CLOSING THE CULTURAL GAP IN A MULTICULTURAL WORLD
BY : CHRISTINA MORRIS
Every year , new teachers from around the Western world eagerly come to the United Arab Emirates to begin working at schools , around the country . Despite their preparedness and eagerness to teach , many of these teachers struggle within the classroom . The problem ? The disconnect between cultures . Taking actions to address this disconnect could mean the difference between having a successful school year or not .
Diallo ( 2014 ) argues that while Western-educated teachers ’ and students ’ upbringing is more “ liberal and secular ,” Emirati students are typically a product of “ their Islamic education and upbringing ” ( p . 12 ). This means that teachers following the American or British curriculums , as they would in their home countries , may struggle to motivate students due to a lack of connection . Middle Eastern Students , especially Emirati students , may feel as if the curriculum is unrelatable and ultimately act out in class , due to not being able to see themselves in the lesson .
Addressing the Cultural Barrier
To ease the cultural tensions , naturally present between western teachers and their primarily Middle Eastern students , teachers should be proactive rather than reactive . The first step teachers should take , is to get to know the culture of their students . One way to do this is by jumping headfirst into the culture . Visit the local heritage sites in your city to learn about the ancestry of the families in the area . If you ’ re completely unfamiliar with the culture ( including the religion ), you can explore it by engaging in activities such as , taking a trip to the Grand Mosque or by simply talking to one of the Muslim teachers at your school . Teachers that have been in the United Arab Emirates
( UAE ) for a number of years are also great sources of cultural information . Taking time to really lean into their expertise , may provide some invaluable source of information . Exploring the cultural heritage sites in your city as well as talking to some teachers that either share the culture / religion with your students or have been in the UAE a while , will help you get to know where your students come from , before even meeting them . This will help you choose better novels ( or other multimedia texts ), examples or even projects that better reflect your students . Incorporating a student ’ s culture , language , age and interests are crucial to helping them acquire a second language ( Garinger , 2002 ).
Once you have a better idea of the culture , you can begin adapting the Western curriculum to reflect the culture of your students . Diallo ( 2014 ) argues that , in order to create a sense of unity within the classroom , teachers should find a middle ground between Emirati or Arab students and themselves . By making an effort to understand why your students act or believe certain things , you will be more understanding of certain behaviours they may display ( or why certain rules are stricter in the UAE than they are in your home country ). For example , it is common for men in the UAE to greet one another with a nose kiss , yet students of the opposite sex should not have any physical contact at school . Something as simple as hand-holding , which would easily be overlooked in the Western world , could be a major issue here in the UAE . Furthermore , making the curriculum more relatable will help increase student motivation , because when students see what they are learning as relatable , they are more likely to pay attention in class as well as retain the information .
Sample Lesson
When I first started teaching in the UAE , I was incredibly young and naïve , when it came to choosing texts for my classroom . I attempted to teach Hamlet to all of my classes and became so discouraged that I
18 Term 1 Sep - Dec 2021
Class Time