Communication is an essential skill utilized by any teacher. It is important to be a culturally competent communicator. It is also important to identify the belief systems of both the student and teacher to spot blocks to communication:
- ETHNOCENTRISM
- Inability to accept anothers culture's world view; "my way is the best"
- DISCRIMINATION
- Differential treatment of an individual due to minority status; actual and perceived; e.g., "we just aren't equipped to serve people like that."
- STEREOTYPING
- Generalizing about a person while ignoring presence of individual difference; e.g., "she's like that because she's Asian -- all Asians are nonverbal."
- CULTURAL BLINDNESS
- Differences are ignored and one proceeds as though differences did not exist; e.g., "there's no need to worry about a person's culture - if you're a sensitive teacher, you do okay."
- CULTURAL IMPOSITION
- Belief that everyone should conform to the majority; e.g., "we know what's best for you, if you don't like it you can go elsewhere."
CONCEPTS RELATED TO BRIDGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES (ETHNIC)
| E | Everyone has a culture. |
| T | Take time to collect relevant cultural information. |
| H | Hold all judgements; ie. be careful about interpreting the culturally different student's behavior, especially if unfamiliar with the culture. |
| N | Notice and negotiate differences in understanding of teaching and learning. |
| I | Involve cultural resources as approtriate. |
| C | Collaborate to develop objectives and educational strategies. |
(Source Unknown)
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