Chapter I:
Introduction

Everything that occurs within a school, and especially in the classroom, involves communication, the act of sharing information. Sometimes communication involves the use of oral or written verbal symbols. On other occasions, communication involves various types of nonverbal symbols, including body language.

Communication is the medium for instruction, assessment, interpersonal relationships, group interactions, parent and community relations and counseling. Most behavior problems in schools, and their resolutions, involve some type of communication. In sum, communication permeates education.

Communication is culture bound. The way an individual communicates emanates from his or her culture. Of course, a person may know more than one culture or may be competent in a combination of cultures. Nonetheless, one basic truth prevails: communication is a product of culture.

Students with different cultural norms are at risk if teachers have little knowledge, sensitivity or appreciation of the diversity in communication styles. Such teachers may perceive differences as problems and respond to students' diversify with negative attitudes, low expectations and culturally inappropriate teaching and assessment procedures. Culturally and communicatively diverse students, in turn, may respond with low self concepts and low academic achievement to a school climate they perceive as hostile. The result is reflected in these students' excessive placements in special education, reduced placements in talented and gifted programs and high suspension rates.

Cultural Diversity in America

The United States is currently experiencing radical demographic shifts which are changing the colors and the cultures of its citizenry. According to recent statistics, one American in four currently defines himself or herself as non white. By the year 2010, because of higher birth rates and immigration trends, non whites are expected to constitute more than one third of the American people, and upwards of 50 percent of its school aged population. By the year 2050, the average U.S. resident will trace his or her descent to Africa, Asia, the Hispanic world, the Pacific Islands, the Middle East almost anywhere but white Europe.

As diversity increases in our nation's schools, teachers, administrators and other education personnel will be challenged increasingly to become more knowledgeable about the assumptions, attributes, and norms of a range of cultures. These challenges will occur in every dimension of school life·from the curriculum to the communication that occurs in classrooms. As a result, the issue of cultural diversity will, by necessity, have to be taken into account if effective education is to be a reality in our nation's schools.

The Neglect of Cross Cultural Communication Issues in Schools

The failure of many schools to take cross cultural communication issues into account can contribute to school related problems experienced by specific groups of children. The current crisis of African American males in many of the nation's schools demonstrates this point.

According to recent statistics, the percentage of African American males who graduate from high school has decreased since the mid 1970's. A similar trend exists for the percentage who go on to college. In 1989, 34 percent of young African American males attended less than four years of high school and only 11 percent attended four years of college or more. In 1990, one out of four (23%) African American males ages 20 29 were in the criminal system, while only 6% of white males and 10% of Hispanic males were in the system.

Within many schools, it is a well documented fact that African American males are disproportionately placed in special education and speech language pathology programs, and are more likely to be recipients of disciplinary actions.

Recent research has shown that language and communication norms among African American males, particularly those of lower socioeconomic status, are related, at least in part, to these problems. For example, lower SES African American males are likely to see the speaking of ethnically based English vernaculars, and the use of urban argots, to be markers of masculinity and defiance of white standards.

While adherence to ethnic vernaculars allows validation to be achieved within the African American male peerage, their employment within the school setting virtually guarantees academic problems and, sometimes, social problems. When students' communication norms conflict with the school's communication norms, erosion of academic performance and acceptable classroom behavior frequently follows. Thus, while the use of Black vernacular speech by African American males may be perceived as "fresh" by peers, it is viewed by teachers, all too often and incorrectly, as indicators of a slow learning, violent, undisciplined, and obnoxious individual.

In order to address these issues, schools must build into their curricula (particularly in the language arts area) the notion that there is a time and place for all language. In this way, respect can be given to students' culturally based vernaculars when used in informal, nonacademic activities, while teaching them the necessity and validity of the school's language in formal academic settings. Indeed, the creative teacher uses the vernacular linguisitic system for contrastive analysis during the process of teaching standard English. This approach encourages the African American male to adapt a bidialectal approach to language use. Techniques for implementing these approaches to instruction are discussed elsewhere in this booklet.

In addition, the school must provide examples of strong male images who are able to alternately speak the school's language or the vernacular language, as necessary. Jesse Jackson, Spike Lee and Arsenio Hall represent good examples of highly successful and popular African American males who can serve as positive role models for young students, and who demonstrate competence in the standard language required in formal situations as well as the community language when required. Though the condition of the African American male has been described in detail, many of the concepts presented in this publication can be applied to all culturally diverse groups.

Self Assessment on Communication and Culture

The quiz presented in Table I assesses a person's knowledge of the relationships among culture, communication and language. Before reading further, you may want to take this test.

<< Index >>