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THE LANGUAGE OF PEACE: WHAT IT MEANS FOR TEACHING ESL AND ESOL
Rebecca L. Oxford, ESOL Educators’ Conference,
Birmingham, Alabama, October, 2014
We are ESL/ESOL teachersTherefore, we are . . .
PEACEMAKERS
We are ESL/ESOL teachers
Therefore, we speak and teach . . .
THE LANGUAGE OF PEACE
We are ESL/ESOL teachers Therefore, we help create . . .
CULTURES OF PEACE
What is peace?
According to Martin Luther King, Jr. (2001), peace is harmony attained by working productively with conflicting perspectives.
Similarly, for Harris (2006b) peace implies a continuing, active struggle to manage conflicts in nondestructive ways.
What is peace?
PEACE IS NOT MERELY MYSTICAL. I do not want the peace which passeth
understanding, I want the understanding which bringeth peace.
Helen Keller
PEACE IS PRINCIPLED. Conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity
and discipline. . . until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
What is peace?
PEACE IS A GOAL AND A MEANS. Peace is not merely a distant goal that we
seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.
Martin Luther King, Jr. PEACE ENTAILS SOLIDARITY. True peace entails humans’ inner solidarity
with each other as a species bonded by love. All human beings must be seen as family members living together on the Earth.
Jing Lin
Peace within the person (inner peace)
Peace with other people whom one personally knows (interpersonal peace)
Peace between or among groups (intergroup peace)
Peace between or among states
Peace with the environment
Peace is multidimensional
Inner peace, interpersonal peace, intergroup peace, international peace, intercultural peace, ecological peace
What is the language of peace? The language of peace is a set of tools
for understanding peace fully and working for peace.
It is any form of communication – verbal or nonverbal – that describes, reflects, expresses, or actively expands peace.
The language of peace offers us the vocabulary for conversing about peace, but it also has transformative qualities.
What does the language of peace do?
Using peace language enables us to change our attitudes, enhance inner harmony, improve relationships, deal more effectively with conflict, defuse potential or actual violence in
education and society, foster social justice and human rights, and reverse human destruction of the
environment.
Activities: Fostering inner peace and interpersonal peace with SMILES
SMILES (Adapted from Carrie Drake, Intermountain TESOL) – 6 scientifically based happiness habits. Introduce 1 happiness habit to students 1x week. Give students practice. Later, have students choose which habits to continue. Ask them to keep a weekly log. S = Share gratitude 3 x day M = Meditation moment – 5 min. – prefrontal cortex
becomes bigger I = Intentional acts of kindness 5 x day L = Look back for 2 min. Write a note or draw a picture
about a positive incident. E = Exercise – 15 min. per day (while practicing
vocabulary, perhaps). S = Social spending – Spend a little money or time on
someone else.
Activities: Fostering inner peace and interpersonal peace with poems
Ask students to write and illustrate a poem about any of the following: feelings about being in the U.S. or in this class feelings about parents, families, homes, or cultures
The poem can be only a few words if that is all the student can write. It can be as long as a page.
Help students publish a class or school poetry and picture collection.
This comes from some of the work that Dr. John Green and I did with ESL students.
Love is the reality, and poetry is the drum that calls us to that. Rumi
Activities: Fostering inner peace and interpersonal peace with journaling
Write in your journal what love means to you. (Dr. Yingji Wang, Intensive English Communication Program, Penn State; Ch. 6, Understanding Peace Cultures. )
If we have time today, I will read what one student did in response to Dr. Wang’s invitation. (p. 98)
Knowledge for fostering intergroup, international, and intercultural peace
Understanding cultures: What is the main difference between these two?What percentage of the world’s cultures fall into each category?
Collectivist vs. Individualist
Triandis (1995) estimated that 70% of the world’s cultures are collectivist, and the other 30% are individualist.
For details, see next slides and Ch. 10, Language of Peace.
