Long hailed as a melting pot of cultures, America is home to millions of immigrants – whether their ancestors sailed across on the Mayflower or they moved to the country last week. Research by the National Center for Educational Statisticsfound that one-third of U.S. students are considered racial or ethnic minorities, a number that is set to increase to more than half by 2050. In this changing educational landscape, teachers are challenged with creating inclusive classrooms where students of all backgrounds feel represented and welcomed. For teachers with a classroom full of students of different backgrounds, the responsibility to connect with them goes beyond simply knowing where they’re from, or what their favorite subjects are. These teachers must strive to understand their students in a more holistic way, incorporating their cultural traditions into lessons and activities, so students feel understood, comfortable, and focused on learning. Culture is a broad term, and one that is not easily summed up. In her book Culture Learning: The Fifth Dimension on the Language Classroom, author Louise Damen defined culture as the “learned and shared human patterns or models for living; day-to-day living patterns that pervade all aspects of human social interaction. Culture is mankind’s primary adaptive mechanism”. Individuals from varied nationalities, ethnicities, and races all bring cultural traditions to their interactions, and it’s up to teachers to recognize, celebrate and share these different perspectives. Using different activities and games in multicultural classrooms is an excellent way to foster inclusivity and encourage students to share their heritage. It’s also a beneficial way for teachers to involve students in different styles of study to immerse them in their learning. Sharing about oneself within the confines of an activity is often much easier than being asked open-ended questions and put “on the spot”. These activities can then provide a safe space for dialogue and serve as an entryway into more in-depth interactions.

(Available: https://www.accreditedschoolsonline.org. Adapted.)

In Communicative ELT (English Language Teaching), text genre analysis is essential to uncover the social and the cultural basis of language. The notion of genre has largely drawn the attention of many scholars. It is incontestable that a genre-based approach to teaching greatly improves learners’ skills, not only in academic settings, but also in professional scenarios. A genre--oriented approach to language teaching incorporates an understanding that language is purposeful and that structures emerge from use. Additionally, there is an increasing recognition of the relevance of taking into consideration language varieties, text--types, and text genres while designing reading and writing language programs. As Martin (2002) points out, genres have been defined as staged, goal-oriented social processes. In these terms, as a level of context, genres represent “the system of staged goal-oriented social processes through which social subjects in a given culture live their lives”. In ELT, the concept of text genre sheds light on the influence of the context of culture on language. From that viewpoint, every culture structures particular ways of achieving communication goals in a given context through the production of written and oral texts. The fact that English is considered the predominant language for communicating research findings makes it paramount that users of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) develop proficiency in research English across the skills of reading and writing. In order to be part of the scientific community, EFL researchers need to understand “the social processes by which knowledge about reality and the world are made”, that is, they need to be able to understand several genres that are part of academic social practice. Failure to understand written genres as social action may result in instruction that encourages the creation of texts to fit formal requirements, as opposed to the practice of achieving social goals. Technology also plays a role in assisting second/foreign language (L2) writing instruction. The Internet, social networks and digital media may provide EFL learners with greater opportunities for meaningful and authentic language use, which are usually interactive, social and multimodal. Learners can interact with other speakers of the language from different parts of the world, write blogs or create webpages and profiles in social networks and produce both written and oral language with a targeted community of speakers in mind.

(Available: http://www.scielo.br. Adapted.)

In Communicative ELT (English Language Teaching), text genre analysis is essential to uncover the social and the cultural basis of language. The notion of genre has largely drawn the attention of many scholars. It is incontestable that a genre-based approach to teaching greatly improves learners’ skills, not only in academic settings, but also in professional scenarios. A genre--oriented approach to language teaching incorporates an understanding that language is purposeful and that structures emerge from use. Additionally, there is an increasing recognition of the relevance of taking into consideration language varieties, text--types, and text genres while designing reading and writing language programs. As Martin (2002) points out, genres have been defined as staged, goal-oriented social processes. In these terms, as a level of context, genres represent “the system of staged goal-oriented social processes through which social subjects in a given culture live their lives”. In ELT, the concept of text genre sheds light on the influence of the context of culture on language. From that viewpoint, every culture structures particular ways of achieving communication goals in a given context through the production of written and oral texts. The fact that English is considered the predominant language for communicating research findings makes it paramount that users of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) develop proficiency in research English across the skills of reading and writing. In order to be part of the scientific community, EFL researchers need to understand “the social processes by which knowledge about reality and the world are made”, that is, they need to be able to understand several genres that are part of academic social practice. Failure to understand written genres as social action may result in instruction that encourages the creation of texts to fit formal requirements, as opposed to the practice of achieving social goals. Technology also plays a role in assisting second/foreign language (L2) writing instruction. The Internet, social networks and digital media may provide EFL learners with greater opportunities for meaningful and authentic language use, which are usually interactive, social and multimodal. Learners can interact with other speakers of the language from different parts of the world, write blogs or create webpages and profiles in social networks and produce both written and oral language with a targeted community of speakers in mind.

