Teaching in the Intercultural Classroom

Teaching Support Centre2006

Today’s session

• A definition of culture • Cultural variations • “A Different Place”• Observations• Intercultural theory• Small group discussions about observations• Larger group discussion• Canadian students

Culture

A learned set of beliefs, values and norms that members of a group share about what are appropriate and inappropriate ways of thinking, behaving and communicating.

Cultures differ in…

Nonverbal communication(gestures, use of time, space, eye contact)

Verbal Communication(logic, silence and talk, formality)

Value orientations power and status; relationship of individual to society; perception of activity, relationship to nature, gender norms…

Generalizations vs. Stereotypes

• A generalization: “The tendency of a majority of people in a cultural group to hold certain values and beliefs, and to engage in certain patterns of behavior.”– NB: A cultural tendency– NB: Hypothesis to be held lightly

• A stereotype: “The application of a generalization to every person in a cultural group; or, generalizing from only a few people in a group.”

Janet M. and Milton J. Bennett

Normative behaviour

Janet & Milton Bennett

A Different Place:The Intercultural Classroom

MingChina

EstebanEl Salvador

SimonSouth Africa

KatiaRussia

MarikoJapan

Charlie U.S.A

AmyU.S.A

JoannaU.S.A

Professor Larry Ford

USA

Communication Styles

• Describe the patterns of expression and rules of interaction that reflect the norms and values of a culture

Janet and Milton Bennett, Intercultural Communication Institute 1993

Communication Styles

• Circular• Indirect• High Context• Detached• Person Focused• Relationship Focused• Informal

• Linear • Direct • Low Context • Attached (Emotional)• Idea Focused • Task Focused • Formal

Linear vs. Circular

• A -------------- B• Getting to the point is

important• Point is stated explicitly• Not getting to the point

is waste of time

• Circular communication around the main point

• Let the story make the point

• Stating the point is seen as insulting to other person

• Elegant, flowing remarks

Direct vs. Indirect

• Straightforward• No beating about the bush• Directness = honesty and

respect for other person• Avoiding ambiguity

• Meaning conveyed by subtle means, stories, implication

• Indirectness = politeness and respect for other person

• Frequent use of implication

Low Context vs. High Context

• The context is not assumed to be known

• Clear explanation, precise description

• Spell out everything• Reliance of verbal

messages• “Overexplaining”

• The context is assumed to be known

• To explain everything and state meaning precisely may be insulting

• Leave understanding up to other person

• “Underexplaining”

Attached vs. Detached

• Communication should be calm and impersonal

• Objectivity valued

• Emotional, expressive communication is seen as immature or biased

• Communicating with feeling and emotion

• Subjectivity valued

• Sharing one’s values and feelings about issues is desirable

Idea Focused vs. Person Focused

• Ideas and person holding them separate

• Open disagreement acceptable

• Disagreement with person’s ideas not seen as personal attack

• Ideas and person not separate

• Feelings important• Disagreement handled

very carefully• Disagreement is attack on

the person

Task vs. Relationship Focus

• Priority: getting the task done

• People’s feelings are secondary to this goal

• Priority: relationships

• Maintaining group harmony central

• No task completion at the expense of group or person

Formal vs. Informal

• Strict rules about forms of address, acknowledgement of status

• Ritualized communication

• Fewer specific rules

• Use of first names

• More flexibility in what one can say to whom and how

Skills that make a difference

• Mindfulness (Ting-Toomey, 1993)

• Sense of Humor

• Tolerance for ambiguity

• Ability to make mistakes

Objectives

• Help students understand the norms and expectations in the Canadian classroom

• Help Canadian students become aware of cultural differences in reasoning and communication

• Encourage integration: help international students to adapt and communicate effectively in Canada while maintaining connection with their home culture

Strategies for the intercultural classroom

• Explain norms of your classroom culture• Describe your expectations• Discuss differences openly• Be open to new ways of learning• Be cautious in making attributions about student

behaviour

Strategies for the intercultural classroom

• Do an audience analysisWhere are students from?What assumptions do they bring withthem about classroom interaction?How do they learn best?What makes them uncomfortable?

• Refer students to workshops and courses that help them succeed in Canadian academia:

Teaching Support Center/TATPwww.uwo.ca/tsc

Cognitive Styles

• Describe how an individual interacts with his or her environment, extracts information from it and organizes personal knowledge and then applies that knowledge.

Jonassen & Grabowski, 1993Handbook of Individual Differences, Learning and Instruction

Continuum of Cognitive Styles

Differences in:

♦ use of logic♦ problem solving strategies♦ level of abstraction♦ use of intuitive, hypothetical and structured

ways of knowing