PROMOTING CROSS-CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASS BY USING MEVLANA’S STORIES
Abstract:More and more often, the term global village is used to describe the world. Technologically, the greatest contributor to the globalization is the information technologies such as satellites, computers and the internet. These forms of communication make people more aware of their neighbors around the world. Through television and internet, we are exposed to many cultures. Despite the increasing communication among people of different nationalities, people have been divided in opposing groups. Because of the growing polarization in the world we are desperately in need of peace and understanding across cultures. One obvious place to promote cross-cultural awareness and understanding is language classes.
In this study, the researchers explore ways and strategies of promoting cross-cultural understanding in a foreign language class. They also present how Mevlana’s stories from Mesnevi have been exploited in a language learning class to develop sensitivity to others’ point of view and to promote cross-cultural understanding.
Key words: Cross-cultural understanding, Teaching culture in a foreign language class, Mevlana’s stories.
Key words: Cross-cultural understanding, Teaching culture in a foreign language class, Mevlana’s stories.
We are living in a global world. People all around the world have become mobile and with the advent of information technology, many people of diverse nationalities communicate with each other easily. As a result, people from different cultures have formed an international mosaic that is beginning to fray at the edges because of miscommunication and cultural prejudices. Therefore, the need to have cross-cultural understanding and awareness has become more important than ever before. One obvious place to promote cross-cultural awareness and understanding is language classes. We, as language teachers, must prepare our students for this new world and help them develop a deeper understanding of other cultures besides their own.
It is an established fact that the culture is an inherent part of the language. Culture and language are inseparable and culture is taught implicitly in a foreign language classroom (Byram, Grundy, 2002, p:2; Corbett, John 2003 p: 33). Thus, in most EFL course books, we see parts and units allocated to teaching the culture of the target language (Wandell, 2002 p: 72; Corbett, 2003, p: 1, 22, 31). The approach adopted in these materials generally seems to suggest that studying the culture only involves transmission of information regarding the life and institutions of the target culture. This approach, however, has certain limitations since it does not mainly aim to furnish learners with skills to discover, interpret, and relate cultural knowledge. The current developments in the world require a shift in the learning goals from the memorization of cultural facts to learning how to learn about the culture.
This paper discuses how language teachers can make students aware that there are no such things as superior and inferior cultures and that there are differences among cultures just as there are differences among people from the same culture. It also provides classroom tasks that can help learners develop curiosity and tolerance for other cultures. Prior to classroom tasks, a brief overview of the relevant literature is provided.
Up to now, two main perspectives have influenced the teaching of culture in the field of English language teaching. One pertains to the transmission of factual and cultural information such as customs and habits of target language speakers. Learners are immersed in cultural readings, films/videotapes, recordings, realia (cultural artifacts) and personal anecdotes (Corbett, 2003 p: 194). All that learners are asked to do is to show a mastery of the information. The other perspective claims that language learners need to learn how to learn about other cultures rather than factual knowledge about a specific culture. In other words, equipping learners with skills and strategies that will enable them to discover cultural information is more beneficial for language learners than stuffing language learners’ heads with facts about a specific culture. Our study aspires to contribute to the second perspective by incorporating Mevlana’s concept of tolerance and by using his stories as teaching materials.
This perspective benefits from some tributary disciplines such as anthropology, sociolinguistics, cultural studies and media research (Corbett’, 2003 p:54). One of the most important of them is the discipline of ethnography, that is, the systematic observation and description of how a community behaves. Students are engaged in classroom tasks in which learners are supposed to behave like ethnographers. These learning tasks based on principles of ethnography aim to train learners to observe the culture of others with an objective point of view (Corbett, 2003, p35). Just like ethnographers, they try to suspend judgements and approach the cultural issues with curiosity. The learning tasks are shaped in a way that they promote curiosity, tolerance, sensitivity, and empathy in learners. The tasks are not aimed to transfer cultural facts but to provide learners with opportunities to learn how to learn culture of others and to enjoy learning other cultures while developing tolerance and interest (Wandel, 2002, p73 ).
