Kristin Dowrey Gary Bleedorn II

Introduction / What is Culture shock? / Why is it a problem for educators? / What are some strategies for minimizing the effects of culture shock? / What is Culture shock? / Why is it a problem for educators? / What are some strategies for minimizing the effects of culture shock?

Culture Shock is: The term, culture shock, was introduced for the first time in 1958 by Kalervo Oberg. Today we understand culture shock as a reaction people experience when faced with cultural realities that differ from their own personal expectations and norms.

Oberg’s Stages / 1. Honeymoon/Tourist Stage. / 2.Culture shock/rejection / 3. Recovery / 4. Adjustment/Acculturation / 1. Honeymoon/Tourist Stage. / 2.Culture shock/rejection / 3. Recovery / 4. Adjustment/Acculturation

Contributing factors / Ethnocentrism / Tendency to stereotype / Low levels of similarities in beliefs, values, norms, and attitudes / Misinterpretations of behaviors and intentions of the other cultural group / Motivations for/ traumas associated with traveling to the new culture / Ethnocentrism / Tendency to stereotype / Low levels of similarities in beliefs, values, norms, and attitudes / Misinterpretations of behaviors and intentions of the other cultural group / Motivations for/ traumas associated with traveling to the new culture

Causes: / Unfamiliarity with the new culture and surroundings / Inability to effectively use or understand new language and cultural symbols / Discrepancies between the demands of new situations and the resources for dealing with them / Cognitive fatigue / Unfamiliarity with the new culture and surroundings / Inability to effectively use or understand new language and cultural symbols / Discrepancies between the demands of new situations and the resources for dealing with them / Cognitive fatigue

Culture Shock is Manifested: / Mentally / Emotionally / Physically / Mentally / Emotionally / Physically

Symptoms / Difficulty in focusing and processing/retaining new information / Small aches, pains, and new allergies. / Sleeping too much or too little. / Feeling sad, depressed, vulnerable, powerless. / Decreased confidence, increased apathy / Developing stereotypes of the dominant culture / Difficulty in focusing and processing/retaining new information / Small aches, pains, and new allergies. / Sleeping too much or too little. / Feeling sad, depressed, vulnerable, powerless. / Decreased confidence, increased apathy / Developing stereotypes of the dominant culture

Potential Problems for Educators / Raising Krashen’s affective filter / High Anxiety / Low Motivation / Low Self-confidence / Misinterpretation of culture shock side effects as products of learning disabilities / Physical effects that result in frequent absences / Raising Krashen’s affective filter / High Anxiety / Low Motivation / Low Self-confidence / Misinterpretation of culture shock side effects as products of learning disabilities / Physical effects that result in frequent absences

More problems / Housing problems / Economic problems / Nutrition problems / Health problems / Transportation / Housing problems / Economic problems / Nutrition problems / Health problems / Transportation

Cultural Awareness of Communication / Everything that occurs with in school involves communication / Communication through oral and written symbols / Communication through non verbal symbols / Everything that occurs with in school involves communication / Communication through oral and written symbols / Communication through non verbal symbols

How to Combat Culture Shock As a Teacher / Create a comfortable and accepting environment in the classroom / Don’t make assumptions / Get to know your students and their unique situations / Don’t give up on a student / Create a comfortable and accepting environment in the classroom / Don’t make assumptions / Get to know your students and their unique situations / Don’t give up on a student

Bibliography / Berry, J W. (1970) Marginality, stress and ethnic identification in an acculturated aboriginal community. Journal of cross Cultural Psychology, / DeCapua, Andrea and Wintergerst Ann Crossing Cultures in the Language Classroom. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press,. / Furnham, Adrian and Bochner, Stephen.(1986) Culture Shock: Psychological reactions to Unfamiliar Environments University Press Cambridge London, New York / Guanipa, Carmen. "CULTURE SHOCK". Dept. of Counseling and School Psychology. 11/24/2008. / Lynch, Elanor and Hanson, Marci. Developing Cross-Cultural Competence. Baltimore: Paul Brookes Publishing Co., / Lysgaard, S. (1955). Adjustment in a foreign society: Norwegian fullbrite grantees visiting the united states. International Social Science Bulletin 7, / The U-Curve of Adjustment. Retrieved November 29, 2008, from Culture Shock: 2 Web site: / Berry, J W. (1970) Marginality, stress and ethnic identification in an acculturated aboriginal community. Journal of cross Cultural Psychology, / DeCapua, Andrea and Wintergerst Ann Crossing Cultures in the Language Classroom. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press,. / Furnham, Adrian and Bochner, Stephen.(1986) Culture Shock: Psychological reactions to Unfamiliar Environments University Press Cambridge London, New York / Guanipa, Carmen. "CULTURE SHOCK". Dept. of Counseling and School Psychology. 11/24/2008. / Lynch, Elanor and Hanson, Marci. Developing Cross-Cultural Competence. Baltimore: Paul Brookes Publishing Co., / Lysgaard, S. (1955). Adjustment in a foreign society: Norwegian fullbrite grantees visiting the united states. International Social Science Bulletin 7, / The U-Curve of Adjustment. Retrieved November 29, 2008, from Culture Shock: 2 Web site: