Is it important to understand the target culture in learning a second/foreign language? How are you addressing this issue in your language learning experience?
According to Brown, “It is apparent that culture, as an ingrained set of behaviors and modes of perception, becomes highly important in the learning of a second language A language is part of a culture, and a culture is a part of a language; those two are intricately woven so that one cannot separate the two without losing the significance of either language or culture. The acquisition of a second language…is also the acquisition of a second culture (2007, p. 189). Deconstructing this statement would likely lead to the conclusion that yes, it is important to understand the target culture in learning a second/foreign language.
However there is a small issue of important distinction to be teased out of the original question relating to “second” vs. “foreign” language. As differentiated by Brown in chapter 7, English as a second language (ESL) refers to the study of English within the target culture (i.e. a Japanese speaker studying English in the USA) while English as a foreign language (EFL) refers to the study of English in the home culture (i.e. a Japanese speaker studying English in Japan). In my opinion this differentiation could be drawn for the learning of any foreign language. Thus by studying Portuguese in San Diego I am partaking in Portuguese as a foreign language (or PFL, if you will) as opposed to Portuguese as a second language. In my opinion this is an important differentiation to make because the integration of culture into language learning will be more pertinent and indeed imperative for those studying a language as a second language than for those studying a language as a foreign language. I perceive my own studies of Portuguese on livemocha.com to be almost completely devoid of culture. Perhaps the closest exposure to culture I receive is hearing native Portuguese pronunciation of new vocabulary when I press the speaker button next to a new word. Other than that I have received no explicit teaching of the culture of Brazil or Portugal. However, I have managed to pick up the vocabulary presented to me and am now able to communicate in limited settings (for example, I could introduce myself as a woman and a teacher: “Eu sou uma muelher e eu sou uma professora”.)
That being said, the overall message of chapter 7 in Brown’s book is clearly that the learner’s understanding and even opinion of the target culture is imperative to successful learning. After reviewing studies by Gardner and Lambert (1972) and John Oller and his collegues on the relationship between learner attitudes and success in L2 learning, Brown shares the assertion, “It seems clear that second language learners benefit from positive attitudes and that negative attitudes (toward target culture) may lead to decreased motivation and, in all likelihood, because of decreased input and interaction, to unsuccessful attainment of proficiency” (2007, p.193).
Part 2 of 2 As a teacher of ESL, I champion the importance of weaving culture into my classroom because my students have an immediate need to negotiate not only communication but living in general in the target culture. Their needs include such fundamental issues as ordering food and securing housing. These are inextricably linked to the culture of the US as it’s not just the language they use, it’s how they use it that will affect their success. For example, I have had students express frustration over “rude” treatment by wait staff at restaurants only to learn that they called their waitress many times by whistling or yelling “Waitress” and then not leaving a tip. Obviously some discussion of cultural mores and codes of behavior concerning dining out are important to explicitly teach! If it were my goal to successfully do these things in Brazil, I would need more explicit teaching of culture and mores as well.
Finally, Brown notes, “Second language learning…involves the acquisition of a second identity” (2007, p. 194). I absolutely agree with statement in terms of an ESL experience or even a classroom-centered EFL experience but I cannot see this as pertinent to online language learning. I am studying alone, without even interaction with a teacher so there is no one for me to negotiate a new identity with! In conclusion I would say that culture is absolutely an important part of learning a second language or classroom-based foreign language learning but is perhaps not so much for online foreign language learning.
I think understanding the culture of your target language is essential second language acquisition. According to Brown, "The acquisition of a second language…is also the acquisition of a second culture" (2007, p. 189). Culture and language go hand in hand. I think integrative and instrumental motivations play a role in second language acquisition as well. If a student has integrative motivation(they want to become a part of a community), then he or she is more likely to want to learn about the cultural norms, practices, and traditions because those elements are key to becoming part of a community in addition to accent and style of speech. If a student has instrumental motivation(they want to learn a language to serve a purpose or complete a task), then he or she may be less inclined to understand the culture because they only need to gain a certain level of proficiency to be able to complete their transactions or tasks. But then again, a learner with instrumental motivation may want to learn about the culture if it will aid in helping them complete a task in addition to mastering a certain level of proficiency in the target language.
In regards to my online language learning experience, I think my lack of opportunity to learn and explore Italian culture has hindered my ability to acquire Italian. I lack the opportunity to practice with peers and native Italian speakers. I also lack authentic Italian cultural experiences and events to help reinforce my learning of Italian. Personally, I think I would be more successful in my SLA of Italian if I had more opportunities to engage in the Italian culture.
I think it is very important to have some understanding of the culture whose language you are learning. If you don’t have the most minimal understanding of the culture, it will be very hard to truly understand the language and integrate it into one’s being. I don’t believe that one could be an adoptive native speaker if they don’t understand the culture, but then again if one does not seek out the culture, maybe they don’t want to be an adoptive native speaker. Although students have the choice of learning and integrating themselves into the language’s culture or not, I think it is important for language teachers to offer some culture in the course.
In my language learning experience I don’t feel that I am getting any exposure to the Catalan culture. I feel like I am just getting language with generic pictures attached. I assume that the Catalan culture is similar in ways to the Mexican/Hispanic/Latin culture, but I truly have no idea if this is true. I think that if I was more exposed to their culture, learning their language would become more personal. But then again I’m not seeking it out, I have no plan of becoming an adoptive native speaker of Catalan. This feeling towards Catalan is in dark contrast to my feelings on French, which was taught to me by my teachers using culture. I sometimes watch French films (in French), look up websites about France, and even sing “La vie en rose” to myself when I’m feeling happy. Learning about French culture definitely made me fall in love with the language and learning the language made me fall in love with the culture.
I think culture is extremely important to learning a language. As our culture evolves and changes, so does our language. Language is a form of expression and cannot be separated from or completely understood without knowledge of the target culture.
I believe pragmatics is an area that is highly influenced by culture. When my parents first came to this country, if someone said how are you, my parents would give a long explanation about how their day has been going. They would often get awkward stares. They didn't know that in this culture, when someone asks how are you, you simply respond fine, thanks. There are also topics that are taboo or certain behaviors that are expected (looking at someone in the eye when you are speaking, how you speak to an elder, how you greet someone, etc.) that will immediately impact how your communication is perceived.
I am learning Spanish because I work predominantly with Spanish-speaking students and parents. My lessons don't provide any cultural constructs for me, but my interactions with the parents teach me about the culture. The parents are very open about what is going on with their child. For example, I'm told that my 5th grade child reads at a 2nd grade level, or my daughter keeps getting sent to the principal's office so if you need to be strict with her, I'm find with that. I personally really like the openness because it helps us help their kids. There are still many things that I don't know, so rather than possibly say the wrong thing, I frequently get someone to translate to the parents for me.
I think it is important to understand the target culture in learning a second/foreign language because it is impossible to learn a new language well without any knowledge about the targeted culture. For example, when I started learning English in middle school, we noticed an interesting language phenomenon—when people were surprised, they said, “Oh, my God!” and people referred to “God” a lot in English. It is impossible to understand this language phenomenon unless we know something about the western religion. Generally speaking, knowing the culture is a prerequisite to understand the connotations of words and other non-literal or habitual expressions in the target language. Learning a second language is learning a second culture.
Due to the limitations of on-line learning, I did not encounter many issues about learning the culture. There is not much content in the beginning-level Spanish lessons except some daily conversations. However, I remembered in one lesson, a speaker mentioned the “Mexican City”, and I wondered where this city was. Through an icon named “culture explanation”, I got a detailed explanation about the city’s history. It is very helpful to have such kind of culture explanations in those Spanish lessons.