Strongly or Somewhat Collectivist
(in relation to the world mean of 43) Guatemala 6; Ecuador 8; Panama 11; Venezuela 12;
Colombia 13; Indonesia and Pakistan 14 (tie); Costa Rica 15; Peru and Trinidad 16 (tie); Taiwan 17; South Korea 18; El Salvador 19; Bangladesh, China, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and West Africa 20 (tied); Chile 23; Hong Kong 25; Malaysia 26; East Africa and Portugal 27 (tie); Bulgaria, Mexico, and Romania 30 (tie); Philippines 32; Greece 35; Arab World and Brazil 38 (tie); Jamaica and Russia 39 (tie)
Hofstede, 2009
Strongly or Somewhat Individualist
(in relation to the world mean of 43) United States 91; Australia 90; United
Kingdom 89; Canada, Hungary, and the Netherlands 80 (tie); New Zealand 79; Italy 76; Belgium 75; and Denmark 74; France and Sweden 71 (tie); Ireland 70; Norway 69; Switzerland 68; Germany 67; South Africa 65; Finland 63; Estonia, Luxembourg, and Poland 60 (tie); Malta 59; Czech Republic 58; Austria 55; Israel 54; Spain 51
Hofstede, 2009
Collectivist Cultural Values
Collectivist cultures focus on the person as part of a social group. Collectivist cultures are comprised of strong,
tight in-groups, such as extended families, in which people participate from birth.
These in-groups closely nurture, protect, and guide their participants, while in return expecting long-term loyalty from the participants.
Filial piety, respect toward elders, interdependence
Collectivist Cultural Values
If a given individual seems to garner too much attention based on excellent performance or other individual factors, social forces must restrain him or her (“the nail that stands up must be hammered down”)
Credit or blame for a project is attributed to the group, rather than the individual If one member of a team instead of the
whole team receives an honor, this situation can be humiliating or upsetting to the rest of the team
Formality and ritual Fatalism Priority on personal relationships Eloquence and indirectness
21
Collectivist Cultural Values
Self in Collectivist Cultures
SelfX X X
X X XX XX
MotherX
X X
X X
FatherX
X
Sibling
XX
Co-worker
X XXFriend
XX
Friend
X XX
Interdependent Self-Construal in Collectivist CulturesSource: Adapted by Rebecca L. Oxford from Markus and Kitayama
(1991)
SelfX X X
X X XX XX
MotherX
X XX X
FriendX X
X
FatherXX
FriendX
X
Co-worker
X XX
SiblingX
X
Independent Construal of Self =Image of Self as Independent of Others
Self in Individualist Cultures
Independent Self-Construal in Individualist CulturesSource: Adapted by Rebecca L. Oxford from Markus and Kitayama
(1991)
Individualist Cultural Values
Individualist cultures center on the person as a separate, unique individual. Individualist cultures focus on the individual person rather than the group.
In individualist cultures, comparatively loose ties connect individuals, who are expected to take care of themselves and their immediate families.
Credit or blame goes to the individual.
Individualist Cultural Values
The individual is special Personal rights and needs, such as privacy Self-reliance, autonomy, and personal
responsibility High competition, less cooperation Can-do attitude, anything is possible!
Relationships Many interpersonal connections of short duration Loose, wide networks among people, unlike the
long-term, cohesive relationships found in collectivist cultures.
Time is money; spend it wisely.
CULTURAL VALUE CLASH!
What happens in your classroom when people from collectivist and individualist cultures have to work together? (It happens every day!) How do their values clash?
As the teacher, how could you help them overcome such a clash?
High-context communication is largely indirect, with much of the message unsaid and with many meanings and values implicitly shared by others in that culture – but not by outsiders.
The message is in the body language (facial expression, posture, gestures), the setting, the tone of voice, status, and traditions – not the words.
High-Context Communication (Collectivist Cultures)
Typical high-context communication: Eloquent phrases and politeness rituals are expected Lots of time given for introductory relationship-building,
while simultaneously assessing the social characteristics of the other party.
Decisions focus on face-to-face relationships, often around a central authority figure
Collaborative solutions to problems, not focused on the individual
Many details left out (only implied or metaphorically stated)
Disagreement often not stated openly High-context communication seems devious and
time-wasting to low-context communicators.
