business book by Jack Welch or Tom Peters.

Due to the "small world" dynamics of the Internet movies and TV, our students have already been exposed to culture worldwide. They have already made cultural choices. They are not culture virgins. Now they want some deeper understanding of it, some explanation.

About half of the classes that I begin in China are met with the request that I devote a certain amount of time to teach "western culture" every week. This does not mean that they think western culture is superior to their own but it does indicate that they feel they don't know enough about it and want to improve their understanding.

What is the teacher's role in this? I do not believe the teacher should always remain a neutral and passive instrument on this subject. After establishing that this is the teacher's personal opinion the teacher should feel free to explain what and why he or she thinks or feels something as well as offer the other side of the argument.

Our students are not young naïve sheltered cultural virgins and are capable of making their own independent choices and forming opinions which might even frequently and surprisingly include the assessment that the "teacher is a jerk" for thinking that way.

It seems to me that some arguments are elevating the English teacher's role to that of high priest of all knowledge or to something like Plato's Cave scenario.

If we are not talking about children then we should treat our students like adults who can, will and have already made up their own minds about ethics, morality and culture.

There are far too many wars going on around the world because people don't understand each other or fall prey to the demonization efforts of others. Especially when students request it teachers can be ambassadors of understanding. And as on teacher implies, why can't the teacher also be a realia?

"Here is why I'm against the Iraq war...Here is why George Bush is for the war." Our students know these are opinions and not the universal oracle of knowledge speaking. We are not doing some Stanley Milgram experiment on them. "Teacher, just obey and administer the shock!"

Teachers could be so bold as to state "Here is why I am a Christian." I sure wish I had some teacher in my school who told me, "Here is why I am a Muslim" because currently there are some raging misunderstandings going on over these matters and all kinds of crazy opinions are flying around.

I'd certainly be interested in talking with a real live Muslim in my classroom about his religion instead of relying on media reports and politicians. (After I hear his views I'll go look it up somewhere on my own.) I have a friend who is a black American Muslim and often use her as a substitute teacher when necessary. She gives my students a different perspective than the fat white American viewpoint which I embody.

I don't think our students, especially adult students but also many teenagers, are so malleable that we are going to brainwash them in our ninety-minute a week class with them. That is why I claim they are not cultural virgins. Teachers should not be afraid to give their own opinions and use themselves as a form of realia as long as they do it in an explanatory manner without being combative.