Understanding the target culture is pertinent in the learning of a second language. Language is embedded in one’s culture. Therefore, learning a new language is also learning an entirely new culture. One must not only learn the words and phrases of a target language, but the discourse and pragmatics of that language. This understanding is essential when teaching a second or foreign language because sociocultural factors greatly affect how one learns. In addition, sociocultural factors greatly impact a students’ affective filter. As discussed previously, language ego plays a major role in acquisition; therefore, teachers must understand this struggle that may be present within students as they attempt to redefine who they are and acquire a new culture. As Brown explains culture is an “ingrained set of behaviors and modes of perception, [which] become highly important in the learning of a second language” (189). Since culture is who we are, it can affect our attitudes towards learning, the social distance we establish, and if we experience stereotypes. We see and understand the world through our cultural lens, which is why this understanding is essential in learning a second or foreign language.
In regards of my own experience with live mocha, I feel the lack of knowledge about culture greatly inhibits my learning because nothing is contextualized. I am learning the language in isolation, not as it is imbedded in culture. I’ve heard that in order to show you truly understand a language, one must be able to understand jokes. This understanding only happens when one not only learns the language, but learns the discourse and pragmatic functions of that language. So I would argue that even though I may be becoming ‘book smart’ in my use of Portuguese, I will not be able to successfully participate in conversations and the culture. By embedding culture and language, students gain a deeper understanding of all aspects of language because they begin to understand the people who speak that language. Unfortunately, I am not getting this full experience. Teaching language without culture is like only having students celebrate Cinco De Mayo or eat the food of a particular culture; it is not a complete and rich experience. Since language and culture do not exist outside of each other, the learning must be embedded and connected.
I also believe it is important to understand the target culture of the language you are learning. You must understand the culture of where the language is from, it helps understand different aspects of the language. Culture makes language what it is. It is one thing to memorize and learn language from text and repetition, but it is quite another, and a lot more meaningful, when you learn about the target culture. If a learner is able to learn and understand the culture of the language they are learning, they will be able to communicate and know why the new language is structured the way it is. Understanding and embracing the culture of the language an individual is learning will most likely increase the learner’s motivation to acquire the language as a native speaker. I know when I was younger, I had many friends who were Greek but didn’t have the opportunity to learn the language. As time went on, they had the desire and motivation to learn the language. Because they understood the Greek culture it was empowering and gave the learners a better understanding of where the language they were learning came from.
As far as my language experience for this class, the culture is the aspect that is missing. Although I do know some parts and am attracted to the South American culture (the reason I choose to study Portuguese), I have never truly studied or experienced Brazilian culture. Along with social interaction and using the language outside of the language lessons, understanding the culture target will increase the amount of language acquired.
Learning a foreign language entails more than learning the vocabulary, grammar and syntax. To learn to speak a foreign language facilitates exposure to another culture. When we have familiarity with a language, our capacity to understand the country’s culture is also enhanced. In the same vein, familiarity with the culture enhances our ability to achieve fluency in a second language. It works both ways. Brown cites several studies that indicate a relationship between cultural awareness and language learning. One study (Bateman, 2002) indicated that interactions with native speakers developed “more positive attitudes toward the target culture” (Brown, 2001, page 200). Another study (Choi, 2003) looked at how drama was used to increase awareness of the culture of the target language (Brown, page 200). There are many ways to access cultural experiences; it seems that the important thing is that they occur.
Brown also discusses the “optimal distance model, wherein a language learner has a “culturally based critical-period” in which to learn the cultural context of the target language. Cultural exposure provides motivation to master the language. Without this cultural context, there is a tendency to fossilize errors. “[The learner] may have acquired a sufficient number of functions of a second language without acquiring the correct forms” (Brown, page 199). This might partially account for the often stated, “I took ---- in high school, but I can’t speak it.” In my own high school language experience, I was lucky enough to have a teacher who steeped us in French culture through study of French art, literature, and history. I can attest to the way this exposure to French culture enhanced my language learning and my life-long love of the French language.
Elizabeth (continued) In my language learning experience on Live Mocha, this element is missing. I even find myself wishing that the pictures used in the language lessons were of Portugal! If I were in a classroom setting, some elements of Portuguese or Brazilian culture would most likely be incorporated in the classroom environment, if not in the lessons. Just as my facility in learning the language has been impeded by a lack of social contact with other learners and speakers, it has also been impeded by a lack of cultural context. I have found one of the most intriguing aspects of Portuguese to be the accent. Knowing more about Portuguese culture and history would help me to learn more about the accent and its origins. Because Portuguese has such a distinctive pronunciation, I think that some knowledge of the culture would help to put it in context and thereby support me in learning this aspect of the language. In order for an on-line learning experience such as Live Mocha to be truly effective, I need to seek out cultural experiences and resources on my own. I think that this would improve my ability to pick up the language.
Of course, it is very important to understand the culture in learning second language. It is crucial to touch on the definition of a culture provided by the book before addressing the various components of language-culture connection. Culture can have as many definitions as possible. In its simplest definition, a culture is a way of life. It is the context within which we exist, think, feel and relate to other. In other words, it governs our behavior in group, makes us sensitive to matter of status, and helps us to know what others expect of us. Moreover, our cultural milieu shaped our perception of other cultures. For instance, if we perceive other cultures just according to our own culture pattern, incorrect perception often results in stereotypes-an oversimplification. However, to highlight the interrelationship between a culture and a L2 and certain aspects of a culture, Brown addressed some important aspects that reflect this relationship.
Stereotype Brown defined stereotypes-an oversimplification as “assign group characteristics to individuals purely on the basis of their cultural membership.” To deal with such issue or misinterpretation, understanding differed aspects of the target culture of those of us is the key point. One example of stereotypes is that of Americans’ perception of Japanese as being unfriendly because of their cultural norms of respect and politeness.
Attitudes In addition, stereotype may shape certain types of attitudes toward the culture or the language. A study concluded that the attitude learners have toward the members of the cultural group whose language they are learning has a titanic influence. If learners have a positive attitude toward the target culture, a desire to understand it will lead to learning.
Based upon my experiences in learning English as second/foreign language, my positive attitude, as an English-Arabic interpreter, towards the American culture and people has scaffolded me to enhance my English skills in support of the cultural norm.
Language is a mean that convoy and/or represent the aspects of a culture. So learning a language is a process of creating shared meanings between cultural parties that lead to creating new identity. Researchers call the creation of a new identity acculturation.
Culture shock Most importantly, to discuss the language-culture connection more deeply, there are certain aspects involved in the process of learning new culture such as one’s worldview, value system, feeling, thinking and most importantly Culture shock. In summary, it refers to phenomena ranging from mild irritability to deep psychological panic and crisis. Researchers have identified four successive stages of cultural shock. In brief, they are as follow:
● Stage 1 is a period of excitement. ● Stage 2 more and more cultural difference may cause a feeling of intrusion and seeking escape from a difficult situation. ● Stage 3 is cultural stress. Some problem of acculturation are solved while other Problems continue from time. But general progress is made. ● Stage 4 represents near of full recovery. Self-confidence is developed.
In my case, I see my self in the third stage, but going toward the forth one.
In conclusion, the sociocultural factor plays an important role in learning English as second and foreign language and assists the development of learner of English as well as teachers.
Culture is our continent, our collective identity, according to Larson and Smalley 1972). It is the ideas, customs, skills, arts and tools that characterize a given group of people. The acquisition of a second language is also the acquisition of a second culture (Brown). This being said, it is apparent that culture is an integral part of the learning of a second or foreign language. When learning a foreign language and living in a foreign country at the same time, you would benefit greatly from immersing in the culture, learning the customs, and anticipating cultural misunderstandings. Everyone has there own cultural bound worldview. We need to let go of these oversimplified and often false concepts of another culture and respect and value the difference. By doing so second language learners are setting themselves up for a successful experience, for language is one of the most visible components of a culture. As a teacher, it is extremely essential for you to have an understanding of your students cultures and teach with intercultural competence.This will enable you to diffuse any stereotypes that may be demeaning to a particular culture. It also promotes a positive learning experience for the student. For example, living in Japan I learned a lot about the culture while I was there, this helped me build a better rapport with my students and helped me understand the different learning styles that exist between Japanese and American students. One such difference is the lack of outspoken quality. I found even when I was outside of the classroom. Japanese people were reluctant to respond in English, for fear that they didn't speak 'well' enough. If I needed help I would communicate with the little Japanese I knew as well as overcompensate with gestures. There was no fear of how I sounded or intimidation on my part, but my students said that most of the time they are reluctant to practice English outside of the classroom for that fear of not being quite fluent enough. So by understanding this, I was able to understand some of the patterns I picked up with my students in the classroom discussions. With my language learning experience I feel the slides on live mocha do give a bit of a glimpse into the culture of the language. However, its hard to gauge as its a short virtual lesson, with no interaction between anyone live. I honestly think my learning experience would be more productive if it were in a different setting. I will learn more going to Italy with little command of the language and pick it up as I go ,since I'll be completely immersed in the culture. With Portuguese, the only bit of real cultural learning opportunities I have is when communicating with former students.
