LESSON 1

Social and Cultural Background

Where do the senior high school students came
from?
The classroom may represent diverse culture
because they came from different societies with
different cultures. They differ in gender,
age,ethnicity, ability and exceptionality, religion
and socio-economic status: Learning about their
cultural and social differences will help us
understand and support each other rather than
discriminate or be prejudicial to one another. Let
us make these social differences and cultural
diversity a huge asset than a social problem. Let
us know some of these differences.
Ethnicity
A person's ethnicity is their ethnic traits,
classification, or association. If your ethnicity is
Bicolano, you might speak Bicol in the home
and eat Bicol food. Or you might simply refer to
yourself as Bicolano and identify with your
ethnicity in no other way. Usually, ethnicity is a
collective noun, but in the singular, an ethnicity
is a particular ethnic group. The adjective ethnic
relates to large groups of people who have
certain racial, cultural, religious, or other traits in
common.
Exceptionality
Special needs students are those with
exceptionalities. In general, exceptionalities fall
in six broad categories: well as those who are
slow to learn Communicative. The students have
spadal learning disabilities of pech or language
impairments,
 • Sensory Bensory grouped students have
auditory ar visual disabilities
 • Behavioral These students are emotionally
disturbed or socially maladjusted
 • Physical. This include students with
orthopedicor mobility disabilities
• Multiple. These students have a combination of
conditions, such as
 orthopedically challenged and visually impaired,
 Although statisties are difficult to obtain, it has
been estimated that
 between 10 and 13 percent of the school-age
population has exceptionalities,
 Thus, in an average-size classroom of 25
students, it is conceivable that 3 or
 4 individuals will exhibit one or more
exceptionalities,
Tips for Working with Exceptionalities
Students and even some teachers) may view the
extra attention special needs students receive as
unfair. However, according to long-time special
education teacher Deb Watkins, "Fairness isn't
about treating everyone the same; it's giving
everyone what they need."
It is quite likely that we have a diversity of
students in your classroom representing a variety
of talents and abilities. With this in mind, here
are some generalized strategies for you to
consider as you work with all special needs
students:
 Be aware that special needs students may not
want to be singled out for any special treatment.
To do so may identify their disability for other
students and cause them to receive some form of
attention they may not be able to handle.
 Ensure that your attitude and responses to
special needs students may require extended
periods of time to master a concept or learts a
spec skill you may need to repeat information
several times and reinforce in many ways
 It is quite easy to fall into the trap of focusing on
the weaknesses of special needs students. Yet it
is vitally important that you be aware of and
seeks to identify the individual strengths of each
and every student in your classroom.
 Help students understand that grading,
evaluation, and assessment is based on
identifiable objectives in accordance with
individual potential. Evaluation should not be
coupled with the limitations of students but
rather to their expectations.
 Provide significant opportunities for students of
all abilities to learn from each other. Structure
variety of learning activities in which the social
climate of the classroom is both promoted and
enhanced. It is important that everyone feels like
he or she is contributing.
 Do not make inappropriate assumptions based on
student's exceptionalities. For example, don't
assume that a learning disabled student is not
gifted in the visual arts. Also, don't assume that
children with disabilities are disabled in all
areas.
 We all have strengths in some areas and
weaknesses in others. A student may have severe
problems in Math and Science, but be a gifted
public speaker with a talent for learning foreign
languages. A student may be an intelligent,
creative learner in all academic areas, but may
be hampered by a wheelchair that makes many
locations and activities inaccessible.
 Socio-economic Status
There may be differences in socio-economic status of
students in the classroom. Some students may belong
to the upper class and others are in the middle or
lower class.
1. Upper Class. The people in this class have a great
wealth and sources of income. They constitute the
elite wealthy group in a society. They have high
reputation in terms of power and prestige. They live
in exclusive residential area, belong to exclusive
private clubs, and may have strong political
influence in the system of government. They own
several cars and properties and their children may
study in exclusive schools.
