Pablo Paez Tesol Pedagogy II

  Differences in Manner In this week’s studies, I am learning about differences in manners around the world. These differences exist and to avoid misunderstandings, we must learn about them. Learning a new language is not only learning words or phrases in a given language, it implies learning the culture of the language as well. In fact, language is an essential part of the culture of a place. When learning about a new culture, we must learn about the way they do things. In the video that I had to watch in preparation for this post, John J. Ivers, a professor at BYU-IDAHO university suggests several times that if we do not know the rules of the culture, we should pay attention to what most people do, and act consequently. This reminds me of the saying “in Rome, do as the Romans do”. Professor Ivers mentions in his video many cultural differences that exist around the world. I have experimented with those differences when I was a missionary. I am from Argentina, a country in Latin...

  Cross Cultural Students This week, as part of my studies to become a TESOL educator, I was asked to watch a video by Professor John J. Ivers. In his video, Ivers spoke about cross-cultural classrooms, these are classrooms where many cultures merge. These can be places of some of the richest learning experiences, as long as teachers and students are open to learning not only about the subject matter, but also from the experiences of those around them. Learning about other cultures and their way of doing things can open our eyes to a wider world, which will help us to become more understanding of our own lives and others’ realities as well.  Professor Ivers stated:  “Whenever a student is from a different place or ethnic group does something weird, you have to give them the benefit of the doubt. Even though you may be interpreting it negatively, it may not be meant negatively. There’s a principle that you need to understand when you go into teaching in the diverse count...

 Attributional Tendencies This week we have studied about Attributional Tendencies, which is the theory that states that people need to find causes that explain their successes or failures. I have never heard of this concept before, so studying the given material for this topic was an eye-opening experience for me. John J. Ivers, a professor at BYU-Idaho explains that there are internal and external tendencies that affect the way things work out. He goes on to say that internal attributions, make people believe that if they succeed is because of them, their skills, abilities and their actions, and if they fail, is their fault. External attributions, Ivers explains, are recognizing other people or factors for success as well as blaming others for our failures. Individualistic societies, where people value independence and individuals are defined in terms of their unique skills and abilities, tend to attribute success to internal factors, and failures to external ones.   On ...

  Personal Space Differences This week as part of my studies to be an ESL teacher, we are reading and watching material related to personal space and how it differs from culture to culture. I am from Argentina, and most people tend to have smaller personal zones than Americans or cultures with larger ones. Although an Argentinian, I feel uncomfortable when people get very close or when they touch my shoulders or arms when they talk to me. I like having my personal space, and I prefer people staying within some distance. I do not feel comfortable in crowded places or in locations where people are obliged to be really closed because there isn’t enough room for everybody, like buses or subways, etc. As with all cultural topics and issues we have been discussing, it is important that as ESL teachers, we are aware of these differences, and make an effort to help students feel comfortable within the classroom. It is also important that ELLs, especially those who come from cultures wher...

Individualism vs Collectivism During this week, I was assigned to watch a video by John J. Ivers, where he spoke about the differences between individual-oriented and group-oriented societies. He said that knowing about cultural differences will help us as future ESL teachers to better understand our students’ behaviors and attitudes. Ivers suggests we should be aware of those cultural differences, learn about them quickly, and even ask questions to gain further insights from our students as regards their cultures. I believe that differences as regards individualism or collectivism can be best seen when asking students from different backgrounds to work together on projects or assignments. Working in groups can be a real challenge for those who are accustomed to working individually; and it can also be difficult for group-oriented students to work with individual-oriented ones. We have to be aware of those differences, and students must know that group work will favor them in many wa...

 Differences in Emotional Expressivity As part of my studies as a future TESOL educator, this week I was assigned to watch a video by John J. Ivers, a professor at the BYU-IDAHO university. He spoke about the differences in expressivity around the world and how those differences replicate, in some cases, within the borders of his country.  Ivers said that there are cultures that are more tolerant of public showing of expressivity than others. He also stated that although there might be differences in public showing, studies have shown that in private most people no matter their culture, express themselves in very similar ways. I live in a country where public showing of expressivity is accepted. Having said this, there are differences in the tolerance towards that expressivity, mainly dictated by the place where we live, whether it is a big or small city or the countryside. There are also differences according to gender. Even though it is not explicitly stated, men are not s...