This week we're going to look at our own teaching material to determine if there are any hidden messages that we are sending to students. Sometimes these are quite obvious, and sometimes they are more subtle. We'll examine our own use of descriptive/judgmental language by modeling a couple activities you can do with your students. Finally, we'll take a closer look at our textbooks to see how effective the cultural content is.
1. First please read DeCapua and Wintergerst, pages 64-67, for a brief overview of stereotypes.
2. Read Cortazzi and Jin's Cultural Mirrors: Materials and Methods in the EFL classroom. This will get you thinking about how best to analyze a textbook. This chapter looks longer than it is -- plenty of diagrams and 24 pages of references.
3. Look over the picturebook My Name Is Yoon.
Blog question 1: As you read My Name is Yoon, consider the good and bad points of the cultural content in terms of images, stereotyping, power, etc. Post your thoughts below. Please include page numbers when you refer to specific scene (page numbers in the .jpg title). Also, please do not waste the paper/ink to print this out for class. I'll put it on the screen and we can all talk about it together.
Blog question 2: Look through your own current textbook. Be prepared to discuss the good/bad points of the cultural content. Don't post this; we'll talk about it in class.
I found it equally challenging and interesting trying to answer blog question 1 as I have not done anything like this ever before. I am looking forward to discussing in class this coming Saturday...
ReplyDeleteMy answer to blog question 1:
*Yoon-cover – How Yoon is portrayed is quite stereotypical in the sense that she was drawn with such small eyes with single eyelids. Moreover, her lips and nose have been drawn so disproportionately.
*Yoon5 – Yoon’s father uttering the words “Do-as-I-say” portrays him as the sole leader in the family and it makes me even think that it makes him sound like a physical man as if he is the type of father who would hit his children if he was provoked.
*Yoon6 – Yoon’s mother is standing behind her father and her father with his hands on the table… This image portrays Yoon’s father as the only authority figure in the family. It has been portrayed as if her mother’s opinion is not as important.
*Yoon7 – Teacher’s grammatical incorrect utterance “Name. Yoon” shows the fact that she had already formed an opinion about Yoon before getting to know her and that she did not think Yoon could speak English. Hence, she resorted to using an incomplete sentence and gesturing to get her point across.
*Yoon11 – Yoon could not understand the reason why her teacher shook her head and frowned. Moreover, she was upset at the “ponytail girl” who had giggled after hearing the conversation between Yoon and her teacher. This is because Yoon has not had a chance to develop cultural awareness of American culture and hence could not understand her teacher’s and the other student’s reasons for their actions.
*Yoon17 – “Yes, but at my school in Korea, I was my teacher’s favorite. I had many friends. Here I am all alone” Yoon says to her mother. She appears to be negotiating her identity being in the USA now.
*Yoon19 – Here, we see that the “ponytail girl” makes the first move. CHCs (including Korea) are in general stereotyped as uninitiating.
*Yoon20 – The American girl is wearing a pink dress whereas Yoon is wearing a blue dress. It immediately made think about the gender stereotypes; that pink is for girls and blue is for boys. Did the author think that Yoon looked like a boy compared to the “ponytail girl”? This question inevitably crossed my mind.
*Yoon23, Yoon24 and Yoon29– Yoon may have initially felt that by changing her culture of learning she was changing her culture altogether. Hence, she appears to be experiencing some identity problems. On page 23, Yoon utters “Maybe America will be a good home I thought. Maybe different is good, too.” On page 24, we see that Yoon finally writes “YOON” in the class. Then, on page 29, she says: “I write my name in English now. It still means Shining Wisdom.” These all appear to indicate that Yoon was beginning to adjust in the new culture.
For this book, just like Jeff I was taken by surprise at how harshly Yoon's face was drawn (page 1,4,9,12 ETC.) In comparison to the other faces in the classroom (especially on page 12/20). I am unsure if this was done to show isolation as an author or if it was done due to unfamiliarity with drawing an authentic Asian character. The one reason I am leaning towards the author is because she is drawn softer on page 29 when she has become more westernized.
ReplyDeleteThe story in and of itself does show, what I believe to be an authentic situation that many people who come to America face. First with showing the difference between her L1 and L2 (page 3), and with the interaction between the teacher and the student on page 11, 17, and 23. With Yoon learning how to interact with others in America.
