The ESL Experience: Culture Shock and the ESL Student

CULTURE SHOCK!

Everyone has felt out of their element at some point in their life, whether it is going to spend some time in another country or to another part of your own country. Some of my students have come from a completely different culture and some have come meeting their parents for the first time! Middle school is hard enough! Some won't talk for awhile and seem depressed while others will be angry and refuse to follow the rules. Teachers ask things like "Is he normal?" "Why can't she follow the rules?" Yes, they are normal and sometimes they just don't understand the rules and social cues. I recently wrote a newsletter to my teachers about culture shock and the different stages some students may go through and what we as educators can do to help them with the transition.

Below is a picture of typical stages some students may go through after they arrive.

The Hostility stage is when they need our understanding the most. Keep in mind these stages may take a few months for a student that comes with a base of language, but when they are emergent students the whole process takes much longer.

What can we do?

1. Take some time to explain certain procedures

Here’s a list of some things that may need extra explanation to a newcomer:

Class rules                               Fire Drills                        Tests and quizzes – scantron may be very foreign
Morning and lunch rituals       Holidays                          Report Cards and grading systems
Assemblies                               Substitute teachers      School conduct – lockers, bathroom passes
Gym routines                           Hierarchy in schools       Schedules – ACE, BDF, 1^st semester, 1^st nine weeks

2. Assign them a buddy – have a responsible student be their guide

3. Celebrate small successes – Build their confidence! Give lots of encouragement and praise for the things they CAN do!

4. Empathize – have patience with the student and scaffold their assignments so they don’t feel overwhelmed at first.

5. Involve them– Give them small tasks like passing out papers or erasing the board to make them feel part of the group.

6. Careful questioning – Don’t put them on the spot and ask a difficult question in front of the whole class. Give them a question ahead of time so they will participate with confidence. Ask them to show you what they know – If you ask “Do you understand?” they will most likely say yes even if they do not understand.

HELPFUL LINKS THAT GIVE INSIGHT INTO CULTURES AND CULTURE SHOCK: