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.

 

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.

 

Link to Standard 7.2 Novice-High Learner

 

Link to Standard 7.2 Pre-Advanced Learner

 

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