Middle Class. People in this class system may
belong to upper middle class like the
businessmen and professionals or in the lower -
class like the teachers, clerks, etc. People
belonging to the upper-middle class generally
command high income, often have college
education live in comfortable homes, own
properties, have some money savings and active
in community activities. People in the lower-
middle class have not achieved the same lifestyle
of the upper-middle class but somehow have
modest income and live in simple life.
3. Lower Class. People in this class belong to the bottom
of socio-economic ladder. This class system may be
categorized into two: upper – lower class and lower-
lower class. People in the upper - lower class may be
considered as the working class or the laborers. They
have acquired little education, little time to involve in
civic and community activities Some of them are
underemployed, have many socio-economic problems,
with little or no luxuries at all. The lower-lower class
people are those who are unemployed, or no source of
income except by begging or dependent from private
and government relief. Many of them live in squatter
areas, under the bridge, in street corridors, or with no
house at all. Many of them are liabilities of society
because they may be involved in drug addiction and
criminalities.

Race
According to Macionis (2003) race is a socially
constructed categorycomposed of people who share
biologically transmitted traits that membersof society
consider important. Racial distractions become
meaningfulbecause we attach meaning to them, and the
consequences may formprejudice and discrimination to
slavery and genocide. The Filipinos are ofbrown race,
but the Spaniards during their time in the Philippines
calledthe Filipinos as Indio's because of their black race
while the Spaniardswere of yellow race. This was the
reason why Schaefer (1900) pointed outthat race;
ethnicity and religion serve as barriers to harmonious
relationsbetween groups of people, and nations. It can
give tensions even within a society.
Gender
Attach to being female and male shaping how we interact
with other persons It refers to personal traits and social
positions that members of a society being female and
male. It is a dimension of social organization we interact
with others and how we think of ourselves as There is
hierarchy or working of genders between men and
women, most especially during the early times in terms
of power, wealth, position and other resources.
Generally women encounter prejudice and
discrimination and are relegated to the position of social
maturity. That is the reason why most companies and
government entities hold gender sensitivity seminar to
orient the public that women is now equal to men in the
rank, position and prestige
 Religion
 Itis one of society's important institutions; it is a
belief system thatemphasizes the supernatural
being. Religion is a universal culture
patternssince all people have some kind of
religion. Religious symbols and meaningshape
the world views thoughts and beliefs of the
adherents. Religious beliefs affect or influence
the attitude or behavior of an individual or
society.In the classroom, they are various
religious beliefs the student have.
 Social Change
things change. Change happens everywhere and anytime.
Social change is the modification and alteration of a
pattern of behavior, social structure, social organization
and social institution. Changes in society cause changes
in culture.
When there is a social change, industrialization
urbanization, improved transportation, mobilization of
population, desire for material goods,prevalent
compadre system, etc. occur. Thus, change affects or
influences the individual's attitude and behavior in
society. Change in hairstyle, dress,dance, information
and communication technology such as cell
phone,computers, landline telephones, etc. change the
way people interact and behave.
Political Identity
Political identity is almost always associated with a group
affiliation and describes the ways in which being a
member of a particular groupmight express specific
political opinions and attitude. Various factors can
construct an identity, including race, nationality, where a
person lives, a person's gender, sexuality, religion class
Political identity frequently refers to a specific political
party, affiliation or partisan identity. Partisan affiliation
signifies membership in a group that defines a world
view and a core set of common values. As political
parties benefit from partisan identity of this kind - since
it makes for very loyal and reliable voters - parties seek
to cultural partisan loyalty, including political dynasties
among their members.
 LESSON 2
Characteristics/Aspects of Society and Culture Learning
Competencies
Characteristics of Society
A group of people living together is considered to
be a society if it has the following
characteristics. These are:
1. Society is a complex whole. As a complex
whole, it is a social system consisting of
individuals socially interacting with each other.
A change in one group of individual will affect
the stability of the other parts of the whole
system.
2. Society is relatively large. Being a complex
whole, the people must be socially integrated to
be considered relatively large than if the people
are individually scattered. Thus, the people in a
family, clan, tribe, neighborhood, community are
socially integrated to be relatively large in scope.
