In Latin American and Asian Cultures

FACTORS THAT AFFECT LEARNING

Factors that Affect Learning

In Latin American and Asian Cultures

TESL Program Carson-Newman College

Fall 2010

FACTORS THAT AFFECT LEARNING

2

ABSTRACT

School systems in the United States tend to reflect traditional Anglo-Saxon values and are not culturally sensitive to the values and multiple factors that affect student learning. The purpose of this paper is to educate teachers about the cultural values and factors that affect the learning of Latin American and Asian students. Furthermore, the paper presents research that shows ways students from these cultures learn best and provides suggestions for teaching to preferred learning styles.

FACTORS THAT AFFECT LEARNING

3

FACTORS THAT AFFECT LEARNING IN LATIN AMERICAN AND ASIAN CULTURES

Minority children are placed disproportionately in special education programs with an overrepresentation of Asian students in gifted programs (Garguilo, 2009).

Latin American students and American students receive different lessons in the classroom by the same instruction because the expectations and the interactions between the students and teachers promote different school cultures. Studies show that Latino students receive academically less competitive classes than other students, especially in middle school and high school (Portales, 2005).

The United States encompasses a diverse population of people and immigrants

from all parts of the world. While our society claims to be culturally pluralistic, our

schools lack to reflect this ideal. From the facts and observations above, one observes

that our public school systems are not effectively serving culturally diverse students.

"Schools are shaped by cultural practices and values and reflects the norms of the

society for which they have been developed" (Hollins, 2008). American schools were

built on the Anglo-Saxon practices of Protestantism, capitalism, and republicanism. They

reflect the American values of democracy, freedom, equality, justice, human rights,

competition, and success. Competition and success are based on an individual's

achievement (Hollins, 2008). Since our schools are shaped by these practices and values,

the styles of teaching and learning reflect these values. However, are these teaching and

learning styles effective for enriching the education of students with opposing values

such as cooperation and collectivism?

"Teachers have no choice but to inquire into each student's unique culture and learning history, to determine what instructional materials might best be used, and to determine when a student's cultural and life experiences are compatible, or potentially incompatible, with instruction. To do less is to build emotional blocks

FACTORS THAT AFFECT LEARNING

4

to communication in an already complicated instructional situation." -Berliner, 1986, p. 29 (Hollins, 2008).

The purpose of this paper is to inform teachers in United States school systems about the cultural values and factors that affect the learning of Latin Americans and Asians. Additionally, literature research and the results of an independent study discuss popular learning styles that might identify with each culture and its values. Some suggestions for teaching to culturally popular learning styles are provided to assist teachers in catering lessons toward Latinos and/or Asians.

CULTURAL FACTORS THAT AFFECT LEARNING Before discussing cultural values as they relate to learning, one must be aware of some cultural factors that affect learning. Dr. Christine Bennett concluded that there are five cultural factors that might influence learning: (1) childhood socialization, (2) sociocultural tightness, (3) ecological adaptation, (4) biological effects, and (5) language (Irvine, 1995). Childhood socialization refers the common child-rearing practices of a culture. The ways in which the caretakers in a culture raise their children influences the children's developmental skills. For example, Bennett found that African Americans might have better motor proficiency skills because African American mothers tend to have more physical contact with the babies than Euro-American mothers. Sociocultural tightness is determined by whether a culture is a high-context or low-context culture. High-context cultures regard time in a polychronic format, which means schedules are based around people and events. People in these cultures gain

FACTORS THAT AFFECT LEARNING

5

knowledge using intuition and spiral logic. Low-context cultures see time as linear with tight schedules. Knowledge is believed to be gained through analytical reasoning.

The environments of particular cultures require the people to acquire skills or to adapt in order to survive. This describes ecological adaptation. The environment may include geography or social settings. Some environments lead to skills that are beneficial. For example, Native Americans may have better perceptual skills because they have been taught to recognize their families' herds from a distance and to interpret signs of dangerous weather and approaching predators. On the other hand, harmful environments, such as impoverished areas, create problems that can be learning deficits for children.

Biological effects like genetics, brain development, and physical development impact how an individual processes information. Some scientists believe that persons from different ethnicities or cultures have specific cognitive characteristics. Scientists Pasteur and Toldson believe that Whites are more likely to be left-brain dominant and African Americans are more right-brain dominant (Irvine, 1995). Although this can be seen as stereotyping race, biological factors such as a person's hereditable traits should be considered when perceiving a person's learning style.

Finally, a person's language influences how a person learns, especially with a second language. "Language reflects the worldviews, the thought processes, and the lifestyles of its people" (DeCapua, 2004). The values of the culture are expressed through language, whether it be communicated nonverbally or spoken in the words of the culture's primary language. Hence, one's native language shapes how a person thinks and perceives knowledge.

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download