National Network for Early Language Learning

Culture Bank

Proposal for a new web based resource by the NNELL culture committee contributors –

Cheryl Berman, Kathy Duran, Victoria Gilbert, Akiyo Hirose, Sandra Schoder, Yanbeiqi Wang

Mission & Goals

• Support teaching experience

• Teacher development tool

• Platform for sharing resources, strategies, and perspectives

Mission statement here

Theory & Practice• Dr. Thomas Garza stated the opinion that culture is not only the fifth skill. Moreover, it

is possibly the key skill to get from linguistic competence in a language to really being proficient in a language.

• --- It is the fifth skill and at the same time one of the 5 C’s. • According to Met “• Claire Kramsch points out: "At the intersection of multiple native and target cultures,

the major task of language learners is to define for themselves what this 'third place' that they have engaged in seeking will look like, whether they are conscious of it or not (1993)."

• Cultural literacy refers to the shared or "core" knowledge of members of a cultural group. The term was coined by E.D. Hirsch, Jr. in his controversial 1987 book "Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know". Hirsch warned that American educators were focusing on "critical thinking skills" at the expense of actual cultural and historical content.

• Language Learning Spring 2010/ 15/ 2• Met – Teaching Culture• Ivers – Cultural Diversity• Gay – Cultural responsive teaching• http://tltc.la.utexas.edu/methods/modules/culture/

Early language learning and teaching

Culturally Responsive Teaching

& Diversity Target Culture(s)

Intercultural Understanding

CultureWhat is culture?

 "Big C" &"Little c" 

Cultural Literacy

Culturally Responsive Teaching & Diversity:

• I’d like to use this quote from article on CRT & DI, p.221• Tomlinson, understanding and recognizing the importance of addressing

cultural and linguistic diversity, continued, – You can only care for the child when you understand—what it is like to be part of

that child’s culture, what it is like to be unable to speak the language of the classroom, what it is like to go home to a shelter every night . . . you can only do that [connect with learners’ interests] when you know what they care about, what they do that gives them joy, what they would wish for if they dared. (p. 67)

• Practical applications include giving students a chance to select how they demonstrate their mastery e.g. (song, poem, poster/ad, scenario/dialogue, ppt., gestural dance, etc.)

• Finding out about students’ home culture and making connections to that… particularly if there is a linguistic connection, e.g. Puerto Rican or Mexican student studying Spanish—be inclusive of different regional names for an object such as el autobús, la guagua, el camión)

Cultural Literacy:

• Select a situation that is age-appropriate, such as what do you say when someone sneezes, burps, or is introduced. Use a puppet or heritage speaker to model, practice vocabulary needed in whole groups, then ask students to practice in pairs while teacher circulates to monitor.

• Sometimes just directionality of text can be important literacy skill—bring in street signs, newspaper, or ads that represent how one would have to read text… have students use fingers to indicate motion when you ask them to “read”.

Target Culture:

• Use a small trunk packed full with enough kitschy mementos, postcards, subway maps, whatever you can obtain as authentic representatives of the target culture (1 item for each child in class to hold and describe). Laminated images or clay can also be customized to represent specific objects that may otherwise be hard to come by. Have students pick one each as you pass the trunk around and describe something about it. You can create a slide show where actual object appears.

• Imaginary journey—use music, sound tracks of markets or other social gatherings, smells typical of environment, and “travel” to that location- (make taxi, airport, train, bus noises, etc.) have short encounter and return home.

Culture / culture—practices and perspectives of a people,

• Teacher comes in with an explorer hat and hand lens, looks over a map of the country in question—tells students they are going to study the people…

• Teacher uses clown size large sunglasses decorated with flags and images of the target country to represent “looking at the world” through different eyes.

• Make “Culture” posters—have students work in groups with images you provide or they research to assemble significant aspects of culture you are studying. (works as an assessment and educational tool).

Intercultural Understanding:

• Survival--Show video of goldfish & cat -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzEjzL6_gyE

• or …economic importance of learning a foreign language http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpI1fNSk8m0&feature=related

• Making friends--Showing some conflicting gestures (ANY that mean 2 very DIFFERENT things

• (e.g. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWUcGgSolw4&feature=related) hard to find a combination that is appropriate for young language learners. For young ELLs, I would have costume or masks to reinforce when which gesture means what.

Website mock up

• SCREEN SHOT OF EACH WEB PAGE we want to show.

• Home

• Theory

• Resources

• submission

Your input--

• Suggestions

• Feedback

• Join the committee

• Submit an article or lesson plan

– Thank you– your culture bank is what you make of it!