A dialogic approach to exploring culture in community‐based adult ESL classrooms

Abstract

Despite the robust literature about teaching intercultural competence, little has been written on exploring culture in community‐based English as a second language (ESL) settings, such as classes for adults with immigrant and refugee backgrounds. Educational materials about culture designed for these contexts tend to be prescriptive and essentializing, displaying rules and norms without inviting dialogue or accounting for variation. This article addresses this gap by dialogically exploring perceptions of adults in a community‐based ESL class toward cultural themes, with the goal of moving toward reflective pedagogy about culture in community‐based ESL contexts. Data, which were collected throughout a 14‐week course, include surveys about students’ perceived cultural knowledge, interest in learning about culture, and comfort interacting with Americans, as well as student‐produced texts and responses to texts exploring cultural themes. Students were eager to dialogue about culture, and they indicated increased cultural understanding and interest after the 14‐week course, as well as interest in forming more intercultural relationships. The article presents examples of student‐produced texts and invites instructors to consider how to reflectively choose materials, teach, and dialogue about culture in community‐based ESL classes.