I believe that it is important to understand the target culture when learning a foreign language, even though I do not feel like I have been able to do this during my experience learning Italian online. Brown claims, "The acquisition of a second language, except for specialized, instrumental acquisition...is also the acquisition of a second culture" (189). Language is a huge piece of culture, providing the means of communication for socialization. Unfortunately, as I use ItalianPod101.com, I do not feel like I am getting much more than the specific grammar and phrases, and the occasional tip about what is customary in Italy. The way we perceive a culture also impacts our attitudes in learning that culture's language. While Mark Twain had hilarious stereotypes of other cultures and other languages, making these over-generalizations about a culture can be detrimental when attempting to learn the language. Brown states that learners and teachers need "to recognize openly that people are not all the same beneath the skin" (192). Too often, we assume that all people of a certain culture will be a certain way based on our false impressions. Also, related with this are attitudes. Based on our attitudes about a culture, we may be prone to making stereotypes about the language. For example, if we assume that Italians are all very affectionate and open, we may not expect them to have formal ways of speaking versus informal. On the bright side, being that I have a positive attitude toward Italian, I am more open to learning the language and excited to better understand the culture. Finally, another factor that influenced language learning is social distance, specifically our perceptions of social distance. Social distance refers to the differences between cultures in terms of dominance, integration, cohesiveness, congruence, and permanence. I think that since I perceive Italian culture to be socially close to American culture, I have an easier time picking up this language than if I perceived the cultures as vastly different. This is one of the best possible situations, because I do not deem Italian to be subordinate to American culture in any way, and I believe that the cultures are fairly congruent.
As Brown suggests, language and culture are "intricately interwoven so that one can not separate the two without losing the significance of either language or culture" 189. In addition to my online language lessons, I practice and learn Spanish with the women that I work with. These women are all Spanish speakers, primarily Mexican, with a couple of Tri-Lingual Portuguese women. The women that I practice my Spanish skills with everyday are vital to my language development as well as to opening up a world of cultural understanding. Working intimately with these women, I have been introduced to many of the details of their culture, namely food, family, and social behavior. I notice similarities and contrasts to my own culture. Growing up in San Diego, Mexican culture has always been a part of my life. In addition to participating in the culture of the Mexican women that I work with, I also spent time integrating myself into Peruvian culture while I was there. I still speak with mi suegra on the phone and practice my more formal Spanish speaking skills with her. I think that the best way to understand a culture is to form bonds with the people in the culture. I am intrigued by comparing the two Spanish cultures which I find myself involved in. In regards to language, there are many differences within the language between Peruvian and Mexican Spanish. I particularly like recognizing these differences in that I find it gives me some insight into the peculiarities of each culture within a culture. Recognizing culture as a collective identity is important in learning any language, but I find it vital within the context of the very intimate and familial Latin culture. In addition to the real human experiences I have with the women I work with as well as Spanish speaking friends here and abroad, I watch movies and T.V. shows and listen to Spanish music. I find that by immersing myself in what I see as beautiful within the culture, I am able to deepen my appreciation for and investment in the culture, which motivates my learning considerably.
I believe it is extremely important to understand the target culture in learning a second language. Language cannot be understood without looking into culture. As Brown says, “a language is part of culture, and a culture is part of language.” The two are tied together tightly and cannot be separated without losing the significance of either language or culture. Culture is defined as the ideas, customs, skills, arts and tools that characterize a given group of people in a given period of time. This includes ones language. Like Brown says, “the acquisition of a second language comes with the acquisition of a second culture.” Learning the target culture is very important to completely understanding the target language. According to Bryam & Feng, “a number of recent research studies have shown the positive effects of incorporating cultural awareness in language classrooms.” Students are able to better understand the target language when they learn about the target culture. In fact, the most productive model of the combination of second language and second culture learning is found among students who learn a second language in a country where that language is spoken natively (Brown). Without knowledge of culture, there are certain pragmatics that cannot be understood. For example, during Sarina’s class last semester we were assigned a lesson plan project with a student who is learning English as a second language. My student spoke French and was studying at the ELA for the summer. My student found it very difficult to converse with native English speakers upon arriving in the United States as there were a number of pragmatics and non-literal sayings she was unfamiliar with. While in France, she was not exposed to these aspects of American language/culture. To fully understand English then, students must have knowledge of their target culture, or even better, learn their second language in a country where the language is spoken natively.
Unfortunately, livemocha.com does not come with much cultural insight. In fact, there is little to no interaction with native Spanish speakers. I believe my language learning would be more effective if I were learning a bit more about Spanish culture. On livemocha.com I have virtually no cultural insight accompanied with my language learning. This has definitely been an obstacle in my second language learning.
I strongly believe that it is important to understand the target cultural when learning a second language. As Brown said in his book: a language is a part of a culture, and a culture is a part of a language; the acquisition of a second language, except for specialized, instrumental acquisition, is also the acquisition of a second culture (Brown, pg189). Culture is a way of life. It is the context within which we exist, think, feel and relate to others (Brown, pg188). Language is the tool we use to express our feelings and thoughts and to interact with others. One cannot learn a language well without knowing the culture of that language. For example, people in different countries have different way of greeting. In China we always ask people if they have their meal. In the USA, people say: “How are you?” for greeting. If the language learners do not learn the cultural but only translate the words and follow their own custom, they will make stupid mistakes. Since language is used for interactive communication, it is only fitting that one study the communicative functions of language. (Brown, pg34) Language learners should not only learn the form of the language but also knowing the language and using it for meaningful communication. It requires them to know the background of the language – the culture.
When I learn Japanese I try to get more information about the cultural of Japan, even though there is limited recourses on Livemocha. com. I tried to learn some Japanese songs, watch some Japanese TV series, and have some Japanese foods. In this way, I can feel that Japanese have a different life from both Chinese and American. Their grammar and complex honorific forms is coming from their cultural of politeness and modest. I also learn that there are not too many negative forms in their language, because in their cultural they believe it is not polite to say no to others, so their language is not as straight as English. I believe to know the cultural of a language one should make friends or at least talk with native speakers. I have a Japanese friend who is also a student in San Diego. I have hang out with her for a few times. And by talking with her and asking her questions about her life in Japan, I know better about Japanese culture and increased the interest in learning Japanese. I also believe if one really wants to learn a language and know their cultural, he or she should go to that country, feel their life and see how they communicate in that language in their every day life.
In my opinion, it is really important to understand the target culture in learning a second/foreign language. As Brown says, “Culture is a way of life. It is the context within which we exist, think, feel, and relate to others. It is the “glue” that binds a group of people together.”(Brown 2007, P188) When we are learning a language, we are learning the culture at the same time. For example, when I am learning English as my foreign, it is difficult for me to understand “treat or trick”. I need to know the culture background of this phrase, and then I can understand it easily. What I want to say is that, language and culture are indivisible. If you don’t have the most minimal understanding of the culture, it will be very hard to truly understand the language. Learning a second or foreign needs a motivation. I think sometimes the curious about the culture of the country is a good and effective motivation for people to learn the target language. When I was learning my second language, I was attracted by the culture of America. I think the USA is the melting pot of culture. The interesting of its culture motivates me to learn English well. As Brown says, “Second language learning, involves the acquisition of a second identity. This creation of a new identity is at the heart of culture learning, or what some might call acculturation.” Learning a second or foreign needs acculturation. How can you learn a language well, if you hate or disagree with its culture in deep heart?
