1. Integrating the Teaching of Culture and Social Identity
Joe McVeigh
Ann Wintergerst
TESOL
Philadelphia, PA
March 30, 2012

2. 1. Define a common vocabulary to talk about culture

3. How students articulate their own definitions of culture

4. How students articulate their own definition of culture
Products, practices, and perspectives
Artifacts, actions, and meanings (Moran, 2001)
A set of basic ideas, practices, and experiences that a group of people share

5. How students articulate their own definition of culture
The shared beliefs, norms, and attitudes that guide a group of people’s behavior and help explain their world (DeCapua & Wintergerst, 2004)
“A complex frame of reference that consists of patterns of traditions, beliefs, values, norms, symbols, and meanings that are shared to varying degrees by interacting members of a community” (Ting-Toomey, 1999)

6. Have students articulate their own definition of culture (3)

7. How students articulate their own definition of culture
Culture = an integrated system of learned behavior patterns that are characteristic of the members of any given society. Culture refers to the total way of life of particular groups of people. It includes everything that a group of people thinks, says, does and makes—its systems of attitudes and feelings. Culture is learned and transmitted from generation to generation (Kohls, 1996)

8. 2. Explore concepts of personal identity

9. What is identity? Our sense of self
The way we see ourselves as individuals
The way we interact with others
Within our first culture and other cultures

10. Ways to categorize identity
Primary identities and secondary identities (Ting-Toomey, 1999)
Primary identities impact our lives ongoing
Secondary identities are changeable
Primary: personal identity, gender identity, cultural identity, and ethnic identity
Their formation and communication is interconnected with our culture 10

11. Personal identity? Exists in each human being
Influences the ways in which we interact
Affected by our experiences, background, and personality traits
Family plays a key role in defining who we are
Sets us apart from other individuals 11

12. Age Plays out differently in each culture
High status of the old and respect from the young in collectivistic cultures
Age has no status in individualistic cultures (Gudykunst & Kim, 2003) 12

13. Social class We each belong to one and identify with one
How viewed depends on one’s place on the social scale
Social class structures differ from one society to another
Factors of social class identity are similar across cultures 13

14. Religion Helps define a sense of self and a world view
Religious beliefs give a sense of place in the universe
Interacting with “sacred wisdom” (Samovar & Porter, 2004)
Gives rise to moral and ethical beliefs and behaviors 14

15. Personal identity linkage
To cultural and social identities
Threatened cultural identity is an affront to our sense of self
People stand up for their country when it’s disparaged
Language difficulties threaten personal identity 15

16. Activity 2: Exploring Personal Identity
The goal is for students to create a collage to represent their personal identities. A simple form of collage involves selecting, cutting, and pasting photographs, printed text, hand-written texts, drawings, digital images and text onto paper.
Prepare a model of the type of collage that you would like to see your students produce. Show students your collage to introduce the activity.
Two weeks before the start of the project, ask the class to bring in magazines and newspapers with photographs. Encourage students to bring all types of magazines so that there will be a variety of photographs and text to choose from.
Decide if you want to devote class time to this activity or ask students to do their collages as homework. Instruct students accordingly.
Tell students the project is to make a collage that represents their personal identity. They should include information they feel represents who they are, their interests, their views, etc. Point out that they can use photos, bits of text, their own drawings or writings – anything that helps portray how they see themselves.
Have students bring their completed collages to class. Display them around the classroom. Ask students to walk around the room and enjoy the collages. Give the class an opportunity to ask any questions about their classmates’ collages

17. 3. Explore gender identity and roles

18. Gender and Identity Influence of individual Influence of society
Women and power -- expectations

19. Gender and Identity Fundamental aspects
Roles expectations can be learned and unlearned
Differences across cultures

20. Gender and Identity Expectations across cultures
Expressions of sexual identity
Use of language and nonverbal communication

21. Activity 3: Exploring gender identity
Create a poster
Brainstorm characteristics
Collect visual images
One poster each for men and women
Discussion

22. 4 Build awareness of social
identity and roles

23. Build awareness of social identities & roles
“Show me who your friends are and I’ll tell you who you are.”
People around us, groups we belong to, roles we have
Social identity: commonalities with others and how they see us
Social roles: the socially expected behavior patterns we hold

24. Social identity
Linked to our roles in life: student, teacher, parent, sibling
To our physical features: ethnicity, gender, age
To memberships we hold: organization, club, political party

25. Social identity Children view themselves initially as family members
With awareness of social groups, they form social identities
Growing older, group memberships expand based on interests
In-group membership is key to our identity (Lustig & Koester, 2003)

26. Social Identity
Belonging to a cultural group adds to our social identity
Learning about our traditions, language, religion, social structures
Internalizing our culture’s beliefs we connect and identify with it
Groups related to work, religion, or others mold our social identity

27. Social Roles
Social structure includes formal rules, behaviors, social roles
The roles played contribute to our social identity
Cultural expectations of how people in a social position are to behave (DeCapua & Wintergerst, 2004)
Some social roles are given to us: gender, age, social status
Others depend on actions gained by: education, hard work, marriage

28. Aspects of social role identity
Differences in the level of formality
Degree of hierarchy in role relationships
Status or relative position of importance
Certain forms of address make roles explicit

