Free English Language Dissertations - Differences And Discrimination The Way We Act, The Way We Think, The Way We
Differences and Discrimination
The way we act, the way we think, the way we reason: all of these activities are performed within the framework of the culture in which we live. We must recognize this in order to understand that there are other ways of behaving in the world, and that our way is not necessarily the only wayor the right way. As Chamberlain explains
"Without the ability to see that our behaviors and thinking patterns are culturally bound, we will always have the perspective that our way of thinking and doing is the right way, or the norm, and the different behaviors of others will be viewed as deviant" (2005).
This near-sightedness, or inability to see past one's own existence, is a major cause of the breakdown in communication between and among cultures. Ignorance leads to a fear of things not known. Therefore, an unknown, or "foreign" language, may be likely to pose a threat to those who are not conversant in it. In addition, those who speak this strange language also become objects of suspicion. This hostility happens in all kinds of places and at all levels of society. It also happens frequently in the places where it can do the most damage, such as in educational settings. Schools are where children gather to learn from trusted elders how to proceed in life. If negative attitudes are projected by these respected and revered authority figures, it affects all children, monolingual and bilingual alike. Unfortunately, this does happen, even in a society that supposedly celebrates multiculturalism. Chamberlain has noted that "cultural differences between educators and culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students can have negative effects on the education of CLD learners" (2005).
The "Hidden Curriculum"
When educators and authority figures in the school system bring these attitudes and ingrained beliefs with them, there is every chance that it will seep into the workplace and affect those around them. They develop expectations for all students, regardless of cultural backgroundsyet do not clearly communicate these expectations. Often, these expectations are so deeply ingrained that those who have them may be unaware of it themselves. Yet, these attitudes come across with a negativity that can range from subtle to outright. This is what Chamberlain refers to as the "Hidden Curriculum," hidden because they are "not clearly articulated or posted for all to see" (2005).
This means that bilingual students may begin their education at a disadvantage because they do not know what the expectations are, since they are not made known. What these students do come to knowquickly and intuitivelyis the feeling that they are somehow lacking, that their own language is inferior, that they are somehow judged and condemned simply for having this additional knowledge.