At this point, a special mention of Mevlana’s tolerance is essential since his tolerance is appealing to many people regardless of their cultural background. In his philosophy, tolerance does not mean bearing differences for the sake of not having conflicts but accepting, embracing and enjoying these differences(Demirci, 2006, p:27). One of the main premises of this paper is that language teachers’ cultural teaching objectives do not include heightening students’ capacity to endure cultural differences and trying to develop an unresponsiveness in students to cultural differences but trying to promote genuine curiosity and tolerance towards other cultures (Johns,1992 p:197). Furthermore, the learners are encouraged to become the mediators between their own culture and the target one (Corbett, 2003, p31; Sercu, 2005, p:2).
Review of the related literature on teaching culture in a foreign language classroom (Bromley, 1998 p: 141; Corbett, 2003 p: 107) has revealed a number of activity types to raise such cultural awareness mentioned above. Before explaining them, it is convenient to note that they are aimed to give intercultural teachers a general idea what these activities are. We believe that they can serve as samples and language teachers can adjust them according to different situations, needs and purposes. Teachers can also create new ones based on the guiding principles of these sample activities. These activities can be listed as following: concept training, negative etiquette and critical incidents.
Concept training
Concept training
This activity can help learners develop strategies to observe people from other cultures in order to learn the cultural behavioural patterns in a specific situation (Corbett, 2003 p: 107). In a typical concept training class activity, the teacher sends the learners to a place where learners can observe people from other cultures. In countries where language is thought as a foreign language, students can be sent to a tourist attraction place such as a museum or a shopping area in which they can systematically observe the people from other cultures. Students are given some questions and they are expected to answer these questions related to cultural behaviour patterns of people from different cultures. After the observation, students write a report about their observations and compare what they have learned with their own cultural behaviours in a similar situation.
For example, in Konya, students can be canalised to a souvenir shop near the Mevlana Museum. The questions that students are expected to answer can be: Do tourists bargain with the shop assistants for a better price? Do the tourists touch the item or look at it from a distance? Do tourists behave in a formal way or in an informal way? What kinds of sale strategies help shop assistants to sell the product?
Negative etiquette
This activity aims to help students recognize and manage intercultural encounters with a bit of fun component in it (Corbett, 2003 p: 110). Etiquettes are “how to’s” of a given situation. In a negative etiquette activity, students are given some negative forms of etiquettes and in this initial stage students learn some facts related to a specific culture. In the next stage, students role play these situations. For example, students can simulate the following situations in pairs in the classroom.
1-Pretend to have never heard of Turkey, and have no knowledge about its location on the world map.
2- Pretend to have never heard of Ataturk.
3- Say it would be better if Turkey had one football team instead of many.
4- Tell that Raki is a traditional Greek drink.
2- Pretend to have never heard of Ataturk.
3- Say it would be better if Turkey had one football team instead of many.
4- Tell that Raki is a traditional Greek drink.
In this activity, based on the given situations one student acts the role of a foreigner telling annoying things about Turkish culture. The other student acts the role of a Turkish student who has found himself in a situation where a foreigner tells negative things about Turkish culture and this student needs to deal with the foreigner peacefully. After students have acted out their role plays, a class discussion is held and students identify the successful and unsuccessful strategies used by their peers during the role plays. Through engaging students in simulated problematic intercultural encounters, teachers can prepare students to manage similar difficult situations strategically in the real world.
Critical incidents:
In a critical incidents activity, the teacher presents learners realistic situations where communication problems occur as a result of different cultural communication patterns (Corbett, 2003 p: 111). Learners are encouraged to identify why the problem has arisen, to discuss the problem, and to find a peaceful solution.
The critical incidents the teacher brings into the class should involve the following features: “(1) a conflict about values, goals or meaning arises; (2) the solution to the conflict is not apparent or it is controversial; (3) the cultural context of the conflict is clearly and concisely presented.” (Corbett, 2003 p: 111) The critical incidents can be fabricated based on personal experiences or they can be found in literary texts. When the features provided by Corbett are taken into consideration, Mevlana’s Mesnevi, among others, seems to be a rich source of critical incidents that can be used in a language classroom as cultural learning materials.
Another reason as to why Mesnevi is a pertinent source of critical incidents is that Mevlana’s works mainly focus on tolerance and understanding. In Mesnevi there are many fables, stories including scenes from everyday life. These stories are seemingly simple but they have deeper meanings (Demirci, 2006, p: 149). They are written to persuade the reader to abandon their egos in order to find the truth and true love towards all the created without discrimination against beliefs, races, classes and nations (Demirci, 2006, p 27; Ahmed, Nazeer 2000 p 58). As we mentioned earlier tolerance and understanding towards other cultures are the main objectives of recent cultural teaching approaches in the field of foreign language teaching.
