Literacy news
The Relationship Between Language and Culture
15 Sep 2008
In this article, Wendy Jones and Isabella Lorenzo-Hubert, from the Georgetown University Centre for Child and Human Development in Washington DC, establish good practice for enhancing the learning experiences of children of diverse cultures and languages. They confirm that it is "critical that staff of early childhood programs be aware of how parental perspectives, beliefs, and practices affect children's overall development as well as their adjustment to and success in early childhood settings. In addition, staff should consider their own roles in each child's development and how their own views on development may differ from those of a child's family. When such differences occur, staff should work with families to bridge the cultural gap between home and school expectations to aid children in their transition between settings." This is particularly important because when family and teacher expectations differ, children may experience difficulty in determining the cultural rules of both environments. In order to avoid such confusion, child care providers should form partnerships between families and the staff members.
Families can provide a wealth of information regarding the settlement history of their cultural group, which can, in turn, provide caregivers and programme staff members with invaluable insights into the behaviours and needs of a young child and his family. In addition, acquainting family members with the culture of the early childhood programme is imperative to the development of partnerships for learning. According to Jones and Lorenzeo-Hubert, "this exchange can help bridge differences in expectations of the programme and the families it serves, thereby minimizing conflicts for the child."
According to Jones and Lorenzo-Hubert, there are four key constructs that underlie the integral relationship between culture and language:
- Culture defines language, and language is shaped by culture
- Language is a symbol of cultural and personal identity
- Cultural groups have different worldviews based on the shared experiences that influence their various languages
- Language is the medium by which culture is transmitted from generation to generation
They then go on to list strategies based on these foundations such as:
- Involve family members in discussions about communicating with their infant or toddler, with understanding and respect for the variety of beliefs that families hold
- Provide opportunities for children to hear and use their home language in natural interactions
- Model responsive strategies for infant-toddler communications for family members
- Discuss the family's goals related to English and home language usage, share the programme's goals, and develop a personalized approach for each child
The article concludes by reminding people that any effective educational foundation must respect and honour cultural beliefs, practices, preferences and tradition as it nurtures the individual abilities and learning needs of each child. It is not easy, however through professional-family partnerships, a balance between programme goals and parental expectations can be achieved.
(Zero to Three, September 2008)
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