STANDARD 7.2  (CULTURE) ALL STUDENTS WILL DEMONSTRATE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE PERSPECTIVES OF A CULTURE(S) THROUGH EXPERIENCES WITH ITS PRODUCTS AND PRACTICES.

 

Descriptive Statement:  With the adoption of national and state standards, a new way of conceptualizing the study of culture has been introduced into the world languages classroom.  In addition to the traditional ways of learning about culture (i.e., studying the facts, events, famous people, and monuments), standards-based language instruction encompasses a fuller, more comprehensive view of culture.  The anthropological concept of cultural products, practices, and perspectives provides a relatively new framework for the studying and experiencing of culture for most teachers and students, and forms the foundation for student achievement of the culture standard in this document.

 

            Cultural Products.  The products of a culture may be tangible (e.g., a painting, wedding veils, boiled peanuts, a pair of chopsticks) or intangible (e.g., street raps, a system of education, graveside eulogies).  The culture standard focuses on how these cultural products reflect the perspectives (attitudes, values and beliefs) of the culture studied.

 

Cultural Practices.  The practices of a culture refer to patterns of acceptable behaviors for interacting with members of other cultures. Two examples from the American culture of the practice of expressing congratulations would be slapping a teammate on the back after a winning touchdown, but shaking the presenter’s hand after an excellent speech. The culture standard focuses on practices derived from the perspectives (traditional ideas, attitudes, and values) of the culture studied.

 

Cultural Perspectives.  As defined by the standards, the perspectives of a culture would include the popular beliefs, the commonly held values, the folk ideas, the shared values, and the assumptions widely held by members of a culture.  The perspectives of a culture sanction the cultural practices and create a need for the products.  The perspectives provide the reason for “why they do it that way” and the explanation for “how can they possibly think that?”  Since practices and products not only derive from perspectives, but sometimes interact to change perspectives, this fundamental component of culture must be incorporated to meet the culture standard.

 

Language, as a key to culture, can tell us what is important to a group of people, what they do for work and play, what their social values are, what level of technology they enjoy, where they come from, and much more.  Language and culture as such, are inseparable. 

 

The following cumulative progress indicators for the culture standard are organized according to the three modes of communication: interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational.

 

Novice-Mid Learner Range

 

According to ACTFL, students beginning the study of a second language in kindergarten, in a program that meets a minimum of 3 times a week for thirty minutes, should meet the following cumulative progress indicators by the end of Grade 2. 

 

A.     Interpretive Mode (understanding and interpretation of spoken or written communication)

 1.         Identify daily practices of people in the target culture(s). 

 2.         Identify basic geographical features and some common landmarks in countries where the target language is spoken.

 3.         Identify aspects of the target culture(s) presented in photographs, children’s books, and plays.

 4.         Identify distinctive cultural products of the target culture(s).

 

B.     Interpersonal Mode (direct spoken and written communication)

 1.         Imitate culturally appropriate etiquette in verbal and nonverbal communication during greetings, leave-takings, and daily classroom interactions.

 2.         Participate in a variety of oral and/or written activities after listening to age-appropriate, culturally authentic selections.

 

C.     Presentational Mode (spoken and written communication for an audience)

 1.         Reproduce a variety of tangible products typical of the target culture(s).

 2.         Identify and reproduce expressive products typical of the target culture(s).

 3.         Participate in age-appropriate activities related to special events celebrated in the target culture(s). 

 

Novice-High Learner Range

 

According to ACTFL, students who have begun the study of a second language in kindergarten in a program that meets a minimum of 3 times a week for thirty minutes, and continue the study of that language in subsequent grades in a program that meets for the same time allocations, should meet the following cumulative progress indicators by the end of Grade 4.

 

A.     Interpretive Mode (understanding and interpretation of spoken or written communication)

 1.         Compare daily practices of people in the target culture(s) with their own.

 2.         Describe the geographical features, types and effects of climate in countries where the target language is spoken.