(Available: http://www.scielo.br. Adapted.)

In Communicative ELT (English Language Teaching), text genre analysis is essential to uncover the social and the cultural basis of language. The notion of genre has largely drawn the attention of many scholars. It is incontestable that a genre-based approach to teaching greatly improves learners’ skills, not only in academic settings, but also in professional scenarios. A genre--oriented approach to language teaching incorporates an understanding that language is purposeful and that structures emerge from use. Additionally, there is an increasing recognition of the relevance of taking into consideration language varieties, text--types, and text genres while designing reading and writing language programs. As Martin (2002) points out, genres have been defined as staged, goal-oriented social processes. In these terms, as a level of context, genres represent “the system of staged goal-oriented social processes through which social subjects in a given culture live their lives”. In ELT, the concept of text genre sheds light on the influence of the context of culture on language. From that viewpoint, every culture structures particular ways of achieving communication goals in a given context through the production of written and oral texts. The fact that English is considered the predominant language for communicating research findings makes it paramount that users of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) develop proficiency in research English across the skills of reading and writing. In order to be part of the scientific community, EFL researchers need to understand “the social processes by which knowledge about reality and the world are made”, that is, they need to be able to understand several genres that are part of academic social practice. Failure to understand written genres as social action may result in instruction that encourages the creation of texts to fit formal requirements, as opposed to the practice of achieving social goals. Technology also plays a role in assisting second/foreign language (L2) writing instruction. The Internet, social networks and digital media may provide EFL learners with greater opportunities for meaningful and authentic language use, which are usually interactive, social and multimodal. Learners can interact with other speakers of the language from different parts of the world, write blogs or create webpages and profiles in social networks and produce both written and oral language with a targeted community of speakers in mind.

(Available: http://www.scielo.br. Adapted.)

In Communicative ELT (English Language Teaching), text genre analysis is essential to uncover the social and the cultural basis of language. The notion of genre has largely drawn the attention of many scholars. It is incontestable that a genre-based approach to teaching greatly improves learners’ skills, not only in academic settings, but also in professional scenarios. A genre--oriented approach to language teaching incorporates an understanding that language is purposeful and that structures emerge from use. Additionally, there is an increasing recognition of the relevance of taking into consideration language varieties, text--types, and text genres while designing reading and writing language programs. As Martin (2002) points out, genres have been defined as staged, goal-oriented social processes. In these terms, as a level of context, genres represent “the system of staged goal-oriented social processes through which social subjects in a given culture live their lives”. In ELT, the concept of text genre sheds light on the influence of the context of culture on language. From that viewpoint, every culture structures particular ways of achieving communication goals in a given context through the production of written and oral texts. The fact that English is considered the predominant language for communicating research findings makes it paramount that users of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) develop proficiency in research English across the skills of reading and writing. In order to be part of the scientific community, EFL researchers need to understand “the social processes by which knowledge about reality and the world are made”, that is, they need to be able to understand several genres that are part of academic social practice. Failure to understand written genres as social action may result in instruction that encourages the creation of texts to fit formal requirements, as opposed to the practice of achieving social goals. Technology also plays a role in assisting second/foreign language (L2) writing instruction. The Internet, social networks and digital media may provide EFL learners with greater opportunities for meaningful and authentic language use, which are usually interactive, social and multimodal. Learners can interact with other speakers of the language from different parts of the world, write blogs or create webpages and profiles in social networks and produce both written and oral language with a targeted community of speakers in mind.

