Culture Questions Final

1.) In the Arab culture, touching people of the same age and gender is considered normal and
a gesture of friendship. This student is probably confused because he is trying to connect
with his peers with an action that is considered friendly in his culture. The issue is that in
American culture boys do not normally touch each other unless they are fighting or
playing sports, so they are uncomfortable when the new student is behaving this way. It is
even more difficult for the new student because he does not speak much English and can
most likely not ask the other students why they are upset. The best way to handle this
situation would be for the teacher to have a fun day in class where they learn about the
new student’s culture. This would be beneficial to the Arab student because he would feel
more welcomed, and to the class because they would understand his culture better.

2.) The reason why the students think that the Korean student smells funny is probably
because a main dish that Korean families eat is a rice dish that is fermented in a mix of
anchovies, garlic, ginger, chili peppers, and green onion which are all very strong-
smelling ingredients. As the teacher, it would be helpful to know this about Korean
culture because even if you cannot smell anything, the students probably are. The best
way to diffuse this situation would be to explain to the students who are complaining why
she smells that way, and then tell them that if it is truly a problem you can rearrange the
seating chart in a different way. It is extremely important that the new student does not
feel alienated or embarrassed so it is also important to tell the students in the class to be
respectful of her, or there will be consequences.

3.) It is a common stereotype that all Asian immigrants are automatically the best students in
a class, but in reality, they face very real and difficult challenges in language, culture and
school. The teacher in this scenario should understand that the parents of the student
probably do not speak very good English, and are doing the best they can to reassure the
teacher that they are listening. There were probably no results after that meeting because
the parents could not understand enough English to make a change. Another reason that
the parents are only responding with "yes" is that in most Asian countries, teachers are
thought of as a high authority, and they could be doing this as a sign of respect. Overall,
the best way to handle this situation is to put time into getting to know the student and his
parents and especially learn their English proficiency so that you can work together to
make a specialized academic plan for him to succeed.

4.) The student is probably acting out because he most likely came from a more teacher-
centered classroom style where there is no student interaction. He is probably excited
about getting to be social with his classmates during class, and confused on why
everyone is talking all the time. In order to help him understand the cooperative learning
classroom, you could use help from the bilingual classmate to explain to him what they
are supposed to be doing, and reiterate the classroom rules in a firm but understanding
way. You could also continuously help him refocus If he begins getting distracted by
coming over to their group and asking what they have learned so far
5.) There is no correlation between signs and symbols in the Chinese language, therefore is
can be very difficult for Chinese students to learn to read in English. Reading is also
probably difficult for her because she is still in the process of learning English in general.
The best way to help this student would be to conduct a needs analysis and determine her
English proficiency in speaking, reading and writing. Then, based of the information
required, provide her with reading material at the level she needs.

6.) The school systems in Egypt are very different than the way things are in America.
The parents of the Egyptian student are probably not familiar with how the grade
system works in America, and therefore are unclear about what Ms. Smith means by
saying he is not placed in the correct grade. Arabic parents tend to base their children’s
progress in school on final scores as opposed to progress of the student along the way,
and this score is important not only academically, but socially and culturally as well.
This means that the father is coming off as he is not taking your concerns seriously,
but in reality he is probably confused about why his son is not performing well, and
again, what “third grade” really means because schools work differently in Egypt. As
this student’s teacher, it is important to help him and his family by clearly explaining
what grades are and a general overview of how American schools work and
specifically why he should be put in a different grade. With this clarification, the
parents would most likely respond better and the student will be put in the appropriate
grade level.

7.) The reason she is placed in first grade even though she is older is because the
schooling is different in Korea than America. She would have completed one year of
Korean formal education which is for students who are 7 years old. This comes after
Kindergarten which is for kids from ages 3-4. Based on the schooling system that she
started in, it is appropriate for her to be in first grade in an American school.

8.) Guadalupe is probably not looking at the teacher because she is nervous. In many
cultures eye contact is considered rude and this could also be why she will not make
eye contact. It is common for student and teachers in Argentina to show affection with
hugs and kisses on the cheek, and she may be confused on why students and teachers
in America do not do this. She may also be scared to look at the teacher because she
does not want to be disrespectful, and is trying to do what she thinks is appropriate in
American schools.

9.) The reason why the student is upset is probably because in a lot of culture’s schooling,
a red pen would indicate something bad or that something is wrong, such as the student
is performing poorly. It is important that the teacher explains to the student that the
note that the are sending home is nothing negative about him/her, but that you just
happened to use a red pen to write it. It would be a good decision to use a black or blue
 pen for things such as notes to parents in the future.

