1. ESL Teaching for
What Teachers Should Know…
By: Hilda Hernandez
Rosa Perales
Julie Elterisy
Non-Spanish Speakers
2. CulturallyResponsive Teaching:
Must be aware of non-Spanish speaking
students
Differencesand Similarities in
o Language
o Culture
Understanding and sympathetic
Helpmaximizelearning
Hammond (2007)
3. CulturallyResponsive Teaching:
General knowledgeof acountry’s/culture’s:
o Religion - holidays,festivals,foods, etc.
Writing and reading differences
Learning/Teaching Customs
Communication Customs
Hammond (2007)
6. Demographics
Japanese
Japanese spoken at home
- (total U.S.population, age 5 plus):
1980 = 336,318
1990 = 427,657
2000 = 477,997
2007 = 458,717
Percentage change from 1980 – 2007 = 36.4%
www.census.gov/acs/www/)
7. Demographics
Japanese
Japanese Students enrolledin:
Clear Creek ISD: 451 (2.37%, 12th = 210,500)
Pasadena ISD: 62 (0.68%, 282nd = 242,630)
La Porte ISD: 18 (3.21%, 220th = 41,528)
Houston ISD: 2,346 (1.86%, 154th =2,099,451)
Based on 2010 Census by USA.com
11. Demographics
Japanese
Japanese Students enrolledin:
Houston ISD: 2,346 (1.86%, 154th = 2,099,451)
o 1,097 publicschools
o Multilingualtrainingprograms for teachers
o ESL program offered, nobilingual programfor
Japanese students
USA.com; HISD.org
12. Culture - Religion
Japanese
Shinto
o Oldest
o Mythology
o Imperial Family
o Ritualistic
Buddhism
o Everything is
interlinked&
interdependent
o Morality
o Wisdom by
Meditation
Confucianism
o Teachings of
Confucius
Loyalty
Duty
Benevolence
Piety
Respect for
parents/elders
13. Cultural Differences -
Japanese
U.S. :
o Notverytraditional
o Workis highlyvalued
o Directand clear
o Verbal (opinions/facts important)
o Conflictsareunavoidable
o Self-reliance(self important)
o Accomplishments
o Humor people connector
o Interruptionsokay
Japanese:
o Very traditional
o Familyis highly valued
o Indirect,hinting (artfulwords)
o Non-verbalcues & feelings
o Avoidconflicts anticipation
o Interdependence (groupisimportant)
o Relationships(hierarchy;respect)
o Humor avoided inserious talks
o Interruptionsareextremely impolite
o No physical contact
o No winking
14. Cultural Differences - Things to know
Japanese
Japanese:
o Waittobe introduced
o Bow slightlyupon intro
o Presentfactsgently
o Frowning =disagreement
o Do not stare intoa person’s eyes,
especiallyif older= disrespectful
o Expressionless whenspeaking
o Nophysical contact
o Nowinking
15. Cultural Differences - Things to know
Japanese
Watch out for:
o Inhaling through clenched teeth
o Tiltingthe head
o Scratching back ofhead
o Scratching the eyebrow
16. Writing and Reading Differences
Japanese
Traditional Japanese:
o Columns
o Top to bottom
o Rightto left
o Books begin at the‘end’
(frontis thebackandbackis thefront)
ModernJapanese:
o Same order as English
Latin script
o Exposed at early age
o Stilldifficultfor Japanese
students to get used to
reading/writing using
Englishalphabet.
19. Phonology
Japanese
Vowel sounds
o Five
o Bothlong andshort sounds
Consonants sounds:
o Fifteen
o No consonantclusters
hamburgerhambaagaa
Mayadd vowels betweenconsonants or at end of words
20. Specific Problems with English
Japanese
Pronunciation
o Soundsthatdonotexist
[f] [v] [s] [d] [r] [l] and [th]
Substituted with[h] [b] [sh]
o Noconsonantclusters: hamburger hambaagaa
o Consonantsusually followedby avowel:
May add vowels between consonants
At end of words
allwordsin Japanese end invowels
22. Classroom – “a good student…”
Japanese
Japanese:
o Quiet
o Obedient
o Good listener
o Discourages competition
o Emphasizecorrectness
o Does wellon tests
o Memorizes info
American:
o Asks questions
o Shares opinions & ideas
o Classroom discussions
o Competitive games
o Learns from mistakes
o Does well on tests
23. Classroom Communication
Japanese
A good student
(Japanese):
o Quiet
o Obedient
o Good listener
o Discourages competition
o Emphasizecorrectness
o Does wellon tests
A good student
(American):
o Asks questions
o Shares opinions & ideas
o Classroom discussions
o Competitive games
o Learns from mistakes
o Does well on tests
24. Communication –Student/Teacher
Japanese
Student to Teacher
(Japanese):
o Fear offailing
o Opinionsnot
expressed
o Fear of showingoff=
conceited
Student to Teacher
(American):
o Failure grow
o Opinions (no
correct answers)
o Like to show off
25. Classroom Communication
Japanese
A Japanese student:
o Quiet
o Good listener
o Does notshow off
o Non-verbal
o No opinionsexpressed
o Uncompetitive
Teacher
thinks/labels
student as:
“UNCOOPERATIVE”
Japanese student thinks:
“I’m a good student!”
“I RESPECT my teacher.”
26. Pointers
Japanese
o Looking directly into students eyes may upset a student
o Group work and pair work is best
o School culture/behavior different outside of class
27. References
• Shin, H., Kominski, R. (2007) Language Use in the United States: 2007. American Community Survey Reports. April
2010. (Or Census 2010???????)
• Clear Creek ISD Demographic: http://www.usa.com/school-district-4814280-population-and-races.htm
• Pasadena ISD Demographics: http://www.usa.com/school-district-4834320-population-and-races.htm
• La Port Demographics: http://www.usa.com/school-district-4826190-population-and-races.htm
• Houston ISD demographics: http://www.usa.com/houston-tx-population-and-races.htm
• Specific LEP info for CCISD: http://www.ccisd.net/communitybasedaccountabilityreport#SpecEd_div
• http://www.lexilogos.com/keyboard/katakana.htm
• http://esl.fis.edu/grammar/langdiff/japanese.htm
• http://iteslj.org/Lessons/Kistler-Katakana.html
• http://humanities.byu.edu/elc/Teacher/japanesestudents.html
• http://www.wwu.edu/auap/english/gettinginvolved/CultureComparison.shtml
• http://spice.stanford.edu/docs/127
• http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/japan-country-profiles.html#