(Available: http://www.scielo.br. Adapted.)

A família, a escola, os outros, todos elegem em nós umacentelha promissora, um território em que poderemosbrilhar. Uns nasceram para cantar, outros para dançar,outros nasceram simplesmente para serem outros. Eu nascipara estar calado. Minha única vocação é o silêncio. Foi meupai que me explicou: tenho inclinação para não falar, umtalento para apurar silêncios. Escrevo bem, silêncios, noplural. Sim, porque não há um único silêncio. E todo osilêncio é música em estado de gravidez.

Quando me viam, parado e recatado, no meu invisívelrecanto, eu não estava pasmado. Estava desempenhado, dealma e corpo ocupados: tecia os delicados fios com que sefabrica a quietude. Eu era um afinador de silêncios.

— Venha, meu filho, venha ajudar-me a ficar calado.

Ao fim do dia, o velho se recostava na cadeira davaranda. E era assim todas as noites: me sentava a seus pés,olhando as estrelas no alto do escuro. Meu pai fechava osolhos, a cabeça meneando para cá e para lá, como se umcompasso guiasse aquele sossego. Depois, ele inspiravafundo e dizia:

— Este é o silêncio mais bonito que escutei até hoje.Lhe agradeço, Mwanito.

Ficar devidamente calado requer anos de prática. Emmim, era um dom natural, herança de algum antepassado.Talvez fosse legado de minha mãe, Dona Dordalma, quempodia ter a certeza? De tão calada, ela deixara de existir enem se notara que já não vivia entre nós, os vigentesviventes.

— Você sabe, filho: há a calmaria dos cemitérios. Maso sossego desta varanda é diferente. Meu pai. A voz dele eratão discreta que parecia apenas uma outra variedade desilêncio. Tossicava e a tosse rouca dele, essa, era uma ocultafala, sem palavras nem gramática.

Ao longe, se entrevia, na janela da casa anexa, umabruxuleante lamparina. Por certo, meu irmão nos espreitava.Uma culpa me raspava o peito: eu era o escolhido, o único apartilhar proximidades com o nosso progenitor.

A família, a escola, os outros, todos elegem em nós uma centelha promissora, um território em que poderemos brilhar. Uns nasceram para cantar, outros para dançar, outros nasceram simplesmente para serem outros. Eu nasci para estar calado. Minha única vocação é o silêncio. Foi meu pai que me explicou: tenho inclinação para não falar, um talento para apurar silêncios. Escrevo bem, silêncios, no plural. Sim, porque não há um único silêncio. E todo o silêncio é música em estado de gravidez.

Quando me viam, parado e recatado, no meu invisível recanto, eu não estava pasmado. Estava desempenhado, de alma e corpo ocupados: tecia os delicados fios com que se fabrica a quietude. Eu era um afinador de silêncios.

— Venha, meu filho, venha ajudar-me a ficar calado.

Ao fim do dia, o velho se recostava na cadeira da varanda. E era assim todas as noites: me sentava a seus pés, olhando as estrelas no alto do escuro. Meu pai fechava os olhos, a cabeça meneando para cá e para lá, como se um compasso guiasse aquele sossego. Depois, ele inspirava fundo e dizia:

— Este é o silêncio mais bonito que escutei até hoje. Lhe agradeço, Mwanito.

Ficar devidamente calado requer anos de prática. Em mim, era um dom natural, herança de algum antepassado. Talvez fosse legado de minha mãe, Dona Dordalma, quem podia ter a certeza? De tão calada, ela deixara de existir e nem se notara que já não vivia entre nós, os vigentes viventes.

— Você sabe, filho: há a calmaria dos cemitérios. Mas o sossego desta varanda é diferente. Meu pai. A voz dele era tão discreta que parecia apenas uma outra variedade de silêncio. Tossicava e a tosse rouca dele, essa, era uma oculta fala, sem palavras nem gramática.

Ao longe, se entrevia, na janela da casa anexa, uma bruxuleante lamparina. Por certo, meu irmão nos espreitava. Uma culpa me raspava o peito: eu era o escolhido, o único a partilhar proximidades com o nosso progenitor.