This book overall focuses on how Yoon is building her identity with the others. The teacher is portrayed as being a care taker, (p. 26) while Yoon is flexible in her identity, working it out through a cat (p.10), a bird (p. 15), a cupcake (p. 21), and finally as herself with a westernized version of herself. (p. 29)
I am also with Jeff on thinking about how well this kind of book would be received in Korea.
When I first read this story, I was surprised by their parents because I was able to relate to them. My parents are traditional Korean parents and I was raised under a somewhat strict household. However, I was shocked by the pictures by how the characters of Yoon and her family were drawn. Then I realized after reading the story, that it was not written by a Korean person. I thought it was stereotypical for the characters to have small eyes, and a different style haircut. Also, the style of clothing of the parents seemed to be as if they were from the lower class. Basically, a style of clothing that isn’t really typical.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I do understand the clothing style of Yoon. The parents try to dress her up into fancy clothes because they want her to fit in. Image is pretty important to Korean people, so mothers try to dress them accordingly. But as she slowly starts to fit in and feel comfortable with her new home, her clothes style changes.
On page 12, a classmate giggled at Yoon because she was different. I guess it could have been typical behaviour of younger students. However, as I was growing up, that wasn’t really the case. I don’t really recall students teasing other foreign students. But, I could be wrong.
I felt the image of the teacher was pretty powerful. The author portrays Yoon as a shy but creative student. The teacher could have easily told her to do certain things but she allowed her to do what she wanted and accepted her for it. She waited for Yoon to open up, rather than forcing her to write what her name was. The teacher accepted her culture learning.
At the same time, the western culture is portrayed through the teacher. The teacher was more open minded, but the Korean culture is more strict. The adult is more superior so you have to do what the adult says. Korean teachers may have also been more authoritative, but the western teacher wasn’t.
Overall, I liked the book. But I did not like the images and how Korean people were portrayed.
I read the book and found that I enjoyed the story a lot. I wasn't really shocked by the imagery, because it reminded me of Dutch/Flemish Renaissance paintings:
ReplyDeletehttp://secureimages.teach12.com/tgc/media/courses/361x269/7170.jpg
I am very reluctant to accuse the illustrator of stereotyping, as it may simply be a stylistic choice.
There was a hint of the authoritarian "Asian" parent in pictures 3 and 5, although Such strictness is certainly not limited to Asian families. I think that context and time period need to be taken into account, as the clothes and style of classroom suggested to me that perhaps this is not taking place in 2014. Also implicit was the idea that Korean people are "obsessed" with education. This is certainly a common perception, but one could easily see this in 20th Century literature of American parents. Stereotyping? Perhaps. Perhaps Not. This assignment made me uncomfortable, to be frank.....I am very judicious in my use of words like stereotyping and racism. I refuse to divorce an artist from their work, and for me context and their intentions matter.
This book is a good snapshot of what cultural adaptation may be like for a child. I particularly liked her transformation, from alienation to acceptance. She didn't have to give up who she was. Her name is still Yoon. It is the same name, except it is expressed differently. While there are differences in culture, the human heart experiences the same spectrum of emotions all over the world. It is just expressed differently, and in different quantities. It is the understanding and acceptance of this difference that is a big cultural question, and one that continues to play out in many different ways and places.
Yoon Cover- The way that Yoon is portrayed is extremely stereotypical for Asian cultures. The way her eyes are narrow and there is no bridge to her nose. Also the hairstyle, clothes and biting of a pencil depict that she is studying, which is also another stereotype.
ReplyDeleteYoon3- Here she says that she doesn't like her name in English and makes a comment about how each letter is standing alone. This is talking about how Americans are individualist and she likes the collectivist culture she comes from. She states that in Korean her name dances.
Yoon5- Yoon said that she didn't want to study, but her dad told her to (not verbally) and by her studying it pleased her dad. This shows the push/power that parents have over their child to study, which a stereotypical to Asian cultures.
Yoon4-6- In these three pages, the author is still focusing on her studying.
Yoon12- This image shows power and judgment over Yoon. The teacher has her finger on her chin, while looking down at Yoon.
Yoon13- I want to say that when Yoon showed him the picture and the dad saying good, but now write English, is still asserting the too much study stereotype.
Yoon21- This picture is showing an ethnically diverse classroom, but with your stereotypical African-American hairstyle.
