5/26/2021 Week 6: Personal Space Differences

 

As a teacher, I have the opportunity to go to the classroom every day and be close to my students. Even though in the pandemic we have to keep our distance, many times it becomes difficult since students have questions when they carry out their activities or if we can look in their notebooks, and it has happened to me that when I approach them, many of them turn back. This leads me to wonder if the student is shy or embarrassed. I believe that everyone has their personal space and should be respected.

Professor John J. Ivers from BYU-Idaho University says that we "have to be very careful [because] there is some very serious room for misinterpretation”. It is incredible how culture can dictate the distance that can exist between one person and another.

 

In my culture like Argentina, it is very common to be close to people, we greet each other with a kiss, hugs, we touch while we speak, and everything in other cultures is not allowed. For example, in Germany, it may seem inappropriate. That is why as TESOL teachers we must be attentive and take care of the different cultures our students come from. In order to avoid misinterpretation we must be respectful of distances because even if we live in the same country, each person has their own space. If we perceive that our students do not feel comfortable, we must be attentive to their needs and backgrounds.

What do you propose to be able to respect the personal space of our students?

Reference: https://video.byui.edu/media/05+Personal+Space+Differences/0_yz4lk5f0