Re the Whorfian hypothesis: Are there concepts or ways of saying things in one of the languages that you speak that can not be said or expressed or the meaning changes in another of your languages?How do you address culture in your classrooms? Do you go beyond the "holiday" model of culture?
Yes, there are words as well as expressions in spanish that can not be said in the English language. For example, we have spanish sayings or phases that can not be said in English. The meaning is different, once it is translated.
I address culture in a variety of ways in my classroom. First, I validate my students' native language. When we learn about a particular holiday, I ask my students to bring in pictures they would like to share with the class. We discuss and I use graphic organizers to compare and contrast. My classroom library has Spanish and English books. I use technology to enrich culture.
3 comments:
I agree with your post! I definitely think that validating the home culture of students is really important. Since I teach high school, I always have students that are celebrating their quinceaneras. The girls bring in their photo albums and I make a big deal about their beautiful dresses, the family photos, etc. I've learned from them about the tradition of the "muneca" dance which is something I hadn't heard of before. It's nice to see the photos, but more important is the message that I want to send to them that they are valuable to me and so is their home culture. I want them to know that my class is a place where they can be comfortable being who they are and not hiding their cultural identity.
I like the activities you implement with you students, about sharing pictures from their holidays in their culture. As a teachers we need to validate what they bring from home to the classroom, so they can feel accepted and part of a new diverse culture.
Juanita A.
Hey guys, look at my blog for an invitation. Erika
Post a Comment