8/6/2019 Copy of Ten Tips for Teachers of English

1/2

Ten Tips for Teachers of English as a ForeignLanguage

By Jann HuizengaHere are some tips to help you avoid classroom culture clash in those heady firstmonths of teaching abroad:1. Dress right. Jeans, sneakers, and just-out-of-bed hair may be okay forteachers in the U.S., but in many parts of the world, a neat appearance countsfar more than credentials. In Korea dark clothes lend an air of authority. Red is tobe avoided at all costs. In Morocco female teachers dont wear pants, sleevelessblouses, or short skirts.2. Behave appropriately. When Judith Johnson asked 250 students at the

Sichuan Institute of Foreign Languages in China what they liked and dislikedabout native speaker English teachers, the students main gripe was theinformality of foreign teachers, who often seem to undermine their own authorityby acting in undignified ways. In the U.S. teachers go on a first-name basis withstudents, sit on their desks, sip coffee, and even bounce off the walls withoutcausing student discomfort or losing prestige. But these behaviors dont exportwell.3. Dont worry if students seem unresponsive at first. Americans are used toparticipatory classrooms with plenty of teacher-student dialogue. Elsewhere,students are often trained to be silent, good listeners, and memorizers. In my

classes in Poland, the Balkans, and Mongolia, students wore impassiveclassroom masks the first few weeks of class. Its disconcerting to stand in frontof a sea of blank faces, but expecting it reduces the shock. Introduce newconcepts, such as discussion and role-play gradually. Youll be surprised at howstudents will come to embrace the change.4. Choose topics carefully. In the 1980s in totalitarian Yugoslavia I made the

mistake of asking students to debate the pros and cons of capital punishment. Apainful silence fell over the room. What discussion was possible, someonepointed out to me later, when the governments position was clear? There are stillmany countries in the world where people are hesitant to voice opinions because

of a fear of reprisal. If youre conducting a classroom debate, remember thattheres a distaste for Western-style argumentation in Middle-Eastern societies,and in Japan its offensive for an individual to urge others to accept his opinion.Certain topics may be taboo for cultural reasons: Most Americans dont want todiscuss their salaries or religious beliefs; Japanese may be disinclined to talkabout their inner feelings; the French think questions about their family life arerude.

8/6/2019 Copy of Ten Tips for Teachers of English

2/2

5. Dont ask, Do you understand? In China and Japan, students will nod yes,even if theyre totally lost, in an attempt to save face for the teacher. Even in acountry as far west as Turkey, yes often means no.Nor should you expect students to ask questions in class if they dont understand

something. A former student of mine told me: In China, a student who asksquestions is considered a pain in the neck. Check understanding by askingstudents to paraphrase or write questions they have in groups.

6. Avoid singling students out. Our society fosters a competitive individualism

which is clearly manifested in our classrooms. American students are not shyabout displaying their knowledge. In classrooms outside the U.S., however,showing solidarity with classmates and conforming to the status quo is oftenmore important than looking good for the teacher. In Turkey and Montenegrostudents told me they disliked volunteering answers too often because it madethem look like show-offs and attracted the evil eye of envy. This holds true in

Japan and China, too, where proverbs express the cultural idea in a nutshell:The clever hawk hides its claws and The nail that stands up must be poundeddown.If you want to play a game, make the competition among groups rather thanamong individuals. If you need to discipline a student, do so in private.

7. Be aware of cross-cultural communication styles. French studentsappreciate wit. Venezuelan students like boisterous rapid-fire exchanges. InJapan, where debate is not as valued as in the U.S., students appreciate longpauses in discussions and silent think time after you ask a question. Hollow

drums make the most noise goes a Japanese proverb, and Japanese studentsare uncomfortable blurting out the first thing that comes to mind. Americanteachers, who are uncomfortable with silence, tend to anticipate the studentswords or repeat their original questionboth irritating interruptions for theJapanese student.8. Present a rationale for what you do in class. Your pedagogy is going to bevery different from what students are used to. Theyll conform much more eagerlyto new classroom content and procedures if they understand the benefits.9. Expect the best of your students. Theyll be serious about learning Englishbecause their economic advancement often depends upon mastering it.

10. Relax and enjoy yourself. Happiness in the classroom is contagious.