29. What the teacher can do
Call attention to the many groups to which students belong
Point out the function of roles as part of social identity
Use Activity 4 to help students recognize what social identity is
Role play allows students to get a sense of the concept

30. Activity 4 Activity 4 Exploring social identity and roles
Make copies of the handout. Pass them out to the class.
Explain the concept of a role play. Students choose a character and role-play how this person would act in the situation. Remind students that they are taking on the character's social identity and social role. Have them think about any differences in social status of the characters, etc. Provide a model by demonstrating one of the role plays with a student in front of the class.
Form pairs and assign role plays. Ask students to imagine what the character is like based on her social identity and role. They might invent the name and age of the character, where she is from, and what she looks like.
Give the class time to practice. Walk around and provide feedback as needed.
Have students act out their role plays in front of the class.
To finish the activity, ask the class to discuss the following questions:
How did you feel about taking on the role of another person? What was easy about the role? What was difficult?
How was it different when you switched roles?
What ideas or thoughts do you have about culture and identity after role-playing your character(s)?

31. 5. Recognize differences among cultural identities

32. Cultural identity Relation to social identity and personal identity
Strength varies
Positive and negative perceptions

33. Cultural identity Sense of self Strength of identification
Individualism vs.collectivism
Multiple identities
Social distance 33

34. Activity 5: Dimensions of cross cultural identity
Make copies of the handouts for Activity 5
Review with students that a critical incident is a cross-cultural problematic situation. The incidents are concerned with various dimensions of culture. Inform the students that there is no right or wrong answer, but that there are solutions.
Ask students to work in groups of 3-4. Pass out the handouts. Assign each group one critical incident. Have students read the critical incidents and questions and discuss what they think caused the conflict.
If a group finishes early, assign them another critical incident.
As a class, discuss each critical incident, the solutions from each group, and the area of cultural conflict manifested. Share possible interpretations with the class if none of the groups have already suggested them.

35. 6. Identify cultures as either individualistic or collectivistic

36. Individualistic / Collectivistic
Cultural identity deals with the nature of the culture in which we find our identity
Individualism – primary importance is on the individual
Collectivism - the well-being of the group takes priority
Implications for how students learn
Relationship between the individual and the group at the heart of identity (Hofstede, et al., 2002)

37. Individualism-collectivism index
Highly Individualistic   Highly
Cultures Collectivistic Cultures
Individuals take care of themselves and their immediate family first. The autonomy of the individual and the self are most important.
Characteristics
Individuals work for the good of the group and suppress their identity for the benefit of the group. The needs of the group come before the needs of the individual.
United States, Australia, Great Britain, Canada, Hungary, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Italy
Example cultures
Guatemala, Ecuador, Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Pakistán, Indonesia, and Costa Rica
(Hofstede et al., 2002)

38. Predictors of individualism-collectivism
Economic development:
Wealthy cultures tend to be individualistic
Poor cultures tend to be collectivistic
Climate:
Cultures in colder climates tend to be individualistic
Cultures in warmer climates tend to be collectivistic

39. Effects on student learning
English speakers rated individual learning highest; ESL students did not (Reid, 1987)
American students studying a foreign language preferred individual work; ESL counterparts preferred group work (Wintergerst, et al., 2002)
Russian ESL/EFL students and Asian (Chinese, Korean, and Japanese) ESL students preferred group work over individual work (Wintergerst, et al., 2003)
Chinese learning is characterized by cooperation (Nelson, 1995)

40. Activity 6: Alone or with others?
Present the concept of individualistic and collectivistic cultures. Draw a continuum showing the characteristics of each type culture.
Write the students' home countries on the board. Ask students if they think their own culture is more individualistic or collectivistic.
Ask students to think of examples of phrases, expressions, situations, or proverbs that illustrate either the collectivistic or individualistic nature of their culture. Write examples on the board: The nail that stands up will be hammered down. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. All for one and one for all.
To finish the activity, have volunteers share their ideas with the class.

41. Examples Strongly Individualistic United States
Somewhat Individualistic Switzerland
Neutral Japan, Russia
Somewhat Collectivistic China
Strongly Collectivistic Guatemala

42. Individualistic or collectivistic?
Guess where these countries fall on the chart:
Two are neutral
Two are strongly collectivistic
Two are strongly individualistic
Indonesia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Spain, Turkey

43. Answers Strongly Individualistic: New Zealand, Netherlands
Neutral Spain, Turkey
Strongly Collectivistic Indonesia, Pakistan

44. 7. Show how ethnic identity influences social identity

45. Ethnic identity Categorization based on ethnicity
Cultural, social, psychological, physical
Members vs. non-members

46. U. S. historical perspective
Assimilation: melting pot
Pluralism: salad bowl / mosaic

47. Ethnicity and language
Emotional connection = solidarity
Level of identification
Strength of identity and content may differ

48. Activity 7 – Ethnic identity in film
Make copies of the handout. Pass them out to the class.
Choose a film that highlights ethnic roles within a culture. Some suggestions are: My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002), Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967), Bend it Like Beckham (2003), Pleasantville (1998), and Witness (1985).
Discuss the questions with the class before watching the movie.
During the movie, stop as often as necessary to explain any key plot or language points that may be difficult for students.
Form pairs. Have students answer the questions.
To finish the activity, discuss the answers with the class.

49. Questions