Question

Alias, a Native American student, was being reprimanded by his third grade teacher for talking during class. The teacher became agitated when Alias constantly looked at the floor while she was talking to him. In the conversation, she repeatedly told Alias, "Look at me when I am speaking to you." Although he attempted to look at the teacher, he found it difficult and his gaze always returned to the floor. What explanation can be offered for this situation from a cross-cultural perspective?

Answer 1

Answer: Alias is most likely raised under a cultural norm that doesn't allow children to look at an adult when they are speaking and the teacher may be coming from a culture which takes it as disrespect or as a sign of not hearing what someone is saying unless you make eye contact and that create a misunderstanding between the two of them.

Explanation:

In some cultures when a child looks at an adult in the eyes when they are speaking it's a sign of disrespect , a child is expected to show respect and remorse for what they have done by not looking at an elder in the eyes.

Other cultures eye contact is the way of showing you are listening to what is being said to you and you understand it.