High-Context Communication (Collectivist Cultures)
Low-Context Communication (Individualist Cultures)
In low-context communication, most of the information is in the explicit code, i.e., is openly expressed No need for many contextual cues from
tradition, the physical environment, nonverbal behavior, social status, or family background (Hall, 1976).
Decisions are largely made on the basis of facts rather than feelings
Discussions are expected to lead to action
Low-Context Communication (Individualist Cultures)
Key information is “out on the table” Facts rather than feelings Logical presentation, yes-no thinking No patience for extraneous eloquence, lengthy formalities,
or circular arguments! Belief that communication should be concise, clear, direct,
brief, orderly (Grice’s principle) Often found in legalistic cultures, where knowledge is
transferable, external, codified, public, and accessible (e.g., U.S., U.K.)
Based on the idea that truth is rational Low-context communication seems rude,
domineering, aggressive, and unrefined to high-context communicators
CULTURAL COMMUNICATION CLASH!
Assume that you are in a group (classroom) in which there are high-context and low-context communicators.
What are the major conflicts that might occur?
How could you help resolve these conflicts?
Cultural views of face
One of the most frequent and significant obstacles to positive cross-cultural relations is losing face or causing others to lose face. It is our job to help students understand face differences and maintain face for each other.
What is face? Your self-image based on what others think of
you (and vice versa: their self-image depending on what you think of them) Credibility, honor, or positive image in the eyes of
others Respectability and/or deference a person or country
can claim from others In a word, face = HONOR The opposite of face is HUMILIATION or SHAME How can you help all your students maintain
face?
34
Face
Face in collectivist, high-context cultures (Africa, Far East, Middle East, Latin America): Losing face shame Maintaining face or honor is a key to life Many ways to lose face (next slide)
Face in individualist, low-context cultures (U.S., U.K., Australia): Face is less personally important than in
collectivist, high-context cultures In individualist cultures, you can lose face
through doing something that makes you feel guilty
Restorative self-face strategies: joking, excuses, humor, aggression, justification
LOSS OF FACE IN A GAME SITUATION
35
Face
Doing anything that harms the group mission or group solidarity
Not following relevant gender-related customs Using gestures that are offensive Dressing unacceptably Losing temper in public Not using the appropriate greetings (words,
handshake style, etc.) Not learning customs for gifts or hospitality Constantly rejecting dinner invitations Not showing gratitude for hospitality Saying negative things about people Being overly direct Asking too many personal questions Giving brutally honest feedback Making fun of men holding hands in certain
collectivist cultures
36
Face-Threatening Actions in Collectivist Cultures
37
Help students use cognitive empathy across groups, nations, and cultures.
Cognitive empathy is an interpretation in which you intentionally try to see a
situation, action, or person through the eyes of someone else. How can you
teach students to see through someone else’s eyes?
Activity: Fostering intergroup, international, and intercultural peace with cognitive empathy
Help your students become informal “anthropologists” (or “detectives”)They need your help to do the following: Find a trustworthy informant from the other
group, nation, or culture Ask themselves, “What do I need to
understand?” Ask questions about the other group, nation,
or culture Ask to hear stories Take notes in a notebook or on an IPad
38
Activity: Fostering intergroup, international, and intercultural peace by being anthropologists/detectives
Ask students to go beyond first impressions/prejudgments by
reframing Reframing helps avoid getting stuck with quick, inaccurate conclusions Reframing helps alter stereotypes
We all have stereotypes (Lewis, 1999), but we do not have to keep them forever
Reframe the picture with new information How can you teach reframing?
39
Activity: Fostering intergroup, international, and intercultural peace through reframing
Fostering intergroup, international, and intercultural peace by dispelling stereotypes
What we as teachers need to remember:
A stereotype is the mental generalization, usually negative, by which we define members of a group.
Negative stereotypes are different from tentative generalizations in the following ways: they depict each member of the target group as identical, they are not changeable based on contradictory evidence, and they have continuing emotional power (Augsburger, 2004).