In the remaining part of the study we present steps of a lesson plan based on Mevlana’s story “The Elephant in the dark”. The story is as follows:
In the remaining part of the study we present steps of a lesson plan based on Mevlana’s story “The Elephant in the dark”. The story is as follows:
Some Hindus had brought an elephant for exhibition and placed it in a dark house. Crowds of people were going into that dark place to see the beast. Finding that ocular inspection was impossible, each visitor felt it with his palm in the darkness.
The palm of one fell on the trunk.
‘This creature is like a water-spout,’ he said.
The hand of another lighted on the elephant’s ear. To him the beast was evidently like a fan.
Another rubbed against its leg.
‘I found the elephant’s shape is like a pillar,’ he said.
Another laid his hand on its back.
‘Certainly this elephant was like a throne,’ he said.
The sensual eye is just like the palm of the hand. The palm has not the means of covering the whole of the beast. (Arberry 2007)
The palm of one fell on the trunk.
‘This creature is like a water-spout,’ he said.
The hand of another lighted on the elephant’s ear. To him the beast was evidently like a fan.
Another rubbed against its leg.
‘I found the elephant’s shape is like a pillar,’ he said.
Another laid his hand on its back.
‘Certainly this elephant was like a throne,’ he said.
The sensual eye is just like the palm of the hand. The palm has not the means of covering the whole of the beast. (Arberry 2007)
This story illustrates how different people can have distinctly different perceptions of the same thing. Students will readily see the faulty thinking behind the men's arguments, but they might need some help understanding that even when presented with a real elephant, each man could "see" only what he already believed to be true. In the lesson plan provided below, the story is used to encourage students to develop cultural awareness—awareness that each of us creates a unique view of the world based on personal experience, language, and culture.
Objectives of the lesson:
Students will develop sensitivity to others' points of views.Students will understand the importance of having as much information as possible before coming to conclusions.
Students will develop sensitivity to others' points of views.Students will understand the importance of having as much information as possible before coming to conclusions.
Procedures
Before presenting the story, teacher asks students to name some of Mevlana’s works and encourages them to talk about Mevlana’s philosophy. After that, teacher gets students to read the story and answer the following question: What does Mevlana want us to learn from this tale?
After students have read the story, teacher uses the following questions to guide discussion of how differences in perspective can make it difficult for people to communicate. Students should be encouraged to apply the moral of the story to real-life situations.
1-How does it feel when another person doesn't "see" something the same way you do?
2-What happens in the story when each man "sees" the elephant? Why were there four different ideas about the elephant? Were any of the men right about the elephant? Were any of them completely wrong?
3-Do problems like this happen in real life? Think of times when arguments or misunderstandings have occurred because people saw situations from different points of view. Describe what happened.
4- What if the men in this story could see the elephant completely in the daylight? Would they still have different ideas about elephants?
5- Does the story give you any ideas about how these problems can be solved? What are some steps you can take to understand why another person doesn't see things the way you do?
1-How does it feel when another person doesn't "see" something the same way you do?
2-What happens in the story when each man "sees" the elephant? Why were there four different ideas about the elephant? Were any of the men right about the elephant? Were any of them completely wrong?
3-Do problems like this happen in real life? Think of times when arguments or misunderstandings have occurred because people saw situations from different points of view. Describe what happened.
4- What if the men in this story could see the elephant completely in the daylight? Would they still have different ideas about elephants?
5- Does the story give you any ideas about how these problems can be solved? What are some steps you can take to understand why another person doesn't see things the way you do?
Variations and extensions
1-Ask students to write an extension of the story that includes the conversation the four men might have had as they were going home.
2-Have students write original stories that illustrate the importance of perspective-awareness.
3-Ask students to write and perform a dialogue based on the story.
4-Encourage students to talk about misunderstandings they experience or observe that seem to be the result of clashes between points of view.
5- Work with students to role-play behavior that resolves the misunderstanding.
1-Ask students to write an extension of the story that includes the conversation the four men might have had as they were going home.
2-Have students write original stories that illustrate the importance of perspective-awareness.
