Over the Wall of Silence

Getting Students to Talk 15

Chapter 1

This is not the intention of most Japanese students. Generally speaking, they want very much to please their teacher. But they just don’t realize how much their silence is literally blocking the class (and breaking Jack’s heart at the same time!). Without meaning to overgeneralize, here’s our take on the reason behind this conundrum. In the West, when a student is asked a ques tion, the basic cultural rule is to not remain silent . In contrast, in Japanese culture, a student’s primary duty in that situation is to look for the answer . Of course, there are many other factors that influ ence how you and your students interact in the classroom. But all things being equal, this is what guides behavior on a very deep level. This explains a few of the seemingly bizarre reactions you get from students. They are searching for the answer everywhere they possi bly can -in their textbook, in their classmates’ knowledge, or in their own brain. When asked a question, you are supposed to… In the West say something (don’t remain silent) In Japan look for the answer This is an admittedly rough model of the two cultural systems at play in this situation. But as a teacher, thinking about it in this way can help you feel a little better about your students’ puzzling behav ior. They are not being uncooperative. They are not questioning your authority. And you don’t suck as a teacher (even if that thought has been nagging you and you’ve been considering a job at the okonomiyaki shop down the road!). So, the wall of silence is often created by a cultural mismatch. It’s a mismatch of expectations that each person brings to the classroom.