In my language learning experience, I found it’s useful to learn the culture. I try to listen English songs, reading English novels and watch TV shows in English. I found the more I know the culture of the society, the easier for me to learn English. It will let me immured in that culture and motivate my interesting to learn the language.
I think that learning about a target culture is very important when learning Italian. I feel as though ItalianPod101 has not allowed for this to happen properly. Brown states," a language is part of a culture and a culture is part of a language; the two are intricately interwoven so that one cannot separate the two without losing the significance of either language or culture" (189). In order to understand the language, I must not be excluded from the target culture.
Stereotypes play a role in learning a second language and culture. Even though so many people stereotype, educators need to realize that it can have a negative effect when learning a second language. No one is the same and no one learns the same. We as teachers need to be cautious of the effects this could have in the classroom.
Attitude also plays a big role for me personally in learning culture. Brown states that attitudes, "form a part of ones perception of self, of others, and of the culture in which one is living" (193). I chose Italian because I thought, the more I learned about the language and the culture, the more my painting could improve. This is an example of how ItalianPodCast101 is difficult for me. Even though I have such a strong motivation to learn, and a very positive attitude, the program is not meeting my learning style.
I would say that the only thing that these lessons do for the target culture is that they help give situations that a L2 learner would most likely be in, if they were to go to Italy. This is good for me because I am able to picture the situation better in my head. I guess I see it as a foreshadow of things to come, which I do like. Overall, my lessons do not give me enough cultural feedback to properly construct this knowledge of culture. I believe that if ItalianPod101 were in a classroom setting I would find myself with better resources to further my cultural knowledge. If there was a way for the online lessons to maybe show videos or some sort of visual it would help me a lot more.
Understanding the target culture in learning a second language is of great importance. As we know from Brown, acculturation is a process that may directly influence learning a second language. Like Christina mentioned above, it is important to consider the difference that target culture plays in second/foreign language acquisition. In foreign language acquisition the target culture usually plays little or no importance. This was exactly how my Spanish courses operated in high school. But if there was culture integrated into the course maybe I would have been more motivated to learn at the time. We know that understanding culture while learning a second language is important. Acculturation can help a student to appreciate different aspects of a culture or not. If a student is in stage 2, they are going through culture shock and will have more hesitation and frustration while learning the language. But if a student is in stage 4 they have accepted the languages culture and are comfortable which can aid their acquisition further.
In my own language learning experience I have done little to learn about Mexican culture. However, I have been relating my previous knowledge of Mexican culture into my learning. I have many Mexican-American friends and I travel to Mexico annually or biannually. I know that Mexican culture strongly values language learning and teachers as well as getting to know one on a personal level. Thus, I have practiced describing my family and my past jobs in Spanish extensively. When I go to Mexico in December, I want to be able to have a fluent conversation with my friend Jose. He always speaks in English with me, but I know he will feel more comfortable speaking in Spanish. I am very comfortable with Mexican culture, and I feel it has aided me during my studies. Because I have experienced the culture first hand, I find that relating to my past experiences to be immensely helpful. I also know that in Mexico they are less likely to use the formal tense of “usted” while in Spain they always use this tense. This is because the culture in Mexico is generally more casual and a teacher or adult can easily be called “amigo” or friend. While in Spain, attention to age is very important and if a speaker does not use the formal tense with a teacher or elder they may think the person is very rude. Understanding differences in culture helped me to identify and understand these differences in language dialects, but there are many more advantages to understanding a target culture.
I agree with Alecia’s quote on Brown on the importance of culture and how these two (language and culture) are linked to one another. Culture plays an important role in language learning in that by understanding culture students may be able to connect with the language and be motivated to further their students (such as the case mentioned above by Marie in Spanish).
Cross-cultural understanding also can support and address common misunderstandings in the classroom both for students and teachers. Examples of this could be strategies incorporated in American classroom’s vs. Chinese classrooms and how learning styles and strategies may vary from culture to another. Another example can be activities to address certain topics in the culture like the use of graphic novels may be good for a western student, however for a Chinese student this can result frustrating and difficult (as capital letters may confuse them). Understanding these differences and adapting it to the classroom can generate positive results and in turn lower the affective filter in the classroom.
Finally, my own experience in livemocha is a perfect example of the importance of culture. I know nothing about Brazil (or very little at least). I have no prior knowledge about the country and culture that can link my knowledge to my learning and am not able immerse myself in the culture to further my learning. With this being said, if I were to continue this process of learning via live mocha I do not feel I would be able to handle a conversation outside of this setting or even continue my learning experience after this class is over. However, I would like to find other sources of learning that support my needs entirely as I love and am passionate about languages.
I believe it is important to understand the target culture when we learning a second language. That is because, by understand these culture, we will easily to understand why the target language is using by some certain way. Moreover, after knowing the culture, we may easy to talk with native speakers and practice our language. In addition, learning the culture will help us to build our second language ego, and pick us correct language to express ourselves clearly.
In my language experience, I feel learning Japanese is easier than English. I believe that is because Japanese culture is close to Chinese culture. From constructivism, we should learning second language by communication. When I leaning Japanese greeting, I feel easy to understand why they communicate through that way. However I still remember it is take me a long time to be familiar with greeting by English – answer the question such as how are you? What’s up? Hence, I prefer to learning culture and language by comparison. For example, when I learn Japanese foods and festivals, I will compare them with Chinese.
Although culture is important to second language acquisition, I believe I needn’t to face these cultural problems in my Japanese learning now. Because of I think culture learning is a kind of deep, or I say, higher level language learning. We should first collect our vocabulary and basic structures before we build second language ego. So, in my opinion, for sure I agree with we will learn culture which is behind language, but we should acquire language first in order to understand target culture better.
I think it is important to learn about the culture of a language you are learning especially if you plan to travel to the country or become immersed in a community which follows the same cultural practices and values of the culture. It's important to understand the dynamics of social connections between classes and social roles. When I took Spanish in high school we learned about formal and informal parts of speech. The current Chinese lessons I am doing does not indicate which is formal and informal. I would enjoy a course to discuss the social/cultural nuances of languages. As for learning about the Chinese culture, I can ask my friends who are Chinese and I would also like to visit.
Definitely yes! Language and culture are always come together, they go hand in hand. Brown said acquisition of a second language is also acquisition of a second culture. Language is a way to express one culture’s thinking and logical style. I remembered that my English teacher from middle school always taught us something about culture in western countries, such as why their first name comes first while Chinese family name comes first, which is very helpful for us to understand the language. If a person only knows the language, but have no idea about the culture, he or she will be in trouble when talking to native speakers, because he or she totally has no idea why they say something like that and don’t know what is the proper way to response. Learning target culture will also help students to eliminate their stereotype of the target culture. People can’t see others through their stereotype because it is not applied to anyone. Learning the target culture can help students to understand the general norms of that culture and how people behave in general, and may also help students to learn that everyone is different from each other. They will share some similarities of their culture, but also have their own personality. When students get chances to communicate with native speakers, it is important for them to know the culture and distinguish their personality. For my own experience of learning a foreign language, until now, I have no chance to get in touch with Spanish culture through livemocha, so that I really have no idea how can I communicate with people who speak Spanish properly. However, when I was learning, my teacher tried to bring something about culture to our class, which is very helpful for learning, because people are curious about new thoughts. One example is what I mentioned above about the names. Another culture is something different from our own, so that students were eager to hear what is the other world like and want to learn how they should behave if they have the chance to get to the other world. Because of the curiosity and crave for new, students were more eager to learn.
