Standard 5: Culture of Emphasis

Multiple-subject credential students pursuing the bilingual authorization certification take a course fitting for their language of emphasis that focuses on further cultural understanding.  For students focusing on Spanish authorization certification, this course is CLS 116, Cultural Change and the Latino.  In this course, students will learn of the historical, economic, and social roots of Latino culture, and how these translate as people migrate into the U.S. For students with Hmong Bilingual authorization focus, this course focusing on further cultural understanding is ANTH 123, Peoples and Cultures of Southeast Asia. In this course, students learn about past and present cultures and events relevant to Southeast Asian culture through case studies. One such event would be the Vietnam War and the major migration push it set for Hmong people to the U.S.  This course also includes a major month-long unit on Hmong culture.  For more information about this course, click here to be directed to the course syllabus.

In addition to these courses, all students will take LEE 172, Cultural & Language Contexts of the Classroom. This course is designed to improve academic instruction by clarifying the impact culture has in instruction. By taking this course as part of the designed program, students learn to not only appreciate various strong cultures taking root locally, but how to apply cultural awareness in the classroom to the ultimate benefit of their English Learners.

5.1
How does the program’s curriculum account for the candidates’ understanding of historical and contemporary immigration/migration and settlement/resettlement patterns among the culture of emphasis in the country/countries of origin and the United States, including the influence of economic globalization patterns?

For students’ working toward their Hmong Bilingual Authorization, ANTH 123 requires students to take part in interactive projects, including map exercises, and in class and online discussions to ensure understanding of historical and contemporary migration and settlement patterns.  In particular, the course explores the Hmong role in the Vietnam War and the migration events that resulted.  CLS 116 for Spanish Bilingual Authorization, students discusses community political control from historical events and perspectives, including migration during various eras.

5.2
How does the program’s curriculum provide candidates with knowledge of the major historical eras, movements and developments of the country/countries of origin and help the candidates to analyze and understand the influences of those historical events on the culture of emphasis in California and the U.S.?

Both the Hmong and Spanish Bilingual Authorization routes will be exposed to major historical eras in both ANTH 123 and CLS 116, respectively. ANTH 123 covers major Hmong historical trends, including prehistory, colonial history and the Vietnam War, and CLS 116 regularly discusses major Latino historical events, including many political events involving the U.S.

5.3
How does the program help candidates to recognize the primary social and political structures within the country/countries of origin, and demonstrate understanding of the beliefs, values, and contributions of various groups, including indigenous populations, to the culture of emphasis in California and the U.S.?

The LEE 172 course, Cultural & Language Contexts of the Classroom, helps students to recognize the social and political conditions found in other countries, and the disconnect in the role of values and belief systems in mainstream U.S. culture that many English Learners may encounter. This course helps students learn academic and instructional strategies to identify and combat this common classroom issue.  ANTH 123 includes a month-long unit that explores the social, political, religious, family and economic aspect of the Hmong culture.

5.4
How does the program curriculum prepare the candidates regarding the effects of historical and social factors (e.g. economic, political, religious, class structure) of the country/countries of origin and help the candidates to analyze and understand the influences of these factors on the culture of emphasis in California and the U.S.?

Credential candidates are exposed to knowledge related to the countries of origin related to the Spanish credential by taking CLAS 116 and LEE 172.  CLAS 116 addresses the immigration, migration and interactions of these cultures.  For example, for CLAS 116, the course text, La Nueva California by David E. Hayes-Bautista addresses the development of indigenous bilingual education in Mexico and the growing conflict of language status for indigenous populations in Mexico and other parts of Central and South America.  This book presents an excellent background and framework for understanding the issues of minority language status in the United States.  It also reminds student of the increasing number of indigenous immigrants coming to the US from Mexico and Central and South America and of their specific needs for bilingual/multilingual education [see CLAS 116].

5.5
How does the program prepare candidates to understand that the roles and status of an individual (i.e. economic, gender, racial, ethnic, social class, age, education level) influence inter- and intra-cultural relationships and how those factors affect the process of acculturation in California and the U.S.?

All three courses mentioned for this Standard 5 touch on influential historical and social factors, individual statuses, and relationships applicable to these two cultures, and each of the courses also prepares students to analyze and understand influences on these factors and relationships.

5.6
How does the program prepare candidates to demonstrate understanding of the educational system in the country/countries of origin and how they are able to analyze ways in which these systems and structures have influenced their involvement in schools of the United States?

LEE 172 puts major emphasis on understanding and analyzing the culture from a country of origin and using that information to design lessons suitable for the classroom. While it does briefly touch on educational systems in operation from these countries of origin, its emphasis is in making that country of origin’s cultural habits work in a U.S. classroom.

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