10.) It is most likely not that the mother was offended by something that the teacher said,
but rather that the teacher needs to build a relationship with the parents, or that she is
not fully comfortable speaking English. It is also a part of Japanese culture to only
smile at people they know, not strangers or people they have just met. A good way to
help this situation would be to schedule a parent teacher conference, and go over the
specific goals you have for their child and how they can help. This will not only build
a relationship with the parents, but help the teacher get a better understanding of their
student’s strengths, weaknesses, and interests.

11.) Jean-Baptiste and Jean-Pierre are probably late to school due to some difficulty with
transportation. Their parents are probably working hard, and if they only have one vehicle
which is likely then the boys may have to walk to school. The reason they are absent about
once a week could be a variety of reasons such as that their parents need one of them home
to help with family matters. The teacher in this situation needs to sit down with Jean-
Baptiste and Jean-Pierre and their parents (if possible) and get to know their situation better.
Then everyone can work together to help the boys come up with a plan to accommodate
their home and academic needs.

12.) This student could be acting lethargic for more reasons than that he is sick. He
could be homesick and missing where he grew up. It is a very huge change for anyone
to move to another country, and he is probably experiencing extreme culture shock. He
may also be very exhausted and sleep-deprived due to the time change from middle-
eastern to North American time. He may speak little or no English, and therefore it is
not that he doesn’t want to learn, but that he cannot understand what is being taught.
The teacher should not assume that he is sick or does not want to learn, but should
instead talk to him and ask him how he is doing. It is important that the teacher knows
his English proficiency so that if necessary, assignments can be created for him that he
can understand. The important thing to remember here is that one cannot make the
assumption that he does not want to learn or that he is sick without actually getting to
know him.

13.) Russian schools consist of little teacher-student interactions and there is a high
tolerance for cheating because students try and achieve good grades however they can.
Even though he speaks English this does not mean that he fully understands American
culture. He is probably having trouble understanding how American schools are run,
and thinks that copying his peer’s work during tests is okay because that is acceptable
in Russian schools. This also explains why his parents do not see anything wrong with
copying work either. As the teacher, it is very important to help this family understand
the cultural norms of the classroom in America. Once the student understands the
 importance of academic honesty in American culture, then it is likely that this will not
continue happening.

14.) The fact that this student is able to communicate well orally, but that she is not
succeeding in content-area work indicates that she has developed good basic
communication skills but is still not proficient in understanding academic language. A
lot of language learning classes tend to focus on those basic communication skills
instead of academic language skills, which is what happened with this student. It is
important that a teacher knows just because their student is able to speak fluently with
their peers, this does not mean that they are proficient in content-area language. A
good way to help her would be to provide reading material that is relevant to the
proficiency level that she is at.

15.) The fact that this student excels at these topics is because he was taught in a
way that emphasized memory-based skills. In some countries, this is the technique that
students are taught to use in school. This means in subjects where memorization is
required, it is likely that this student will do very well, but in subjects where reading
comprehension is needed, he may struggle. The teacher needs to help build this
students reading skills.

16.) The way that math is taught differs from country to country. Even though
geometry is taught from an early age in the United States, it may not be taught until
later grades on other places. American schools continuously teach geometric concepts
throughout grade school. Many other countries do not teach their students geometry
until later grades. The teacher needs to understand that these students excelling in
English is exhibiting very different skills than the ones needed for difficult math
concepts.

17.) One reason why Thi Lien is struggling in school is because in Vietnamese culture,
family is the most important aspect of their lives, and there could be something difficult
(such as illness, money problems, etc.) going on at home with her family requiring her
constant help and attention. It is not that her or her family do not care about her
schooling, but rather they are struggling. Another reason that she may not be getting help
from home or completing her assignments could be that she speaks little to no English,
and therefore herself and her parents cannot understand the directions for her homework
to complete the assignment. As the teacher, the best way to help Thi Lien would be to sit
down with her one-on-one and do a needs analysis while getting to know her. Once the
teacher establishes a relationship and learns the student’s English proficiency and level of
academic knowledge, then they can work together to make a specialized plan for her with
extra help where needed.
18.) The reason why Pablo is referring to me as "teacher" is because in Columbian
culture it is expected of them to address all of their teachers this way, in any grade level.
He has most likely grown up calling his teachers "profesora" or "profesor", and therefore
he is calling his American teacher "teacher". It is important that as the teacher, one
understands that Pablo is not being rude or disobedient by not calling you by your name,
but rather the opposite as he is trying to be respectful. Calling a teacher "teacher" is all he
knows, and as the teacher you could either talk to him about it and tell him he does not
have to call you such a formal title, or tell him if it makes him more comfortable to call
you "teacher" that is perfectly fine as well. The most important thing in this scenario is to
make sure that Pablo knows there is nothing wrong with what he is doing.