Stereotypes use negative metaphors and symbols, unattributed cultural myths, and gossip, passed along in personal conversation, speeches, writing, or the media. Prejudice and stereotypes lead to fearing the “other.”
Activity: Dispelling stereotypes
STEP 1. Students generate 8-10 examples of stereotypes (negative generalizations, bad ideas) they have of other countries, of older or younger people, of poorer people, and of people with different skin color or religion.
STEP 2. They then brainstorm more realistic and more loving depictions to substitute for each of the 8-10 examples. BAD, UNKIND IDEAS GOOD, KIND IDEAS
Americans are all rich and lazy.
Activity: Learning from cultural hospitality traditions
STEP 1. Students discuss (or draw pictures of) hospitality traditions in the their home cultures. Examples: In Afghanistan, the tradition is: “Honor the
guest. Even though he be an infidel, open the door.” In Afghanistan, if you are invited to tea or a meal, you now have a relationship and a duty to be faithful and honest.
In the Indian/Pakistani Punjab, a guest is “a representative of God.” Hospitality is open to all, even invaders.
What are the hospitality traditions in Mexico, in Korea, or in all the other places where are students come from?
Activity: Learning from cultural hospitality traditions
STEP 2. Students make a list (or draw pictures of) of the key aspects of hospitality they have received in their culture or in the U.S. (e.g., kindness, love, sharing food and gifts . . . ).
Related to Ch. 9, Language of Peace
Activity: Sharing personal and cultural experiences through an ESL newspaper
Personal stories of war and peace written by ESL students in Silver Spring, Maryland for the Silver International ESL newspaper. (In Ch. 3 by Drs. Shelley Wong and Rachel Grant, Understanding Peace Cultures)
Activity: Connecting with nature (ecological peace) through talking
Ask students to do the following: Go outside. While there, talk to a plant for 15 min. and write down
what the plant tells you. (This is especially good for a grammar class involving reported speech.)
Do not talk to any human beings during that time. This activity was created by Dr. Yingji Wang at the
Intensive English Communication Program at Penn State (Ch. 6, Understanding Peace Cultures).
I will read aloud a few of the profound writings by Dr. Wang’s ESL students based on this activity.
Activities: Connecting with nature (ecological peace) through a love letter and discussions
Ask students to write a love letter to nature, saying what they like best about nature and asking nature what she needs from us. Use this as a prelude to a discussion of ecology and ecological peace. (Adapted from Buddhist ideas in Ch. 7, Understanding Peace Cultures)
Ask students to discuss what they would do about the environment if they became world leaders. (Dr. Wang, Ch. 6, Understanding Peace Cultures)
Activity: Artists of life dealing with many dimensions of peace
The soul never thinks without a picture. Aristotle
Ask students to discuss pictures such as the following.1. What is happening in the picture?2. How does it make you feel?3. How does this picture relate to peace? 4. How does it relate to love?See other “artists of life” ideas in Ch. 7, Language of Peace
Activity: Peace pictures
Ask students to draw or paint pictures to answer the question, “What is peace?”
Tell them they can also add words or sentences to the picture.
Have a display of the drawings or paintings. If desired, ask students to talk about what they created.
This is adapted from my activity at an international fair at the University of Maryland (Ch. 12, Language of Peace). In that situation, students, parents, and community members referred to all the dimensions of peace!
Strategies by Wong and Grant for peacemaking in ESL/ESOL classrooms
Teach to the whole person: cognitive, emotional, physical, spiritual, social
Transform conflict: Teachers of English learners have a special role in countering negative, anti-immigrant, anti-“foreigner” discourse. Mediate conflicts. Model cooperative learning.
Support civic engagement of English learners. Support learners’ writing and publication about their own experiences.
Strategies by Wong and Grant for peacemaking in ESL/ESOL classrooms
Pay attention to oppression and imagine a different future. Ask political questions about power structures.
Use a “funds of knowledge” approach, which says that each student comes to class with funds of knowledge to be shared.