Part 1 of 2
ReplyDeleteAccording to Brown, “It is apparent that culture, as an ingrained set of behaviors and modes of perception, becomes highly important in the learning of a second language A language is part of a culture, and a culture is a part of a language; those two are intricately woven so that one cannot separate the two without losing the significance of either language or culture. The acquisition of a second language…is also the acquisition of a second culture (2007, p. 189). Deconstructing this statement would likely lead to the conclusion that yes, it is important to understand the target culture in learning a second/foreign language.
However there is a small issue of important distinction to be teased out of the original question relating to “second” vs. “foreign” language. As differentiated by Brown in chapter 7, English as a second language (ESL) refers to the study of English within the target culture (i.e. a Japanese speaker studying English in the USA) while English as a foreign language (EFL) refers to the study of English in the home culture (i.e. a Japanese speaker studying English in Japan). In my opinion this differentiation could be drawn for the learning of any foreign language. Thus by studying Portuguese in San Diego I am partaking in Portuguese as a foreign language (or PFL, if you will) as opposed to Portuguese as a second language. In my opinion this is an important differentiation to make because the integration of culture into language learning will be more pertinent and indeed imperative for those studying a language as a second language than for those studying a language as a foreign language. I perceive my own studies of Portuguese on livemocha.com to be almost completely devoid of culture. Perhaps the closest exposure to culture I receive is hearing native Portuguese pronunciation of new vocabulary when I press the speaker button next to a new word. Other than that I have received no explicit teaching of the culture of Brazil or Portugal. However, I have managed to pick up the vocabulary presented to me and am now able to communicate in limited settings (for example, I could introduce myself as a woman and a teacher: “Eu sou uma muelher e eu sou uma professora”.)
That being said, the overall message of chapter 7 in Brown’s book is clearly that the learner’s understanding and even opinion of the target culture is imperative to successful learning. After reviewing studies by Gardner and Lambert (1972) and John Oller and his collegues on the relationship between learner attitudes and success in L2 learning, Brown shares the assertion, “It seems clear that second language learners benefit from positive attitudes and that negative attitudes (toward target culture) may lead to decreased motivation and, in all likelihood, because of decreased input and interaction, to unsuccessful attainment of proficiency” (2007, p.193).
Part 2 of 2
ReplyDeleteAs a teacher of ESL, I champion the importance of weaving culture into my classroom because my students have an immediate need to negotiate not only communication but living in general in the target culture. Their needs include such fundamental issues as ordering food and securing housing. These are inextricably linked to the culture of the US as it’s not just the language they use, it’s how they use it that will affect their success. For example, I have had students express frustration over “rude” treatment by wait staff at restaurants only to learn that they called their waitress many times by whistling or yelling “Waitress” and then not leaving a tip. Obviously some discussion of cultural mores and codes of behavior concerning dining out are important to explicitly teach! If it were my goal to successfully do these things in Brazil, I would need more explicit teaching of culture and mores as well.
Finally, Brown notes, “Second language learning…involves the acquisition of a second identity” (2007, p. 194). I absolutely agree with statement in terms of an ESL experience or even a classroom-centered EFL experience but I cannot see this as pertinent to online language learning. I am studying alone, without even interaction with a teacher so there is no one for me to negotiate a new identity with! In conclusion I would say that culture is absolutely an important part of learning a second language or classroom-based foreign language learning but is perhaps not so much for online foreign language learning.
I think understanding the culture of your target language is essential second language acquisition. According to Brown, "The acquisition of a second language…is also the acquisition of a second culture" (2007, p. 189). Culture and language go hand in hand. I think integrative and instrumental motivations play a role in second language acquisition as well. If a student has integrative motivation(they want to become a part of a community), then he or she is more likely to want to learn about the cultural norms, practices, and traditions because those elements are key to becoming part of a community in addition to accent and style of speech. If a student has instrumental motivation(they want to learn a language to serve a purpose or complete a task), then he or she may be less inclined to understand the culture because they only need to gain a certain level of proficiency to be able to complete their transactions or tasks. But then again, a learner with instrumental motivation may want to learn about the culture if it will aid in helping them complete a task in addition to mastering a certain level of proficiency in the target language.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to my online language learning experience, I think my lack of opportunity to learn and explore Italian culture has hindered my ability to acquire Italian. I lack the opportunity to practice with peers and native Italian speakers. I also lack authentic Italian cultural experiences and events to help reinforce my learning of Italian. Personally, I think I would be more successful in my SLA of Italian if I had more opportunities to engage in the Italian culture.
I think it is very important to have some understanding of the culture whose language you are learning. If you don’t have the most minimal understanding of the culture, it will be very hard to truly understand the language and integrate it into one’s being. I don’t believe that one could be an adoptive native speaker if they don’t understand the culture, but then again if one does not seek out the culture, maybe they don’t want to be an adoptive native speaker. Although students have the choice of learning and integrating themselves into the language’s culture or not, I think it is important for language teachers to offer some culture in the course.
ReplyDeleteIn my language learning experience I don’t feel that I am getting any exposure to the Catalan culture. I feel like I am just getting language with generic pictures attached. I assume that the Catalan culture is similar in ways to the Mexican/Hispanic/Latin culture, but I truly have no idea if this is true. I think that if I was more exposed to their culture, learning their language would become more personal. But then again I’m not seeking it out, I have no plan of becoming an adoptive native speaker of Catalan.
This feeling towards Catalan is in dark contrast to my feelings on French, which was taught to me by my teachers using culture. I sometimes watch French films (in French), look up websites about France, and even sing “La vie en rose” to myself when I’m feeling happy. Learning about French culture definitely made me fall in love with the language and learning the language made me fall in love with the culture.
This is Ilana -
ReplyDeleteI think culture is extremely important to learning a language. As our culture evolves and changes, so does our language. Language is a form of expression and cannot be separated from or completely understood without knowledge of the target culture.
I believe pragmatics is an area that is highly influenced by culture. When my parents first came to this country, if someone said how are you, my parents would give a long explanation about how their day has been going. They would often get awkward stares. They didn't know that in this culture, when someone asks how are you, you simply respond fine, thanks. There are also topics that are taboo or certain behaviors that are expected (looking at someone in the eye when you are speaking, how you speak to an elder, how you greet someone, etc.) that will immediately impact how your communication is perceived.
I am learning Spanish because I work predominantly with Spanish-speaking students and parents. My lessons don't provide any cultural constructs for me, but my interactions with the parents teach me about the culture. The parents are very open about what is going on with their child. For example, I'm told that my 5th grade child reads at a 2nd grade level, or my daughter keeps getting sent to the principal's office so if you need to be strict with her, I'm find with that. I personally really like the openness because it helps us help their kids. There are still many things that I don't know, so rather than possibly say the wrong thing, I frequently get someone to translate to the parents for me.
I think it is important to understand the target culture in learning a second/foreign language because it is impossible to learn a new language well without any knowledge about the targeted culture. For example, when I started learning English in middle school, we noticed an interesting language phenomenon—when people were surprised, they said, “Oh, my God!” and people referred to “God” a lot in English. It is impossible to understand this language phenomenon unless we know something about the western religion. Generally speaking, knowing the culture is a prerequisite to understand the connotations of words and other non-literal or habitual expressions in the target language. Learning a second language is learning a second culture.
ReplyDeleteDue to the limitations of on-line learning, I did not encounter many issues about learning the culture. There is not much content in the beginning-level Spanish lessons except some daily conversations. However, I remembered in one lesson, a speaker mentioned the “Mexican City”, and I wondered where this city was. Through an icon named “culture explanation”, I got a detailed explanation about the city’s history. It is very helpful to have such kind of culture explanations in those Spanish lessons.
Understanding the target culture is pertinent in the learning of a second language. Language is embedded in one’s culture. Therefore, learning a new language is also learning an entirely new culture. One must not only learn the words and phrases of a target language, but the discourse and pragmatics of that language. This understanding is essential when teaching a second or foreign language because sociocultural factors greatly affect how one learns. In addition, sociocultural factors greatly impact a students’ affective filter. As discussed previously, language ego plays a major role in acquisition; therefore, teachers must understand this struggle that may be present within students as they attempt to redefine who they are and acquire a new culture. As Brown explains culture is an “ingrained set of behaviors and modes of perception, [which] become highly important in the learning of a second language” (189). Since culture is who we are, it can affect our attitudes towards learning, the social distance we establish, and if we experience stereotypes. We see and understand the world through our cultural lens, which is why this understanding is essential in learning a second or foreign language.
