LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 15:10 October 2015
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
         C. Subburaman, Ph.D. (Economics)
         N. Nadaraja Pillai, Ph.D.
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Teaching International Students to Share their Culture Through a
Multimodal Brochure Presentation:
Literacy Acquisition Through Cultural Relevance

Kalpana Mukunda Iyengar, Ph.D.

Abstract

This article is based on one of my assignments in the Rhetoric and Composition Course for International students (please see appendix A for assignment guidelines). This particular project is designed to help international students with limited English language proficiency to design a culture brochure for presentation in class so their expressions are valued. The first section of the article deals with cognitive aspect and the second section describes the pedagogical aspect of the assignment. The final section deals with a few sample brochures and their purpose. I draw from constructivism (Vygotsky, 1989), visual literacy (Li-Chung, 2006), text-picture relationship (Sipe, 2008; Nodelman, 1988) and the importance of using culturally relevant topics (Ladson-Billings, 2009) for students’ psychological wellbeing in a new academic and social environment. The article also supports Shor’s (1992) emotional literacy, which is a part of critical education.

Keywords: Brochure, Cultural Relevance, Emotional Literacy, Oral Presentation, Visual Literacy

Teaching International Students to Share their Culture Through a Multi Modal Brochure Presentation: Literacy Acquisition Through Cultural Relevance

According to Obst & Forster (2014), 600,000 international students study abroad and 40% go to the US for higher education. A small percentage of this international student population study the English language from the basics using a language immersion program called Intensive English Program (IEP). These students enroll in the IEP at various universities around the country. Some of these students live on campus, while others are day scholars. Many of the students experience culture shock due to alienation and separation from their native cultures when they arrive in the U.S. Some students’ cultures are not addressed in schools or marginalized due to Bernstein’s curriculum framing and a lack of educators who are trained to deal with diverse cultures. Students have to learn to cope with problems on their own, but through classroom curriculum professors can help to diffuse some of the issues associated with the emotionally draining transition.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Dr. Kalpana M. Iyengar
San Antonio and Haridwar Writing Project Co-director
Also with Texas Education Agency grant-funded teacher development program for
the South San and Harlandale Independent School Districts
Organizer, Kahani Projects for Asian Indian Origin Students
yadugiri@hotmail.com
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