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INTEGRATING CRITICAL THINKING IN EXPLORATION OF CULTURE IN AN EFL SETTING Umarova GA. (Republic of Uzbekistan) Email: Umarova568@scientifictext.ru
Umarova Gulshoda Ahadjanovna - Teacher of Нistory, SCHOOL № 35, NAMANGAN, REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN
Abstract: the article discusses how integrating critical thinking in exploring culture in English classes. It is described the major types of cultures and the depth levels of reflection as an aspect of critical thinking. The article also provides an overview of the types of crops, as well as the characteristics and characteristics of these crops. Different views on culture are reflected in different societies, namely collectivism and individualism. Students' learning of different cultures teaches critical thinking, broadening their worldview. The article provides information on specific research and is presented in the form of a table.
Keywords: culture, high-context, low-context, monochromic and polychromic cultures, reflecting skills, intercultural tolerance.
ИНТЕГРИРОВАНИЕ КРИТИЧЕСКОГО МЫШЛЕНИЯ В ИЗУЧЕНИИ КУЛЬТУРЫ В УСТАНОВКЕ EFL Умарова Г.А. (Республика Узбекистан)
Умарова Гульшода Аxаджановна - учитель истории, школа № 35, г. Наманган, Республика Узбекистан
Аннотация: данная статья обсуждает способы внедрения критического мышления в изучение культуры на уроках английского языка. Также описываются основные виды культур и глубина уровня рефлексии в качестве критического мышления. В статье также представлен обзор типов культур, а также характеристик этих культур. Разные взгляды на культуру отражаются в разных обществах, а именно коллективизм и индивидуализм. Изучение студентами разных культур учит критическому мышлению, расширяя их мировоззрение. Статья содержит информацию о конкретных исследованиях, которая представлена в виде таблицы.
Ключевые слова: культура, высокий контекст, низкий контекст, монохромные и полихромные культуры, умение отражать, межкультурная толерантность.
Communicating across cultures has become an activity for many millions, through travel, IT and migration (Jack Lonergan, 2013). Giving English language learner the opportunity to explore different cultures in English classes may help them to develop intercultural competence that will prepare the learners to work and study in intercultural settings and reduce culture shock effect.
According to Bodley's definition of culture, culture is what people think, make, and do. Almost the same framework is provided by the Standards for Foreign Language Learning(NSFLEP 1999) for students to integrate "the philosophical perspectives, the behavioral practices, and the products—both tangible and intangible—of a society". It has been known as the 3P model of culture:
• Perspectives(what members of a culture think, feel, and value)
• Practices(how members communicate and interact with one another)
• Products(technology, music, art, food, literature, etc.; the things members of a
group create, share, and transmit to the next generation) (Jerrold Frank, 2013).
As Jarold Frank states products may be easily identified because people can often see, touch, taste, or hear them, perspectives and practices are not as easily recognized because they are usually ingrained in a society.
It is known that cultural meaning is symbolic. People interpret the symbolic meaning through the cultural lens. For example when people see particular clothing they may understand that a person is a surgeon or just a therapist (In Uzbekistan the surgeon clothing is greenish while therapist's is white).
Other cultural differences are some cultures are high-context and low-context. High context culture members share a lot of context in common such as in Latin America, the Middle East and Asia. When the communicate they use context to deliver the message. It is not only the words that matter but also how they were said and in what context. The low-context culture like the USA, messages are made explicit through words.
Also there exist monochromic and polychromic cultures. Monochronic culture members prefer to do things one at a time. Time is linear for them. For example, during the meeting one issue is discussed exact amount of time and then they move to the second issue. Polychronic culture members like Asia, the Middle East mostly focus on tasks and activities, not schedule. If the task requires some more time they prefer to spend the time the task need.
Moreover, the major culture difference is collectivism versus individualism. In collectivist society person's strongest identity is with the group the person belongs to. If it is required to sacrifice person's individual needs for the group, that can be family, work place, or national identity, if it is required. Whereas in individualist societies personal needs are more important rather than the group's.
Being aware of these factors will help the learners to understand the motivation of the people from different but learners should be careful in order not to over-generalize and stereotype about people. To prevent stereotyping and overgeneralization learners should improve critical thinking, which is depth of reflection while exploring cultures. It is known two understandings "description" and "interpretation". Description is what we observed while interpretation is what we see or understand while observation. For example you look at the classroom and see a girl who is frowning. You say, "she is unhappy." How can we know if she is happy or not. Maybe she is making frowning face because she is concentrating. We don't exactly know. An observation is something we notice by watching or listening. We observe when we say "a girl is frowning". We interpret our observations when we say "the girl is unhappy". Many times our observations can be correct but not always. Critical thinking make learners able to distinguish observation and interpretation.
Reflecting on different cultures learners will develop their critical thinking depending on the level of depth of their reflections. There has been developed a table that presents the depth level of reflection of the learners in culture exploration.
Table 1. The depth level of reflection of the learners
Level Type of reflective thought Description
1 None Statement of fact or skill. No observation
2 None Descriptive writing: must be observed
3 Technical rationality Description of observed event or phenomena with terminology
4 Descriptive rationality Description of observed event or phenomena with associated terminology and personal perspective: looks at impact on others
5 Dialogic reflection Description of observed event or phenomena with associated terminology and concept uses multiple perspectives
6 Critical reflection Considers entire context; discourse with self and explores possible reasons for actions. Steps out of self and observes from a distance, or struggles to change perspectives on previous belief.
7 Reflection-on action Ethical or moral issues; considers a holistic picture and considers implications for future practices.
Developing students' reflecting skills while exploring culture will increase their cultural awareness, mutual understanding, and intercultural tolerance. Comparing and contrasting is a dual process that can help foreign language learners, and people in general, learn to know themselves better as they mirror, metaphorically speaking, and see themselves and their own culture reflected units image as they explore cultural difference, a process that may itself bring into being the reflection of their own language and culture (H. Stephanie and Y. Etsuko, 2012).
References / Список литературы
1. Houghton Stephanie and Etsuko Yamada. "Intercultural studies and foreign language learning". Volume 8. Oxford, 2012.
2. Jack Lonergan review to "Cross cultural communication" by Brian Hurn and Barry Tomalin, 2013.
3. Jerrold Frank. "Raising cultural awareness in the English language classes", Forum. Volume 4, 2013. 2-11.
4. Kara McBride. "Integrating critical thinking in exploration of culture in an EFL setting". MOOC materials. Fhi-360.
