Chapter 7: Culture and Language

Culture is characterized as values that is learned and shared from families and groups. "Because cultures change over time, based on complex circumstances, it is difficult if not harmful to determine a fixed view of culture." (p.119). The culture of the US has historically been one from Western Europe. Our political systems and language are from Great Britain, which makes sense since our first settlers were from there. Ethnocentrism is when someone believes that their culture is the best and won't view other cultures as equal. Table 7.1 Components of Cultureon page 119 is a great reference to see what makes up a culture. There are subcultures and micro cultures as well which share traits with the macroculture while developing traits of their own. Language can be verbal or non verbal. Literacy can also include reading, writing, and listening. In major cities of the US, over 100 different languages are spoken. I found it interesting that reading and writing are not learned naturally and must be taught, I would have thought otherwise. Knowledge of other languages helps to learn additional languages. There are three major orientations whose first language is not English. Difference orientation focuses on what is lacking, which is often found with at-risk, disadvantaged, and culturally deprived students. Difference orientation views linguistic diversity as a positive and builds on the knowledge that already exists. Social reconstruction orientation believes that the problem don't just come from the school, but society as a whole. ELL students are taught in many different forms but the ELL students that are in L1 seem to be in a though way.approximately 70% of all ELL students speak Spanish. 31% of ELL students fail to complete high school. From the PowerPoint, I liked the quote from Cesar Chavez that says, "Preservation of ones own culture does not require contempt or disrespect For other cultures." The political cartoon that shows two people walking and one says to the other, "Really? You don't look like an Indian." sums up what we have read about in this chapter and in the case study. I feel it should be more prominent and have a slide of its own. I also noticed that you found a lot of the same points interstitial from the chapter as I did.