Yoon29- This shows that even in a different culture you still have your own culture
I really liked this story. It shows the struggle an individual has with culture shock. And that individuals can live in a different culture without losing their own. My name is Yoon it still means Shinning Wisdom.
Before this task, if I had looked through the book, My Name is Yoon, the first thing I probably would have said was how much I like the illustrations. On the surface, I think they are really beautiful. When looking at them with a more ‘analytical eye’ I do see some aspects of both the pictures and the text which exemplify stereotypes, and certain beliefs that may not be noticed by everyone.
ReplyDeleteI think from the first page (Yoon1) the authors ‘set up’ the reader to see Yoon as different. Having her standing alone in an open field encourages the reader to see her examine her. Her stance suggests a certain amount of obedience – she does what she is told (she’s not running in the open field – she’s standing with her hands folded neatly…waiting for instructions.) Even her white dress suggests that she is pure – and possibly naïve. I think Yoon’s appearance also highlights the importance of appearance in Korean culture.
Her father, as a character is portrayed as an authority figure – he uses phrases like “You must...” (Yoon3) and later on in the text, Yoon11, we see him giving a final say on something. His lack of empathy exemplifies the belief that Korea is a very patriarchal culture.
Here I’d also like to mention that I feel like the images of America that we see (often in the background – out of windows and doors etc.) in general look very beautiful. The open landscapes seem to suggest that America is an open, free country. It’s sunny (except in one picture – which is still beautiful), there are wide spaces to explore, there are parks, playgrounds etc. We could say that Yoon’s father’s decision to bring his family to America reinforces his belief that America will offer more opportunities of success (in those wide open, free spaces.)
When Yoon’s father describes her as a “wonderful student” (Yoon5) this links to the importance of education and dedication to studying that is expected in Korean culture, often in spite of a child’s emotional state, or opinions. Similarly, I think this compliment shows approval from her father – which would be very important for Yoon, seeing as he is the head of the family.
When we see Yoon’s teacher for the first time (Yoon8) she is very different to the images of Yoon’s parents we see throughout the book (Yoon4, Yoon6, Yoon18). Her colourful clothes, relaxed hairstyle, make up, short skirt and high-heeled shoes suggest a freer individual who can be ‘herself.’ When we see images of Yoon’s mother (Yoon18), we see monochromatic clothing, hair that is pulled back, no make up, and a very blank expression – which may be showing a cultural belief of subservience, and selflessness.
Throughout the book, Yoon’s parents are dressed in very dull, lifeless colors, while other characters, even Yoon herself, wear more colourful clothes. This could be highlighting the idea that Yoon’s parents are willing to make sacrifices to ensure Yoon becomes a success and a part of American society. This may link back to the heavy emphasis of giving children the best opportunities for success, which is very common in Korea.
Obviously, Yoon’s features do exemplify the stereotype of Asian eyes, and in Yoon20 – obvious differences between Yoon and her friend are shown. Even Yoon’s (neat) haircut contrasts with the more slightly more relaxed hairstyle of her friend.
Finally, I think something that resonated with me was how, during the book, the only real ‘affection’ seen towards Yoon is from her teacher (Yoon26.) Again, I think this paints a slightly negative picture of Korean culture in that it suggests that Korean parents are cold – and possibly more concerned with “pushing children to keep improving.” The image of Yoon’s parents ‘standing over her’ (Yoon6) could be an example of this too.
Oh wait...there's more!
DeleteThis was an interesting exercise for me! Being that I use children’s books all the time, I often find examples of text and pictures that could be questionable in terms of stereotypes (a book we have at school called, Workin’ Cotton springs to mind.)
To be honest, I don’t know how I feel about this book. Having read some of the comments, I feel as though I don’t enjoy it as much as my colleagues. For example – the ‘happy ending’ is about Yoon settling into America and its culture. Obviously I’m ‘happy for Yoon’ but is it possible that this ending reinforces the idea that America is ‘the better place, where Yoon will be successful?’ Similarly, I know that obviously, Yoon is (hopefully) not going to ‘forget’ her Korean roots, and she will still have her family – but this may come with the continued sacrifice of her parents to give her everything they can.
