Emotional expressivity is something that can easily be misunderstood when you put two people of different cultures together. That is the main discussion of this week's class. How difference in expressivity of one culture can alter someone's perception of the other person's real intentions.
I for one am still adapting myself to the way people behave and express themselves across cultures, especially in Asia. In China for example, you don't show affection in public, so, you won't see too much hand holding or kissing in public. But if you go to Las Vegas, that's a complete different story. Or in Brazil, where I was born, couples will kiss in public without any shame. In work settings in China, they value you looking busy all the time. Even if you're not doing anything, you have to look like you're doing something, and your boss is you leader. For me, this is a major culture difference in expressing yourself at work.
But, as teachers, we need to be aware of such differences in expressing one's emotions, since in some cultures even smiles can mean different things. Being sensitive to these ambiguities can help mitigate some conflicts that may arise inside a multicultural ESL classroom.
I for one am still adapting myself to the way people behave and express themselves across cultures, especially in Asia. In China for example, you don't show affection in public, so, you won't see too much hand holding or kissing in public. But if you go to Las Vegas, that's a complete different story. Or in Brazil, where I was born, couples will kiss in public without any shame. In work settings in China, they value you looking busy all the time. Even if you're not doing anything, you have to look like you're doing something, and your boss is you leader. For me, this is a major culture difference in expressing yourself at work.
But, as teachers, we need to be aware of such differences in expressing one's emotions, since in some cultures even smiles can mean different things. Being sensitive to these ambiguities can help mitigate some conflicts that may arise inside a multicultural ESL classroom.
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