Handling 'culture bumps'

Abstract

Ever since English became one of the main languages of international communication, native-speaking EFL teachers have played an important role in English language education in many countries. When they teach abroad they often immerse themselves in cultures that are very different from their own, so what might be called 'culture bumps' are inevitable. In order for the teachers to carry out their work successfully, the ability to develop an appropriate perception of these cultural differences, and so learn how to cope with them, is extremely important. This paper reviews Archer's and Thorp's ideas about the most frequently encountered culture bumps, or 'confused encounters', and offers alternative ways of perceiving and handling them. It also stresses that the fundamental values of a nation should be considered in dealing with these cultural variations, and suggests six principles for perceiving and handling them.

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