by Gelyn M. Alfonso
In developing language materials, developers must take into account the intended or target audience, the cultural context included in the materials or, if not, the materials’ eventual users.
Culturally sensitive materials encourage inclusion of students since it gives each learner’s culture a sense of worth and equal importance. As they link their own culture to other cultures, they will have an extensive knowledge of other people’s practices, and it may open their eyes to the cultures all throughout the world. Learners may have a more fulfilling educational experience as a result of this. Additionally, providing culturally sensitive content helps students navigate and contribute to a variety of situations in a world that is becoming increasingly interconnected by the day.
On the contrary, there could be possible risks or problems that may arise if learning material developers fail to have a thorough research and have a limited understanding on how diverse each culture is. One of the risks if this is somehow overlooked is that it will lead to misunderstandings and false information among those cultures and practices incorporated in the materials. The majority of the audience may not be familiar with some or all of the information because the materials are not intended for use in the mainstream. Assuming that the readers might have a little amount of knowledge and understanding on that particular culture, they usually have a tendency to trust what they read. When they read anything unfavorable, they tend to take it at face value without the time or willingness to investigate or research on it further.
This somehow leads to learners stereotyping and generalizing that may result in inadvertently offending certain groups, setting apart what is true and what is fictitious. It may also result in having a limited cultural viewpoint which may restrict the understanding and they may experience confusion when cultures of other people clash with their own beliefs, which may hinder their learning process.
Thus, developing language materials must be culture sensitive to avoid misinterpretations among cultures. Moreover, creating culturally sensitive teaching materials not only improves the educational quality but also fosters a harmonious learning environment in the classroom.**