ReplyDeleteIn regards of my own experience with live mocha, I feel the lack of knowledge about culture greatly inhibits my learning because nothing is contextualized. I am learning the language in isolation, not as it is imbedded in culture. I’ve heard that in order to show you truly understand a language, one must be able to understand jokes. This understanding only happens when one not only learns the language, but learns the discourse and pragmatic functions of that language. So I would argue that even though I may be becoming ‘book smart’ in my use of Portuguese, I will not be able to successfully participate in conversations and the culture. By embedding culture and language, students gain a deeper understanding of all aspects of language because they begin to understand the people who speak that language. Unfortunately, I am not getting this full experience. Teaching language without culture is like only having students celebrate Cinco De Mayo or eat the food of a particular culture; it is not a complete and rich experience. Since language and culture do not exist outside of each other, the learning must be embedded and connected.
I also believe it is important to understand the target culture of the language you are learning. You must understand the culture of where the language is from, it helps understand different aspects of the language. Culture makes language what it is. It is one thing to memorize and learn language from text and repetition, but it is quite another, and a lot more meaningful, when you learn about the target culture. If a learner is able to learn and understand the culture of the language they are learning, they will be able to communicate and know why the new language is structured the way it is. Understanding and embracing the culture of the language an individual is learning will most likely increase the learner’s motivation to acquire the language as a native speaker. I know when I was younger, I had many friends who were Greek but didn’t have the opportunity to learn the language. As time went on, they had the desire and motivation to learn the language. Because they understood the Greek culture it was empowering and gave the learners a better understanding of where the language they were learning came from.
ReplyDeleteAs far as my language experience for this class, the culture is the aspect that is missing. Although I do know some parts and am attracted to the South American culture (the reason I choose to study Portuguese), I have never truly studied or experienced Brazilian culture. Along with social interaction and using the language outside of the language lessons, understanding the culture target will increase the amount of language acquired.
Learning a foreign language entails more than learning the vocabulary, grammar and syntax. To learn to speak a foreign language facilitates exposure to another culture. When we have familiarity with a language, our capacity to understand the country’s culture is also enhanced. In the same vein, familiarity with the culture enhances our ability to achieve fluency in a second language. It works both ways. Brown cites several studies that indicate a relationship between cultural awareness and language learning. One study (Bateman, 2002) indicated that interactions with native speakers developed “more positive attitudes toward the target culture” (Brown, 2001, page 200). Another study (Choi, 2003) looked at how drama was used to increase awareness of the culture of the target language (Brown, page 200). There are many ways to access cultural experiences; it seems that the important thing is that they occur.
ReplyDeleteBrown also discusses the “optimal distance model, wherein a language learner has a “culturally based critical-period” in which to learn the cultural context of the target language. Cultural exposure provides motivation to master the language. Without this cultural context, there is a tendency to fossilize errors. “[The learner] may have acquired a sufficient number of functions of a second language without acquiring the correct forms” (Brown, page 199). This might partially account for the often stated, “I took ---- in high school, but I can’t speak it.” In my own high school language experience, I was lucky enough to have a teacher who steeped us in French culture through study of French art, literature, and history. I can attest to the way this exposure to French culture enhanced my language learning and my life-long love of the French language.
Elizabeth (continued)
ReplyDeleteIn my language learning experience on Live Mocha, this element is missing. I even find myself wishing that the pictures used in the language lessons were of Portugal! If I were in a classroom setting, some elements of Portuguese or Brazilian culture would most likely be incorporated in the classroom environment, if not in the lessons. Just as my facility in learning the language has been impeded by a lack of social contact with other learners and speakers, it has also been impeded by a lack of cultural context. I have found one of the most intriguing aspects of Portuguese to be the accent. Knowing more about Portuguese culture and history would help me to learn more about the accent and its origins. Because Portuguese has such a distinctive pronunciation, I think that some knowledge of the culture would help to put it in context and thereby support me in learning this aspect of the language. In order for an on-line learning experience such as Live Mocha to be truly effective, I need to seek out cultural experiences and resources on my own. I think that this would improve my ability to pick up the language.
Of course, it is very important to understand the culture in learning second language. It is crucial to touch on the definition of a culture provided by the book before addressing the various components of language-culture connection. Culture can have as many definitions as possible. In its simplest definition, a culture is a way of life. It is the context within which we exist, think, feel and relate to other. In other words, it governs our behavior in group, makes us sensitive to matter of status, and helps us to know what others expect of us. Moreover, our cultural milieu shaped our perception of other cultures. For instance, if we perceive other cultures just according to our own culture pattern, incorrect perception often results in stereotypes-an oversimplification. However, to highlight the interrelationship between a culture and a L2 and certain aspects of a culture, Brown addressed some important aspects that reflect this relationship.
ReplyDeleteStereotype
Brown defined stereotypes-an oversimplification as “assign group characteristics to individuals purely on the basis of their cultural membership.” To deal with such issue or misinterpretation, understanding differed aspects of the target culture of those of us is the key point. One example of stereotypes is that of Americans’ perception of Japanese as being unfriendly because of their cultural norms of respect and politeness.
Attitudes
In addition, stereotype may shape certain types of attitudes toward the culture or the language. A study concluded that the attitude learners have toward the members of the cultural group whose language they are learning has a titanic influence. If learners have a positive attitude toward the target culture, a desire to understand it will lead to learning.
Based upon my experiences in learning English as second/foreign language, my positive attitude, as an English-Arabic interpreter, towards the American culture and people has scaffolded me to enhance my English skills in support of the cultural norm.
Language is a mean that convoy and/or represent the aspects of a culture. So learning a language is a process of creating shared meanings between cultural parties that lead to creating new identity. Researchers call the creation of a new identity acculturation.
Culture shock
Most importantly, to discuss the language-culture connection more deeply, there are certain aspects involved in the process of learning new culture such as one’s worldview, value system, feeling, thinking and most importantly Culture shock. In summary, it refers to phenomena ranging from mild irritability to deep psychological panic and crisis. Researchers have identified four successive stages of cultural shock. In brief, they are as follow:
● Stage 1 is a period of excitement.
● Stage 2 more and more cultural difference may cause a feeling of intrusion and seeking
escape from a difficult situation.
● Stage 3 is cultural stress. Some problem of acculturation are solved while other
Problems continue from time. But general progress is made.
● Stage 4 represents near of full recovery. Self-confidence is developed.
In my case, I see my self in the third stage, but going toward the forth one.
In conclusion, the sociocultural factor plays an important role in learning English as second and foreign language and assists the development of learner of English as well as teachers.
Culture is our continent, our collective identity, according to Larson and Smalley 1972). It is the ideas, customs, skills, arts and tools that characterize a given group of people. The acquisition of a second language is also the acquisition of a second culture (Brown). This being said, it is apparent that culture is an integral part of the learning of a second or foreign language. When learning a foreign language and living in a foreign country at the same time, you would benefit greatly from immersing in the culture, learning the customs, and anticipating cultural misunderstandings. Everyone has there own cultural bound worldview. We need to let go of these oversimplified and often false concepts of another culture and respect and value the difference. By doing so second language learners are setting themselves up for a successful experience, for language is one of the most visible components of a culture. As a teacher, it is extremely essential for you to have an understanding of your students cultures and teach with intercultural competence.This will enable you to diffuse any stereotypes that may be demeaning to a particular culture. It also promotes a positive learning experience for the student. For example, living in Japan I learned a lot about the culture while I was there, this helped me build a better rapport with my students and helped me understand the different learning styles that exist between Japanese and American students. One such difference is the lack of outspoken quality. I found even when I was outside of the classroom. Japanese people were reluctant to respond in English, for fear that they didn't speak 'well' enough. If I needed help I would communicate with the little Japanese I knew as well as overcompensate with gestures. There was no fear of how I sounded or intimidation on my part, but my students said that most of the time they are reluctant to practice English outside of the classroom for that fear of not being quite fluent enough. So by understanding this, I was able to understand some of the patterns I picked up with my students in the classroom discussions.