19.) Hung is probably used to a very teacher-based classroom where the teacher is
the only one who speaks, and students do not interact with each other at all. Since
Hung is probably used to this type of classroom experience he needs to understand that
he should be respectful of his peers and listen to them when they are speaking,
encouraged to participate in class discussions, and that he is welcome to share his
opinions about a topic. The teacher needs to explain all of this to him first, and then
help him by engaging him during class. A way to accomplish this would be to ask him
a question directly during a discussion, or ask him about what his peer has said, and
whether or not he agrees with said peer.

20.) Arabic is written in the opposite way that English is, meaning from right to left
instead of left to right. This means that this student appears to be holding his pencil
wrong because he is used to holding the pencil in a way that makes sense for Arabic
writing. The teacher needs to understand that holding his pencil in the way that is
necessary for English writing will take time and practice. If possible, he/she should
provide him with material to practice with. It would also be beneficial to explain to
him the differences between writing in the two languages so that he can understand
what he is doing wrong

21.) Family is very important in Mexican culture. This means that it is essential in
the eyes of her family that Maria stays home to take care of her aunt, but does not
mean that they do not consider education important. As the teacher, it is important to
understand and be respectful that it is part of her culture to need to support her family.
A good way to handle this situation would be to work with Maria and her family to
make a plan so that she can help out with her Aunt, and complete her school
assignments. This can be done by building a relationship with her parents, and keeping
up good communication with them to ensure that their child is getting a good
education.

22.) Mei’s school in China probably started earlier than American schools as many
 other countries’ schools do. It is important that the teacher communicates with Mei and
her parents to explain to them when school starts, and what time she should get there.
It is also important the family knows that Mei should not be alone at school so early in
the morning when the teacher is not there. Depending on how much English they
speak, it may be necessary to bring in a translator to help talk to the family. Overall,
this is just a misunderstanding due to the cultural differences in what time school
begins.

23.) Koreans are very serious about giving and receiving gifts because it is an
important part of their culture. One reason why they may seem uncomfortable when
the teacher thanks them so profusely after opening the gift is that it is rude in their
culture to open a gift in front of the person who gives it you. Even though in American
culture it is considered respectful to open the gift someone gives you and thank them,
this Korean family was probably offended.

24.) One possible reason this student will not take the paper is that there is
something wrong with the way the other student is handing it to him. It is a common
belief in many cultures, including the Muslim culture, that the left hand is considered
to be unclean and it is not acceptable to receive something from someone who is
handing it to you with that hand. It would be a good idea for the teacher to talk to the
student about it, and ensure that this belief the reason why he is uncomfortable. If this
is the case, then it is important that the teacher finds a way to help the class understand
his beliefs so they can be respectful of him.

25.) The reason the Chinese people looked upset is that the color white is
representative of death. It probably made them feel uncomfortable receiving the gifts
because of this belief. This is an important Chinese cultural belief and therefore
teachers should make sure they do not give gifts wrapped in white paper in the future.

26.) Thu was so upset about the other children messing up her hair because the head
is the place where a person’s soul is located in Thai culture. It was probably very
upsetting to her parents as well because of their beliefs. The teacher should not assume
that Thu overreacted and needs to explain this part of Thai culture to the other students
so they can be respectful of Thu’s beliefs. It is also important that the teacher sits down
with Thu as well and explains to her that the class respects her beliefs and nobody will
touch her head again. This will ensure that she is comfortable at school, and feel that
she is in a safe environment.

27.) This is not an acceptable thing to say to the parents of an ELL student for a lot
 of reasons. One is that it is a positive thing when families speak the language they are
fluent in at home because it helps their children develop bilingualism. They most likely
do not speak fluent English, and it is better that they speak in their native language. It
also is rude to ask a family to do this, because they should be able to speak in whatever
language they are comfortable in at their own home. It is not the teacher’s place to
dictate what language the parents of this child want to speak, and therefore should
understand that the responsibility of the teacher is to teach the child only at school.

