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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). 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)
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).
Link to Standard 7.2 Novice-High Learner
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