ReplyDeleteWith my language learning experience I feel the slides on live mocha do give a bit of a glimpse into the culture of the language. However, its hard to gauge as its a short virtual lesson, with no interaction between anyone live. I honestly think my learning experience would be more productive if it were in a different setting. I will learn more going to Italy with little command of the language and pick it up as I go ,since I'll be completely immersed in the culture. With Portuguese, the only bit of real cultural learning opportunities I have is when communicating with former students.
I believe that it is important to understand the target culture when learning a foreign language, even though I do not feel like I have been able to do this during my experience learning Italian online. Brown claims, "The acquisition of a second language, except for specialized, instrumental acquisition...is also the acquisition of a second culture" (189). Language is a huge piece of culture, providing the means of communication for socialization. Unfortunately, as I use ItalianPod101.com, I do not feel like I am getting much more than the specific grammar and phrases, and the occasional tip about what is customary in Italy.
ReplyDeleteThe way we perceive a culture also impacts our attitudes in learning that culture's language. While Mark Twain had hilarious stereotypes of other cultures and other languages, making these over-generalizations about a culture can be detrimental when attempting to learn the language. Brown states that learners and teachers need "to recognize openly that people are not all the same beneath the skin" (192). Too often, we assume that all people of a certain culture will be a certain way based on our false impressions.
Also, related with this are attitudes. Based on our attitudes about a culture, we may be prone to making stereotypes about the language. For example, if we assume that Italians are all very affectionate and open, we may not expect them to have formal ways of speaking versus informal. On the bright side, being that I have a positive attitude toward Italian, I am more open to learning the language and excited to better understand the culture.
Finally, another factor that influenced language learning is social distance, specifically our perceptions of social distance. Social distance refers to the differences between cultures in terms of dominance, integration, cohesiveness, congruence, and permanence. I think that since I perceive Italian culture to be socially close to American culture, I have an easier time picking up this language than if I perceived the cultures as vastly different. This is one of the best possible situations, because I do not deem Italian to be subordinate to American culture in any way, and I believe that the cultures are fairly congruent.
As Brown suggests, language and culture are "intricately interwoven so that one can not separate the two without losing the significance of either language or culture" 189. In addition to my online language lessons, I practice and learn Spanish with the women that I work with. These women are all Spanish speakers, primarily Mexican, with a couple of Tri-Lingual Portuguese women. The women that I practice my Spanish skills with everyday are vital to my language development as well as to opening up a world of cultural understanding. Working intimately with these women, I have been introduced to many of the details of their culture, namely food, family, and social behavior. I notice similarities and contrasts to my own culture. Growing up in San Diego, Mexican culture has always been a part of my life. In addition to participating in the culture of the Mexican women that I work with, I also spent time integrating myself into Peruvian culture while I was there. I still speak with mi suegra on the phone and practice my more formal Spanish speaking skills with her. I think that the best way to understand a culture is to form bonds with the people in the culture. I am intrigued by comparing the two Spanish cultures which I find myself involved in. In regards to language, there are many differences within the language between Peruvian and Mexican Spanish. I particularly like recognizing these differences in that I find it gives me some insight into the peculiarities of each culture within a culture. Recognizing culture as a collective identity is important in learning any language, but I find it vital within the context of the very intimate and familial Latin culture. In addition to the real human experiences I have with the women I work with as well as Spanish speaking friends here and abroad, I watch movies and T.V. shows and listen to Spanish music. I find that by immersing myself in what I see as beautiful within the culture, I am able to deepen my appreciation for and investment in the culture, which motivates my learning considerably.
ReplyDeleteI believe it is extremely important to understand the target culture in learning a second language. Language cannot be understood without looking into culture. As Brown says, “a language is part of culture, and a culture is part of language.” The two are tied together tightly and cannot be separated without losing the significance of either language or culture. Culture is defined as the ideas, customs, skills, arts and tools that characterize a given group of people in a given period of time. This includes ones language. Like Brown says, “the acquisition of a second language comes with the acquisition of a second culture.” Learning the target culture is very important to completely understanding the target language. According to Bryam & Feng, “a number of recent research studies have shown the positive effects of incorporating cultural awareness in language classrooms.” Students are able to better understand the target language when they learn about the target culture. In fact, the most productive model of the combination of second language and second culture learning is found among students who learn a second language in a country where that language is spoken natively (Brown). Without knowledge of culture, there are certain pragmatics that cannot be understood. For example, during Sarina’s class last semester we were assigned a lesson plan project with a student who is learning English as a second language. My student spoke French and was studying at the ELA for the summer. My student found it very difficult to converse with native English speakers upon arriving in the United States as there were a number of pragmatics and non-literal sayings she was unfamiliar with. While in France, she was not exposed to these aspects of American language/culture. To fully understand English then, students must have knowledge of their target culture, or even better, learn their second language in a country where the language is spoken natively.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, livemocha.com does not come with much cultural insight. In fact, there is little to no interaction with native Spanish speakers. I believe my language learning would be more effective if I were learning a bit more about Spanish culture. On livemocha.com I have virtually no cultural insight accompanied with my language learning. This has definitely been an obstacle in my second language learning.
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ReplyDeleteI strongly believe that it is important to understand the target cultural when learning a second language. As Brown said in his book: a language is a part of a culture, and a culture is a part of a language; the acquisition of a second language, except for specialized, instrumental acquisition, is also the acquisition of a second culture (Brown, pg189). Culture is a way of life. It is the context within which we exist, think, feel and relate to others (Brown, pg188). Language is the tool we use to express our feelings and thoughts and to interact with others. One cannot learn a language well without knowing the culture of that language. For example, people in different countries have different way of greeting. In China we always ask people if they have their meal. In the USA, people say: “How are you?” for greeting. If the language learners do not learn the cultural but only translate the words and follow their own custom, they will make stupid mistakes. Since language is used for interactive communication, it is only fitting that one study the communicative functions of language. (Brown, pg34) Language learners should not only learn the form of the language but also knowing the language and using it for meaningful communication. It requires them to know the background of the language – the culture.
ReplyDeleteWhen I learn Japanese I try to get more information about the cultural of Japan, even though there is limited recourses on Livemocha. com. I tried to learn some Japanese songs, watch some Japanese TV series, and have some Japanese foods. In this way, I can feel that Japanese have a different life from both Chinese and American. Their grammar and complex honorific forms is coming from their cultural of politeness and modest. I also learn that there are not too many negative forms in their language, because in their cultural they believe it is not polite to say no to others, so their language is not as straight as English. I believe to know the cultural of a language one should make friends or at least talk with native speakers. I have a Japanese friend who is also a student in San Diego. I have hang out with her for a few times. And by talking with her and asking her questions about her life in Japan, I know better about Japanese culture and increased the interest in learning Japanese. I also believe if one really wants to learn a language and know their cultural, he or she should go to that country, feel their life and see how they communicate in that language in their every day life.
In my opinion, it is really important to understand the target culture in learning a second/foreign language. As Brown says, “Culture is a way of life. It is the context within which we exist, think, feel, and relate to others. It is the “glue” that binds a group of people together.”(Brown 2007, P188) When we are learning a language, we are learning the culture at the same time. For example, when I am learning English as my foreign, it is difficult for me to understand “treat or trick”. I need to know the culture background of this phrase, and then I can understand it easily. What I want to say is that, language and culture are indivisible. If you don’t have the most minimal understanding of the culture, it will be very hard to truly understand the language. Learning a second or foreign needs a motivation. I think sometimes the curious about the culture of the country is a good and effective motivation for people to learn the target language. When I was learning my second language, I was attracted by the culture of America. I think the USA is the melting pot of culture. The interesting of its culture motivates me to learn English well. As Brown says, “Second language learning, involves the acquisition of a second identity. This creation of a new identity is at the heart of culture learning, or what some might call acculturation.” Learning a second or foreign needs acculturation. How can you learn a language well, if you hate or disagree with its culture in deep heart?
