Transcript Communicating in a Multi

Fact
 In 1987, 89% of our teens were born in Canada.
 In 2008 just 56% of our teens were born in Canada.
(Project Teen Canada as reported in MacLean’s April 13, 2009)
Helen Chadwick 2012
St. Lawrence College
The Multicultural Classroom
Helen Chadwick,
International Student Advisor
St. Lawrence College
June 2012
Helen Chadwick 2012 St. Lawrence College
Disclaimer!
SLC International Student Orientation 2009
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Today
• Identify some strategies for communicating with
others from different cultures;
• Consider how to recognize your own assumptions;
• Understand the impact of assumptions and personal
context on interactions with others;
• Gain appreciation of effort made by individuals from
diverse backgrounds.
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hopefully…
Recognize the opportunities that
intercultural knowledge can bring to
communication and engagement with
others.
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Let’s play cards!
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Barnga
• What did you see happening?
• What did you think about what was
happening?
• What do you feel about what was happening?
D.I.E.
• Describe, Interpret, Evaluate.
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Culture?
)
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Culture?
• Culture is a set of values, beliefs and expectations
that members of a group come to share.
- it is learned;
- the various facets of culture are inter-related;
- it is shared and defines the boundaries of
different groups.
Edward Hall, American Anthropologist
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“Sometimes we cannot get the ideas of
each other, or we offend, due to the
culture difference.”
Chloe, home country China, 2008
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The Tip of the Iceberg
• We see approximately 10% of a person’s
‘culture’. The rest is hidden.
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What’s above water?
Below?
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Work Ethic
Food
Religious ceremony
Language/Accent
Body Language
Skin Colour, Hair
Tattoos
Personal Hygiene
Clothing
Assumptions
Morals
Values
Tradition/History
Perspective
Ethics
Sexuality
Beliefs
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We need to consider ethnicity, race, religion, and
nationality, and
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Personality
Gender
Age (Veteran, Baby Boomer, x, y and …)
Time in Canada
Profession
Socio-economic status/employment status
Abilities/disabilities
Mental Health
etc.
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“In Canada students call Professors by their
names. In Nigeria this is never possible.
Also, students are so free to talk to their
Professor. There is good communication
between teacher and student.”
Olanrewaju, 2009
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Intercultural Competence
• Intercultural competence “is not natural. It is not part
of our primate past, nor has it characterized most
human history. Cross-cultural contact usually has been
accompanied by bloodshed, oppression, or genocide.
The continuation of this pattern in today’s world of
unimagined interdependence is not just immoral or
unprofitable – it is self-destructive.”
•
Milton Bennett (1993)
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Unconscious
Competence
Unconscious
Incompetence
Conscious
Incompetence
William Gudykunst (1993)
Conscious
Competence
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“I was surprised that every student in
the program participated actively in
class.”
Judith, home country Mexico, 2009
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What’s In A Name???
How do you think your partner would respond?
 Country of family origin and heritage
 Languages spoken
 Interests or hobbies
 Favorite foods
 Preferred types of movies, tv programs
 Preferred types of music
 Pets, if any, or favorite animals
Bharadia/Walt Carleton University 2012
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Break
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St. Lawrence College
Cross-Cultural Differences in
Nonverbal Communication
 Space – Personal space.
 Gestures – Do speakers move their hands? What do
these gestures mean?
 Touch –What does touch mean? Do friends touch
each other? Acquaintances? Colleagues?
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 Eye Contact – Where do speakers look when talking?
If they make eye contact is it across the group or
individual? If individual, how often and how long?
 Dress – What is acceptable?
 Time – How late can you be without offending? What
do people say when they’re late? Monochronic –
Polychronic.
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 Facial expressions – How often do people smile? Show
anger? What do they do when students ask questions?
 Classroom behaviour – Do students or teachers smoke,
drink or eat in class? How do the students sit? How do
students get the teacher’s attention? Can students leave a
class in session and what do they say or do if they want to
leave?
Adapted from Skills in Intercultural Communication, UBC Centre for Intercultural Communication
2007.03
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Share an example of being
surprised by a nonverbal
communication
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"I find it hard that so much communication
is by e-mail - with the professors and
fellow students. In my culture, face to face
meetings are important.“
Karla, home country, Mexico
2009
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Tips for Successful Inter-Cultural
Communication
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDvLk7e2Irc
&NR=1
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Summary
1. Use observation skills and mirror
other’s actions, behaviour and body
language.
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2. Appreciate differences.
We are unaware of our own level of intercultural sensitivity and skills.
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3. Don’t assume; respect
instead.
We all see the world partly through the
lens of our own cultural backgrounds,
and we are often unaware of this.
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4. Patience. Take the time to understand –
and enjoy – communication with
someone from another culture.
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Intercultural Dimension
• Unpack the underlying questions, IF ANY
- “Tell me more.”
- “Help me understand why you’re asking.”
- “What do you mean by…”
Remember, sometimes a question really is just a
question.
Helen Chadwick 2012
St. Lawrence College
Intercultural Dimension
• Remember to allow time for reflection.
– Use of silence in many cultures is valued.
– Resist the urge to answer without thinking
through the various ways to interpret the
questions.
– Fiver the person time to reflect on your response
before using “conversation-closing” language and
behaviours.
Helen Chadwick 2012 St. Lawrence College
Intercultural Dimension
• Develop and use a protocol for ensuring that
you have been understood and that you
understand:
– Ask individual to summarize the conversation
– E-mail written summaries using “handout
language”
– Use notes, even for yourself
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Intercultural Dimension
• Quickly discern whether a communication
challenge is based on culture. How?
– It’s a trick question – You can’t.
The trick answer is to ALLOW for
cultural differences in every problembased interaction.
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Intercultural Dimension
Rather than a “culture-free” or bi-cultural
approach, take an inter-cultural approach.
- Avoid the “fairness trap”, i.e., plagiarism
“Fairness is not Sameness.”
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Strategies for improving Cross-Cultural
Communication in the classroom
 Make your expectations and reactions clear.
 Listen actively: be patient, listen carefully and avoid jumping to
conclusions.
 Repeat, rephrase and illustrate messages and instructions.
 Avoid or explain slang, jargon and colloquial expressions.
 Beware of acronyms.
 Tell personal stories instead of jokes which often depend on subtle
distinctions in the language.
 Expect delayed reactions – respect silence.
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You talk for a while!
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Chimamanda Adichie:
The Danger of a Single Story
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Ihs241zeg
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•Reflect on what value(s) or
behaviour(s) need to Stop,
Start and Continue in order
to further open yourself to
new experiences and new
cultures.
Who are you?
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We are both encountering a situation that is
equally difficult for both parties. We both have a
responsibility to adapt.
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“ I’m Venezuelan; I can’t behave like you. I’m from a
different culture and I can adapt, but I am
Venezuelan.”
Barbara, 2009
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“We don’t see
things as they are.
We see things as we
are.” Anäis Nin
Helen Chadwick 2012 St. Lawrence College