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Robert J. Dick |
By Robert J. Dickey
Gyeongju University
Diversity has been the chief buzzword in education across the globe over the past 30 years. Few would challenge the benefits of a broader perspective, of social inclusion, of representative sampling. On the other hand, aspects have been hotly contested, such as affirmative action and desegregation. In lands with a monolingual, homogeneous cultural heritage, such as Korea, diversity might even seem counter-productive.
When we talk about ``diversity'' in language teaching, what are we talking about? Is this something new? Is the teaching of English somehow different from the teaching of other languages (and should it be?) Does it matter whether we are teaching in Kachru's ``inner circle'' lands (such as USA, Canada, UK, Australia), the so called ``EFL'' or ``expanding circle'' lands (where English is not spoken locally), or in a land like Singapore or the Philippines where English may be used locally, and is taught in schools, but isn't the first language of most speakers? Does it take a different form within a close society such as Korea? Does cultural setting play a role?
Whether diversity is good or bad really depends on your perspective. Some people like to eat plain cucumbers, or just tomatoes, or just fresh lettuce. But for most of us, the collection of flavors and textures in a fresh garden salad far surpasses any single element. The teaching of English, even in Korea, can be considered in the same way. Diversity magnifies the elements, and complements, rather than subtracts.
Basic Issue: Learners
What are some of the diversity issues in EFL? A natural starting point is in the learners themselves and the learning environment. A quick history of language learning is illustrative ― ancient tribal peoples learning the language of their neighbors (particularly women who find themselves as wives in another language group), the Greeks and Romans learning the languages of the ``great civilizations'' before them, Europeans learning the Latin Bible, the English studying French from emigres and studying Latin, or even ancient Greek, from books, the colonized tribes learning the language of the colonial masters… yet even within contemporary (supposedly homogeneous) Korean classrooms we can see many other issues of diversity amongst our learners.
Just because they are all Korean doesn't mean they are all the same. Identifying varieties, and how we might deal with them, is just one area for consideration. What do they like to do? Can we build a lesson from that? What do they like to read or study (in Korean)? How about a thematic lesson instead of the same old course-book? If it is a mixed-level classroom, how many learners have received private tutoring or hagwons for English? Are there other issues indicating diverse proficiencies among same-aged learners?
Different learning styles dictate multiple approaches to the transmission of information. And of course, some students prefer tasks or independent study designs where they identify their own learning objectives instead of what is pre-selected for them. It's not just "chalk and talk" lectures, but cooperative learning and self-learners.
Across the globe, studies say the same things: boys have different learning preferences than girls. Greater or lesser parental involvement in learning, or support for learning English, may play a crucial role in learner differences. Some students learn better when they read, others when they hear, still others when they ``do.'' Advances in psychology and assessment are creating an ever more diverse society, with EQ levels, intelligence, and anxieties. In hagwons and universities, older students may have differing educational backgrounds or life-experiences, different foreign language experience (including overseas travel), and motivations for being in the classroom. Finally, some learners, like the famous monkey named George, are just that little bit ``curiouser.''
Course design
While all issues of diversity ultimately impact the classroom teacher, some are more striking than others. The question of methodology is never far from us, even in what Kumaravadivelu has called the ``post-method condition.'' This too can include ``intelligent eclecticism'' ― the reasoned choice to utilize aspects from various designs. David Nunan has argued that most teachers use a bundle of techniques from a range of sources. Others, such as Mario Rinvolucri are much more fervent supporters of methodology, at least for the purpose of developing resources for a teacher's ``toolkit.''
Historically, we can clearly identify a number of language teaching method eras, and many different perspectives on second language acquisition. We may also look at methodological varieties from a different perspective: even the same design can be adjusted to become more (or less) student-centered, or more technology-driven. Lessons can place greater weight on grammar & syntax, or vocabulary, or "lexical chunks," or pronunciation, despite identical lesson plans.
We can't just design one lesson plan for the ``typical'' student and recycle it endlessly. Teachers customize according to each group of learners. The sun, the rain, and the lunar tides all affect the classroom, as do the mood of students, the results of a recent test, and numerous other factors that can change even minute by minute. Any given group of learners pulls a classroom in a unique direction on any given day. Not all teachers have the same ``style'' or goals.
What are some of the other areas in which we can find diversity? Selection of ``content'' for study would be one. Whether the religious texts, the fictional ``Jones'' family, a movie, traveler's phrases, classic literature, academic subjects, business documents, ``Big Books,'' TV commercials, movies, comic books, or magazine advertisements, every course is built around some type of ``content.''
Language and Culture
The question of varieties of English is important as well. This not only refers to "dialects." What other types of varieties can you come up with, and why might these be important in an EFL setting? Register (politeness & formality). Professional "lingos." Regional dialects. Are you more supportive of "World Englishes" or "Global English"? Along with the question of which variety of English to study, can be which variety is spoken by the instructor. Do these match? Is it important? Or even the more general question of whether the native-speaker/near-native-speaker/non-native-speaker issue is of any importance. Ambassador Dr. Peter Medgyes has built an academic career around the argument that non-native speakers are better! If there is a difference, why, and can it be used to the learners' advantage?
Should an Australian attempt to sound "American?'' Should a Korean? Where does Korean-English end and "Konglish" begin? Read through Truss' (2003) Eats, shoots and leaves ― she clearly shows how American and British languages have evolved apart into diverse languages (you'll see the same thing if you change the dictionary settings in MSWord and then engage the grammar checker).
How does culture fit in to the language classroom, and if so, which culture(s)? All the questions in the paragraph above apply here as well. Should the teacher attempt to be a cultural role model?
A Commitment to Diversity
We recognize that students need some models, that for the purposes of testing, we need to set some boundaries. The questions are ``where'' and ``which.'' It is a challenge, and it reaches into the very heart of foreign language education in Korea. But clearly, the Henry Ford approach to diversity ("you can have your car in any color, so long as it's black") has no place in the contemporary EFL classroom. Instead, we should be helping our students to see the many colors of the rainbow, to experiment with language. Raisins and almonds in a salad? Why not try some salmon and kiwi-fruit too?
How to go about this? Teachers can learn from their peers who are already working towards this aim. The Korea TESOL 2008 International Conference is based on the reality that diversity is part of the many changes occurring in English language teaching. "Responding to a Changing World" is not just the theme of the conference, it is the mission for teachers of English in the 21st century. The world has changed, and English has changed. Teachers have the job of creating success from the materials at hand.
Rob Dickey teaches at Gyeongju University, he has visited a half-dozen ``English speaking'' countries as well as a dozen lands where they are learning their own kind of Englishes. He can be reached at rjdickey@content-english.org
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