28.) Communicating with peers on the playground involves completely different

language proficiency than academic work requires. This student has probably mastered
basic communication skills in English, but is at a beginner level in understanding
academic language. It is wrong to assume this student is trying to trick the teacher. The
best way to handle this situation would be to conduct a needs analysis assessment to
see where his strengths and weaknesses are in his academic proficiency. After this you
can assign him reading and writing practice at the correct level for him, and then track
his progress over time from that beginning point.

29.) The reason that Ayumi is struggling with fractions is because unlike the
United States, other countries use the metric system and decimals are used instead of
fractions. This means that Ayumi has probably never had to learn about fractions
because they are not in the curriculum in schools where the metric system is used. The
teacher needs to help this student by explaining to her what fractions are and how they
relate to decimals. Supplemental practice worksheets could also be very helpful to this
student because she will need to continue practicing using the new information.

30.) The reason these students are doing this is because in Japanese culture, four is
an unlucky number. On the contrary, two is considered a very lucky number to them.
The students were probably uncomfortable having four of the erasers because that is
unlucky to them. In this situation, there is nothing for the teacher to take action about,
they just need to understand this part of Japanese culture.

31.) Jean Pierre is writing a long division problem as they are done in Haiti. Even
though it is important to show your work in math at American schools, in other
countries students are expected to do their work mentally. Jean Pierre is accustomed to
not having to show his work, and probably only knows how to do long division the
way he was taught in Haiti. The teacher will need to spend time explaining to him that
in his new school he needs to show his thought process. He/she will also need to teach
Jean Pierre the American version of long division. If he is more comfortable using the
Haitian technique and he is getting problems correct, then it is okay if he completes the
problems his way as long as he understands the American way as well.
32.) This student has most likely never had to learn manipulatives, as they are not common
in many countries curriculum. He may be acting out because he is not taking the concept
seriously. The best way to handle this situation is to talk to the student and ask him why he
is behaving in a negative way as well as explain to him that he should not be disruptive to
the other students. If the child is acting out because he is not interested in the topic, it may
also be because he finds it too easy or too difficult. Depending on what his response is, the
teacher and student can work together to make a plan for success.

33.) This student could be nervous because he is in a completely different educational

environment than he is used to. On top of that, he may speak little or no English, and is
embarrassed to interact with his peers because he does not understand what they are saying to
him and cannot communicate back. He also could be alarmed by the loud bells signaling
recess time because it may sound like an alarm system in his home country. The best way to
handle this situation would be to build a relationship with him so he is at least comfortable
spending time in the classroom with the teacher during recess. It is very important that he
feels he has a safe place to reside, and that he can ask the teacher for help or just someone to
talk to. Another important part of handling this situation is ensuring that the rest of the
students in the class are being friendly and respectful. A good way to ensure this would be to
have a day where the whole class learns about Bosnian culture in a fun, interactive way. As
far as figuring out the new students English language proficiency, the teacher needs to do a
needs analysis, so that the boy will be getting assignments that he can complete and that will
help him keep up with the class.

34.) It is really hard for kids to have to move anywhere, but moving to a new country is
especially difficult. On top of a big move, sixth grade students are normally beginning to
go through puberty which makes emotions run high. He is exhibiting symptoms of culture
shock with the lashing out behavior and apparent frustration. Some hand motions that are
commonly used in America can be very rude or disrespectful in another culture. This
means that the way the teacher motioned for the student to come over could have been
conceived as aggressive or mean to him. The teacher needs to help make this students
transition into American schools as comfortable as possible, and this begins with getting to
know him and building a relationship with him.

35.) Touching students on the head may be common in American culture, but it could
make people from other countries very uncomfortable depending on their culture.
Teachers should refrain from this action, because they do not want to make any students
feel violated or disrespect anyone’s beliefs.

36.) In Chinese culture, getting your picture taken with any odd number of people will
bring you bad luck, and three in particular is considered the worst. The Grandmother of
this student is probably upset because her granddaughter is pictured in a photo that would
bring her bad luck. It is important that a teacher knows features of his/her student’s culture
so that nobody is put in a position where they feel they have to do something that makes
them or their family uncomfortable.

37.) Although in many parts of the world, the symbol Americans make for “O.k.” is
accepted and understood, it could mean something rude in Brazilian culture. The teacher
should apologize to the student who was offended and explain what the gesture means in
American culture. It would also be a good idea to refrain from using hand gestures that
could be conceived by other cultures as rude or inappropriate.