Blog Post #4: Cultural Stereotypes

Kumaravadivelu’s article “Problematizing Cultural Stereotypes in TESOL” reveals cultural stereotypes regarding Asian students which often permeate the TESOL profession. He outlines and debunks three common stereotypes: 1) Asians give deference to authority, 2) they lack critical thinking abilities, 3) they do not participate in class activities (710). These three characteristics can also be found in North American language learners, and research suggests that the reason for this type of behavior lies in the complex relationships among “social, cultural, economic, educational, institutional, and individual factors” (714). Kumaravadivelu then addresses the question of why TESOL teachers subscribe to these stereotypes about Asians. He claims that it could be due to aversive racism, social identity, orientalism and/or the simple fact that TESOL educators feel the need to simplify the sometimes overwhelming complexity of teaching English.

I resonated with the issues in this article, as I realized that I sometimes stereotype my students in order to simplify what seems to be so complex. Teaching a language and reacting to cultural issues at the same time can seem overwhelming. Even though I consciously choose to get to know my students as individuals, I realize that prior to our first class, I often develop preconceptions about them due to their cultural background. (These preconceptions are usually replaced with specific information about individuals after a couple weeks of getting to know students.) Particularly with regards to East Asian students, I understand the collectivistic tendencies of their societies and recognize a lot of similarities among students that I might unconsciously use to promote stereotypes. I have never subscribed to the stereotypes that Kumaravadivelu mentions, yet I have my own list of assumptions: most Asian students are highly motivated to learn English, many Asian students are often unfamiliar with Western teaching styles, and the majority of Asian students like to avoid direct confrontation or conflict. Even though I’ve based my assumptions on working with East Asian students and interacting with Asian friends, they may still be faulty ideas and would not prove true in every case. Even though it’s good to have a frame of reference for relating to students, I agree with Kumaravadivelu that I must more fully develop a “critical awareness of the complex nature of cultural understanding” (717).

Question: I wonder what kind of cultural stereotypes Asian students might have about North American teachers…