Language as a Reflection of Culture | Origin: ED137
This is a general discussion forum for the following learning topic:
Cultural Diversity: Including Every Student --> Language as a Reflection of Culture
Post what you've learned about this topic and how you intend to apply it. Feel free to post questions and comments too.
This section helps to make the connection between language and learning; instructors must be able to recognize that students whose first language is not English have to be taken into consideration when making lessons plans and that their ability to understand the meaning of certain words.
We should not assume that someone who is learning English as a second language is struggling or that they have low literacy skills. Inversely, we should not assume that someone who is monolingual in English has better literacy in the language than someone who is bilingual or multilingual.
Also, it is helpful to have bilingual instructors when students are learning another language and they should be encouraged to still have access to their mother tongue.
helps learn more about the student and how to help them
This module reinforced that language is a reflection of culture and identity, not just a communication tool. I learned the important distinction between language and literacy—conversational fluency does not equal academic proficiency, and students who are highly literate in their first language may appear to struggle in a second language.
Moving forward, I will avoid assumptions about understanding, use clear and inclusive language, assess comprehension intentionally, and encourage students to use their mother tongue as a strength. In nursing education, this awareness is critical for promoting student success and modeling effective, culturally responsive patient communication.
Understanding the difference between language and literacy is important in helping with better student outcomes and professional growth.
It is important to remember that literacy does not only apply to primary English-speaking students.
This module was exciting and made emphasis on the importance of bilingual/multilingual students. The module explains how to better help these students when learning new topics in their second language.
I learned that language and literacy are interdependent, as instructors we must be conscious of each individuals learning path and understand that each student learns differently. we must also understand the use of a students is important and the effect it may have a students ability to learn a new language as well.
Students with English as a second language, it is important to not make assumptions of understanding as conversation is different than academic language proficiency. This is also important when reviewing general literacy of a class, as students with English has a first language may not have academic proficiency as well. In nursing this can also be discussed as a class when talking about community and patient education. In the not so distance past, the average literacy grade level in the community my previous hospital system served was reported to be at a third-grade level. Improper education at the wrong literacy level as a nurse can have grave impacts on medical health, especially those with chronic illnesses. It is important to weave this discussion into nursing classes as they move forward in the clinical space, as well as the instructor recognize academic language proficiency versus conversational fluency when instructing. For this exact reason, medical providers are required to used license medical interpreters with family. In the past, I have had discussions with students about translating without certification, as medical language fluency is different from conversational then additionally academic.
Students who are supported to take new information and anchor it to a concept that they already understand in their first language helps to create an association between the two and the new information is absorbed and adopted more fluidly.
Language is not just about words -- it shows how people think, relate to each other, show respect, and understand the world
Language is a reflection of culture, and using their native language "Mothers Tongue" can greatly increase student engagement
Encourage Multilingual students to use their home language as a strength not a barrier.
I learned the difference between language and literacy. Even though students don’t have ENGLISH as their first language they can have high literacy and vice versa. Also it is important to allow students to learn using their mother tongue as this can help them learn better.
It's important to understand the difference in languages and how that can affect students understanding of course material. It's important to make sure every student has the resources they need to succeed.
Language is a reflection of culture and they both enhance one another.
This module highlighted how language is not just a tool for communication, but a profound reflection of a student's cultural identity and worldview.
I had a colleague that did to tell me that her elementary school teacher told her mother to not speak her mother language because it would only confuse her.
Understanding the language diversity helps an instructor to identify the learning gaps a student might be facing because of this.