I feel like I may be reading too much into this…or possibly highlighting some of my own cultural beliefs and intolerances…
The first stereotype that stood out to me in the "My name is Yoon" story was the girl's appearance. Her facial features were illustrated as a very stereotypical asian girl. Not only the shape of her eyes, but also the typical bowl cut hairstyle.
ReplyDeleteI thought the pervasive stereotype here was the pressure that was put on her by her parents to be a "good student". On page 5 her dad says "look how well our little Yoon does" and her mother replies "she will be a wonderful student". This seems to be the expectation that her parents have for her. There isn't a concern about her being a "happy girl" in America, only about her being a good student. The implication is that by being a good student, she can make her parents happy and her teacher will like her. As seen on page 26 when Yoon finally writes her name in English, and the teacher hugs her.
I really liked the story of Yoon. I know I am a white woman who doesn't truly understand racism, but I felt like this story was written to help children who had to move abroad with their parents. I guess I need to look deeper when I read. One thing I noticed while reading was the emptiness of the scenes. Every home I've ever visited in Seoul has been cram-packed with stuff, but Yoon's house was quite empty (page 4, 6, etc) Perhaps the author was trying to convey the emptiness Yoon felt in her new environment. Even the school and outdoor scenes were bleak. It was quite apparent that school was Yoon's family's highest priority. There is no mention of any other places they visit, not church or the supermarket. Yoon tries to hide behind English names for animals and cupcake. Another thing I noticed is that the ponytail girl shared her cupcake with Yoon. (page 20) Sharing snacks is a cultural norm in Korea but not as much in America. I thought that girl was extremely nice for sharing such a delicious treat with a virtual stranger. To be honest, I did not see a lot of bad points in the reading. I truly enjoyed how her parents encouraged her to find herself and how her teacher was so patient with her. The teacher didn't get angry and was flexible about what Yoon wrote on her paper. She seemed quite kind. I wonder what the significance is of the giant naked legs on page 27. Could this be Yoon standing on her own two feet?
ReplyDelete(Sorry this was late.)
I enjoyed listening to the debate last Saturday.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading Cortazzi and Jin, and then "My Name Is Yoon" several thoughts came into my mind.
First, the culture of learning for me and the other is the same (C1). As a result I felt that in a way the book was a cultural mirror for me. Canada is very multicultural and we have 200,000 new citizens every year. My father is from England and my mother's father (my dearly departed grandfather for me) was from Denmark. My sister-in-law is from Japan. Growing up I have seen families (and kids) struggle to fit in into the culture of Canada. But on the good side most of the kids, especially second and third generation, become quite Canadian. The story of Yoon seems very natural to me.
Second, immigrants are portrayed in a positive manner. The parents keep encouraging their daughter to fit into the new society. The father (pages 3 and 5) gets Yoon to practice writing in English. The role of the parents, seems to me, to show how immigrants work hard to fit into the new society. While this is a positive message, is it always true? Do all immigrants accept 100% the new culture? Do all new citizens learn to speak the new national language? My experiences in Canada would show that most do, but not everyone does. There is debate in my old area of Vancouver (Richmond, British Columbia) over signage only being in Chinese in large parts of the city of 200,000 (and suburb to Vancouver). Some of the kids in the Vancouver area go to Chinese, Sikh or other religious and cultural schools. So, is this positive stereotyping of adapting immigrants?
Third, the image of Korean culture is very much in the background and not really looked at except for anything related to Yoon's name (how to spell it in Korean; what it means in Korean). The book does not look at why the family came to a new country. The father and mother are only seen as figures pushing Yoon to adapt to the new culture. What did Yoon's parents do in Korea? Where is Yoon from in Korea? - not discussed at all.
Fourth, I am not sure of the role of the teacher. Is she like the parents, someone who only wants Yoon to embrace her new culture? The hug (page 26) is a symbol for acceptance into the new English speaking society? Could be. The teacher never gets angry at Yoon when she writes CAT, etc. on the paper instead of Yoon.
In conclusion, the book seems to want to show a positive portrait of new immigrants to an English speaking society. With English speaking countries such as the USA, Australia and Canada still having some citizens who are anti-immigrant a book like this can be helpful in dispelling the myth of the immigrant not integrating. However, the imaging seems to be from the C1 culture and does not look at things from another cultural viewpoint. Immigration and integration are seen as good for everyone with few large problems. But I do love the positive nature of the story.