3-Ask students to write and perform a dialogue based on the story.
4-Encourage students to talk about misunderstandings they experience or observe that seem to be the result of clashes between points of view.
5- Work with students to role-play behavior that resolves the misunderstanding.
The lesson plan and the activity types presented above reflect the principles of an approach where teaching culture is not only considered transmission of factual cultural facts. In this approach, students have a chance to learn how to learn another culture and develop understanding besides having a chance to learn factual information about another culture.
References:
AHMED, N. (2000) Islam in global history: from the death of prophet Muhammed to the first World War. Concord, CA, American Institute of Islamic History and Culture.
ARBERRY, A.J., tr. (2007) Tales from Masnavi, retrieved from http://www.khamush.com/tales_from_masnavi.htm#The%20Elephant
BROMLEY, C.M. (1998) Seeing through Language: Preparing Second or Foreign Language Learners to Explore Culture in Finkelstein, Barbara (Editor). Hidden Messages: Instructional Materials for Investigating Culture. Yarmouth, ME, USA: Intercultural Press, Incorporated, p:137-178
BYRAM, MICHAEL & GRUNDY PETER (2002) Context and Culture in Language Teaching and Learning in Byram, Michael(Editor). Languages for Intercultural Communication and Education, 6 : Context and Culture in Language Teaching and Learning.
Clevedon, GBR: Multilingual Matters Limited, p: 1-3
CORBETT, JOHN (2003) Languages for Intercultural Communication and Education, 7 : Intercultural Approach to English Language Teaching. Clevedon, GBR: Multilingual Matters Limited
DEMIRCI, MEHMET (2006) Mevlana’dan Düşünceler, Konya, Bahçıvanlar Basım San.
JOHNS, A. M. (1992) Towards developing a cultural repertoire: A case study of a Lao
college freshman in D. E. Murray (ed.) Diversity as Resource Alexandria. (pp. 183– 201).
SERCU, LIES (2005) Foreign Language Teachers and Intercultural Competence : An International Investigation. Clevedon, GBR: Multilingual Matters Limited.
WANDEL, REINHOLD (2002) Teaching India in the EFL-Classroom: A Cultural or an Intercultural Approach? in Byram, Michael (Editor). Languages for Intercultural Communication and Education, 6 : Context and Culture in Language Teaching and Learning.
Clevedon, GBR: Multilingual Matters Limited, p:72-80
References:
AHMED, N. (2000) Islam in global history: from the death of prophet Muhammed to the first World War. Concord, CA, American Institute of Islamic History and Culture.
ARBERRY, A.J., tr. (2007) Tales from Masnavi, retrieved from http://www.khamush.com/tales_from_masnavi.htm#The%20Elephant
BROMLEY, C.M. (1998) Seeing through Language: Preparing Second or Foreign Language Learners to Explore Culture in Finkelstein, Barbara (Editor). Hidden Messages: Instructional Materials for Investigating Culture. Yarmouth, ME, USA: Intercultural Press, Incorporated, p:137-178
BYRAM, MICHAEL & GRUNDY PETER (2002) Context and Culture in Language Teaching and Learning in Byram, Michael(Editor). Languages for Intercultural Communication and Education, 6 : Context and Culture in Language Teaching and Learning.
Clevedon, GBR: Multilingual Matters Limited, p: 1-3
CORBETT, JOHN (2003) Languages for Intercultural Communication and Education, 7 : Intercultural Approach to English Language Teaching. Clevedon, GBR: Multilingual Matters Limited
DEMIRCI, MEHMET (2006) Mevlana’dan Düşünceler, Konya, Bahçıvanlar Basım San.
JOHNS, A. M. (1992) Towards developing a cultural repertoire: A case study of a Lao
college freshman in D. E. Murray (ed.) Diversity as Resource Alexandria. (pp. 183– 201).
SERCU, LIES (2005) Foreign Language Teachers and Intercultural Competence : An International Investigation. Clevedon, GBR: Multilingual Matters Limited.
WANDEL, REINHOLD (2002) Teaching India in the EFL-Classroom: A Cultural or an Intercultural Approach? in Byram, Michael (Editor). Languages for Intercultural Communication and Education, 6 : Context and Culture in Language Teaching and Learning.
Clevedon, GBR: Multilingual Matters Limited, p:72-80
