What's confusing to Athabascans about English speakers
What's confusing to English speakers about Athabascans
They talk too much and always talk first
They avoid situations involving talking
They brag about themselves
They play down their own abilities
They always talk about what's going to happen
They deny planning and expect things to be given
They aren't careful when they talk about things or people
They are too indirect; not explicit; they talk off the topic
©2006 www.learningpaths.org
Let me give you another example, once again from Manitoba in Canada. In Manitoba, the Athabascans, the natives of this land, make up a substantial percentage of the population. A few years ago, a study of the Athabascan culture tried to highlight some cultural differences in communication between English speakers and the Athabascans. The interesting thing was that the study focussed on each other’s perceptions, as this slide shows (quoted in Working with Aboriginal learners).
Just think: what would happen in an Athabascan class if we were to introduce, right from the start, a straightforward communicative approach based on role play, communication strategies and the maximum of student interaction?