The image shows the impact of culture on a student’s learning. It shows a classroom in an international school. One student is most of time silent. She looks inactive in the class. Just because a student does not respond to questions, does not mean she does not know the answer. Her silence may be interpreted as noncompliant, non-attentive or disrespectful.
Masculinity vs. Femininity: Some students try to make themselves visible but one student is most of time silent.
Individualism vs. Collectivism: Some students speak up in response to general invitation by the teacher except this one who only speaks up when called on by the teacher.
Teacher should learn to embrace students’ cultural characteristics to help them overcoming their isolation, rejection and anxiety feelings. They should become flexible to alter teaching practices in their classrooms. In a multicultural classroom, a teaching approach that develops group oriented classrooms rather than focus on individual students could be more successful.
Geert Hofstede has developed a cultural dimensions theory. His model explaining national cultural differences and their consequences on societies. Click here to learn more about his model and its impact on countries education systems.
My journey to be a vocational teacher 