ReplyDeleteIn my language learning experience, I found it’s useful to learn the culture. I try to listen English songs, reading English novels and watch TV shows in English. I found the more I know the culture of the society, the easier for me to learn English. It will let me immured in that culture and motivate my interesting to learn the language.
I think that learning about a target culture is very important when learning Italian. I feel as though ItalianPod101 has not allowed for this to happen properly. Brown states," a language is part of a culture and a culture is part of a language; the two are intricately interwoven so that one cannot separate the two without losing the significance of either language or culture" (189). In order to understand the language, I must not be excluded from the target culture.
ReplyDeleteStereotypes play a role in learning a second language and culture. Even though so many people stereotype, educators need to realize that it can have a negative effect when learning a second language. No one is the same and no one learns the same. We as teachers need to be cautious of the effects this could have in the classroom.
Attitude also plays a big role for me personally in learning culture. Brown states that attitudes, "form a part of ones perception of self, of others, and of the culture in which one is living" (193). I chose Italian because I thought, the more I learned about the language and the culture, the more my painting could improve. This is an example of how ItalianPodCast101 is difficult for me. Even though I have such a strong motivation to learn, and a very positive attitude, the program is not meeting my learning style.
I would say that the only thing that these lessons do for the target culture is that they help give situations that a L2 learner would most likely be in, if they were to go to Italy. This is good for me because I am able to picture the situation better in my head. I guess I see it as a foreshadow of things to come, which I do like. Overall, my lessons do not give me enough cultural feedback to properly construct this knowledge of culture. I believe that if ItalianPod101 were in a classroom setting I would find myself with better resources to further my cultural knowledge. If there was a way for the online lessons to maybe show videos or some sort of visual it would help me a lot more.
Understanding the target culture in learning a second language is of great importance. As we know from Brown, acculturation is a process that may directly influence learning a second language. Like Christina mentioned above, it is important to consider the difference that target culture plays in second/foreign language acquisition. In foreign language acquisition the target culture usually plays little or no importance. This was exactly how my Spanish courses operated in high school. But if there was culture integrated into the course maybe I would have been more motivated to learn at the time. We know that understanding culture while learning a second language is important. Acculturation can help a student to appreciate different aspects of a culture or not. If a student is in stage 2, they are going through culture shock and will have more hesitation and frustration while learning the language. But if a student is in stage 4 they have accepted the languages culture and are comfortable which can aid their acquisition further.
ReplyDeleteIn my own language learning experience I have done little to learn about Mexican culture. However, I have been relating my previous knowledge of Mexican culture into my learning. I have many Mexican-American friends and I travel to Mexico annually or biannually. I know that Mexican culture strongly values language learning and teachers as well as getting to know one on a personal level. Thus, I have practiced describing my family and my past jobs in Spanish extensively. When I go to Mexico in December, I want to be able to have a fluent conversation with my friend Jose. He always speaks in English with me, but I know he will feel more comfortable speaking in Spanish. I am very comfortable with Mexican culture, and I feel it has aided me during my studies. Because I have experienced the culture first hand, I find that relating to my past experiences to be immensely helpful. I also know that in Mexico they are less likely to use the formal tense of “usted” while in Spain they always use this tense. This is because the culture in Mexico is generally more casual and a teacher or adult can easily be called “amigo” or friend. While in Spain, attention to age is very important and if a speaker does not use the formal tense with a teacher or elder they may think the person is very rude. Understanding differences in culture helped me to identify and understand these differences in language dialects, but there are many more advantages to understanding a target culture.
I agree with Alecia’s quote on Brown on the importance of culture and how these two (language and culture) are linked to one another. Culture plays an important role in language learning in that by understanding culture students may be able to connect with the language and be motivated to further their students (such as the case mentioned above by Marie in Spanish).
ReplyDeleteCross-cultural understanding also can support and address common misunderstandings in the classroom both for students and teachers. Examples of this could be strategies incorporated in American classroom’s vs. Chinese classrooms and how learning styles and strategies may vary from culture to another. Another example can be activities to address certain topics in the culture like the use of graphic novels may be good for a western student, however for a Chinese student this can result frustrating and difficult (as capital letters may confuse them). Understanding these differences and adapting it to the classroom can generate positive results and in turn lower the affective filter in the classroom.
Finally, my own experience in livemocha is a perfect example of the importance of culture. I know nothing about Brazil (or very little at least). I have no prior knowledge about the country and culture that can link my knowledge to my learning and am not able immerse myself in the culture to further my learning. With this being said, if I were to continue this process of learning via live mocha I do not feel I would be able to handle a conversation outside of this setting or even continue my learning experience after this class is over. However, I would like to find other sources of learning that support my needs entirely as I love and am passionate about languages.
I believe it is important to understand the target culture when we learning a second language. That is because, by understand these culture, we will easily to understand why the target language is using by some certain way. Moreover, after knowing the culture, we may easy to talk with native speakers and practice our language. In addition, learning the culture will help us to build our second language ego, and pick us correct language to express ourselves clearly.
ReplyDeleteIn my language experience, I feel learning Japanese is easier than English. I believe that is because Japanese culture is close to Chinese culture. From constructivism, we should learning second language by communication. When I leaning Japanese greeting, I feel easy to understand why they communicate through that way. However I still remember it is take me a long time to be familiar with greeting by English – answer the question such as how are you? What’s up? Hence, I prefer to learning culture and language by comparison. For example, when I learn Japanese foods and festivals, I will compare them with Chinese.
Although culture is important to second language acquisition, I believe I needn’t to face these cultural problems in my Japanese learning now. Because of I think culture learning is a kind of deep, or I say, higher level language learning. We should first collect our vocabulary and basic structures before we build second language ego. So, in my opinion, for sure I agree with we will learn culture which is behind language, but we should acquire language first in order to understand target culture better.
I think it is important to learn about the culture of a language you are learning especially if you plan to travel to the country or become immersed in a community which follows the same cultural practices and values of the culture. It's important to understand the dynamics of social connections between classes and social roles. When I took Spanish in high school we learned about formal and informal parts of speech. The current Chinese lessons I am doing does not indicate which is formal and informal. I would enjoy a course to discuss the social/cultural nuances of languages. As for learning about the Chinese culture, I can ask my friends who are Chinese and I would also like to visit.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely yes! Language and culture are always come together, they go hand in hand. Brown said acquisition of a second language is also acquisition of a second culture. Language is a way to express one culture’s thinking and logical style. I remembered that my English teacher from middle school always taught us something about culture in western countries, such as why their first name comes first while Chinese family name comes first, which is very helpful for us to understand the language. If a person only knows the language, but have no idea about the culture, he or she will be in trouble when talking to native speakers, because he or she totally has no idea why they say something like that and don’t know what is the proper way to response. Learning target culture will also help students to eliminate their stereotype of the target culture. People can’t see others through their stereotype because it is not applied to anyone. Learning the target culture can help students to understand the general norms of that culture and how people behave in general, and may also help students to learn that everyone is different from each other. They will share some similarities of their culture, but also have their own personality. When students get chances to communicate with native speakers, it is important for them to know the culture and distinguish their personality.
ReplyDeleteFor my own experience of learning a foreign language, until now, I have no chance to get in touch with Spanish culture through livemocha, so that I really have no idea how can I communicate with people who speak Spanish properly. However, when I was learning, my teacher tried to bring something about culture to our class, which is very helpful for learning, because people are curious about new thoughts. One example is what I mentioned above about the names. Another culture is something different from our own, so that students were eager to hear what is the other world like and want to learn how they should behave if they have the chance to get to the other world. Because of the curiosity and crave for new, students were more eager to learn.