3. Society socializes its members and from those
from without. Since most of society's members
are born to it, they are taught the basic norms and
expectations. Those who come from other
societies, before being accepted as functioning
members, are socialized and taught the basic
norms and expectations of such society.
4. Society endures, produces and restrains its
members for generations, For society to survive,
it must have the ability to produce, endure and
sustain its new members for at least several
generations. For instance a society cannot assist
its members, during their extreme o poverty, that
society will not survive long.
5. Society holds its members through a
common culture. The individuals in a society are
held together because that society has symbols,
norms, values, and patterns of interactions,
vision and missions that are commonly shared
by the members of such society.
6. Society has clearly-defined geographical territory.
The members in a society must live in a certain specific
habitat or place and have a common belongingness and
sense of purpose. Characteristics of Culture Since culture is
a design, a recipe or a roadmap for living that guides the
behavior of members in a society, it has the following
characteristics:
 1. Culture is learned and acquired. Culture is not
instinctive nor a part of biological equipment of
man. It is acquired through the sense and
experiences - from the neighbors, family, playmates,
schools. churches and other agents of socialization:
The means of acquisition are imitation,
conditioning, suggestion, formal or informal
instruction and mass media.
 2. Culture is shared and transmitted. To
continuously preserve culture, it is best to share to
other people or to transmit it to the next generation,
of else it will die a natural death Culture is
transmitted through language (oral, written or
symbolic)
 3. Culture is adaptive or dynamic. Culture is
always changing, new ideas, procedures and
techniques are added, modified or discarded
People must be prepared and ready to conform to
these changes. The changes going on today is
very rapid than in the primitive times due to fast
advancement of science and technology.
 4. Culture is cumulative. Certain features of
culture have been retaine today and they are
modified and innovated to make them new an
updated) Thus, man's modification and
innovation are learned from already existing
culture in the past.
 5.Culture is ideational. Culture is an ideal pattern
of behavior w the members are expected to
follow. Thus, the members of society society
from the standpoint of culture.
 6. Culture gratifies human needs, Culture
continues to exist if it satisfies human needs
biologically and psychologically jAn individual
is likely to follow and observe cultural
techniques that satisfy his needs.
 7. Culture is social. Culture is a group product
developed by many individuals interacting in a
group) The habits and knowledge of the members in
a group are shared by other members out of the
sharing of ideas, culture sprouts.
 8. Culture is integration. By integration, it means
that there is a tendency for individuals to fully
appreciate those elements in culture that are best for
them and these are very often integrated in their
personality and become a part of their behavior)
Most often, these bundles of traits or elements
which are already rooted in their behavior are very
difficult to remove as they were already ingrained or
were already integrated over the years.
9. Culture is not usually known by people. The
way people interact and do things in their
everyday lives seems "natural" to people.
People are unaware of their culture because
they are so close to it and know it well] For
most people, it is as if their learned behavior
was biologically inherited. It is usually known
only when they come into contact with people
from another culture that they become aware
that their patterns of behavior are not universal
10. No one knows everything about his/her culture. In
all societies, there are bodies of specialized cultural
knowledge that are gender specific- they are known
to men but not to women or vice versa) In many
societies there are also bodies of religious groups, or
other special purpose associations. Gender based
skills, knowledge and perception largely stem from
the fact that boys and girls to some extent are treated
differently from each other in all societies.
 11.Culture gives people a range of permissibly
behavior patterns. Culture commonly allows a range
of ways in which men can be men and women can
be women. Culture also tells people how different
activities should be conducted such as how one
should act as a husband, wife, parent, child, etc.
Then rules ot permissible behavior are usually
flexible to a degree - there are some alternatives
rather than hard rules.
 12.Culture is learned through enculturation.
Enculturation is the process through which we learn
about the culture we live in. Through enculturation,
we learn what behavior, values language, and morals
are acceptable in our society) We learn by observing
other members of our society, including our parents,
friends, teachers and mentors Enculturation provides
a means for us to become functional members of our
society.