 3.         Identify aspects of culture presented in photographs, plays, or films.

 4.         Identify common tangible and intangible cultural products of the target culture(s).

 

B.     Interpersonal Mode (direct spoken and written communication)

 1.         Imitate culturally appropriate etiquette in verbal and non-verbal communication during greetings, leave-takings, and common social situations.

 2.         Participate in a variety of oral and/or written activities after listening to and/or reading age-appropriate, culturally authentic selections. 

 

C.     Presentational Mode (spoken and written communication for an audience)

 1.         Compare and contrast similarities and differences between tangible products of the target culture(s) and their own.

 2.         Describe and reproduce expressive products of the target culture(s).

 3.         Participate in activities related to special events celebrated in the target culture(s) and make comparisons with the U.S.

 

Intermediate-Low Learner Range

 

According to ACTFL, students who have begun the study of a second language in kindergarten through grade 4 in a program that meets a minimum of 3 times a week for thirty minutes, and continue the study of that language through middle school in a program that meets 5 times a week for forty minutes, should meet the following cumulative progress indicators by the end of grade 8.

 

 

A.     Interpretive Mode (understanding and interpretation of spoken or written communication)

 1.         Explain how the attitudes and beliefs (perspectives) of the target culture(s) are reflected in cultural practices.

 2.         Investigate how geography and climate influence the lives of people in the target culture(s) country (ies).

 3.         Show the relationship between the cultural characteristics found in films or videos to the cultural perspectives of the target culture(s).

 4.         Examine tangible products of the target culture(s) and begin to infer why people produce and use them.

 

B.     Interpersonal Mode (direct spoken and written communication)

 1.         Use culturally appropriate etiquette in verbal and non-verbal communication in a variety of social situations.

 2.         Discuss various elements of age-appropriate, culturally authentic selections and identify how they reflect certain aspects of the target culture. 

 3.         Demonstrate and discuss in some detail observable patterns of behavior and social conventions of the peer group in the target culture(s) and make comparisons with the U.S. 

 4.         Discuss the characteristics of the school community in the target culture and compare with those in the U.S.

 5.         Describe past and present issues, events, and/or trends from the target culture perspective and the U.S. perspective.

 

C.     Presentational Mode (spoken and written communication for an audience)

 1.         Present the results of research showing the extent of diversity in products and practices that exist within the target language/culture(s).

 2.         Prepare an analysis showing how expressive products or innovations of the target culture(s) influence the global community.

  

Pre-Advanced Learner Range

 

According to ACTFL, students who have begun the study of a second language in kindergarten in a program that meets a minimum of 3 times a week for thirty minutes in the elementary school and 5 times a week for forty minutes in the middle school and high school should meet the following cumulative progress indicators by the end of Grade 12.  

 

A.     Interpretive Mode (understanding and interpretation of spoken or written communication)

1.      Analyze how the changing economic and political environment influences the development of new products and contemporary practices in the target culture.

2.      Compare and contrast how the target country(ies) and the U.S. deal with current environmental issues.

3.      Compare and contrast varying perspectives that exist in different target cultures as seen in television, film and other forms of the media.

4.      Compare and contrast tangible products of the target culture(s) to their own culture and formulate a rationale about why people produce and use them.

 

B.     Interpersonal Mode (direct spoken and written communication)

1.      Interact in a wide range of social and professional contexts that reflect both peer-group and adult activities within the culture studied, using appropriate etiquette in verbal or non-verbal communication.

2.      Discuss culturally authentic selections listened to, read, or viewed to demonstrate insights gained into the products, practices and perspectives of the target culture(s).

3.      Compare and contrast for discussion common social practices in the U.S. and target culture(s) related to universal life events, such as birth, marriage, and death.

4.      Analyze for discussion observable patterns of behavior and social conventions of various age groups in the target culture(s) and compare them with the U.S.

5.      Analyze for discussion relationships among past and current economic and political    structures and their impact on the perspectives of the culture(s) studied.

 

C.     Presentational Mode (spoken and written communication for an audience)

1.     Develop a persuasive rationale showing how the study of the target language and its culture(s) influences attitudes and views on diversity.

2.     Simulate activities characteristic of the transition between high school and the workplace/university in the target culture.