CULTURE AS A MIRROR: REFLECTIONS OF A CAREER TESOL INSTRUCTOR

Authors : Wayne Carl Berg

Pages : 15-31

Doi:https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14585820

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Publication Date : 2024-12-31

Article Type : Review Paper

Abstract :In ""Culture as a Mirror: Reflections of a Career TESOL Instructor,"" the author explores the complex nature of culture through personal anecdotes and metaphors. Acknowledging the difficulty of defining culture, images like enigmas, icebergs, webs, and soups are employed to illustrate its multifaceted character. Drawing from experiences in diverse cultures around the globe, the author reflects on how these encounters have shaped his understanding and instructional practices of `teaching culture`.This essay discusses the challenges of teaching intercultural communicative competence (ICC) in the TESOL classroom, referencing scholars like Michael Byram and Clifford Geertz to highlight both the possibilities and limitations of such efforts. In a rhizomatic move, the essay examines contradictions within American culture, particularly the ideals of freedom juxtaposed with the history of slavery, using historical accounts from figures like J. Hector St. John de Crèvecœur and Charles Dickens. Ultimately, the author concludes that while fully grasping another culture may be unattainable, embracing metaphors is an essential step in fostering cultural awareness.
Keywords : Culture, Intercultural Communicative Competence, Cultural Metaphors, Cross-cultural Teaching, American Culture, Cultural Identity, Language and Culture, Cultural awareness, Cultural Reflections, J. Hector St. John de Crèvecœur, Clifford Geertz, M.M. Bakht

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