The importance of cultural experiences in the classroom

Tapsandes Comunica

Culture is one of the most important factors in any society and therefore in education. These functions as a bridge between communities tied to it are elements such as identity, a fundamental factor when carrying out communication processes. In other words, culture is what makes us and belongs to each of us. Thanks to it, we have the possibility to interact, learn and apprehend.

Culture is one of the most important factors in any society and therefore in education. These functions as a bridge between communities tied to it are elements such as identity, a fundamental factor when carrying out communication processes. In other words, culture is what makes us and belongs to each of us. Thanks to it, we have the possibility to interact, learn and apprehend.

Undoubtedly, the best way to know something, learn, or understand is to have a meaningful experience. Especially, when we are talking about knowing other cultures and contexts. Therefore, recognizing others, their cultures, languages, and identities is important.

This is not only a fact of learning other cultures as a means of knowledge. Learning about other cultures lets students reinforce their social and communicative competencies. Those experiences let them reinforce their identity and values such as empathy, respect, tolerance, and awareness. Not only about themselves but also about others.

Recently, at TapsAndes school, we celebrated St. Patrick's Day, as a pretext to recognize the cultural traditions linked to English speakers. Specifically, in the bilingualism space, the students made, through iris paper and moving eyes, handicrafts about this celebration.

This pedagogical experience was enriching, allowing the recognition of the second language in a functional environment. Thus, the students had significant learning since the language was related to social dynamics.

It is important to emphasize that language has been determined by a given space, time, and place. As a complex system of signs, it revolves around a speech community, which produces linguistic phenomena. They have a semantic charge that connotatively expresses a language, and these symbolisms determine an endless number of semantic fields.

In this order of ideas, with these experiences, the students were able to see the language as a phenomenon of expression framed under the dynamics of the speakers; since they internalized the English-speaking culture in contrast with their realities and strengthened active listening so that in a simple way they could recognize and communicate the sociocultural context of the language.