Developing Intercultural Understanding: An Introduction for Teachers

Purposes:

• To explore how we teach about culture
• To identify the skills and capacities necessary for working with a variety of learners

1 How we teach about culture

Suggested time allocation: 30 mins.

Refer to Slide 7: Where have we been?

Explain the three approaches that have been used to teach about culture:

• Traditional Culture
• Culture Studies
• Culture as practices.

Identify that there is similarity in what has happened with classroom pedagogy and our understandings of 'culture'. Ask participants to recall discussion from Session 2.

Highlight the common elements to each of these three approaches, as listed on Slide 6. As a whole group, participants comment on the implications of teaching culture using these approaches. Ask participants to provide examples or reflections from their own lived experience (as either student or teacher).

Provide Resource 9: Static and dynamic views of culture.

Participants read the descriptions of static and dynamic views of culture.

Ask participants to consider the processes identified for teaching about culture from Slide 7 and how these processes present culture. Ask participants to question whether the processes used incorporate the definition of culture used in this professional learning program.

Participants reread Resource 1. As a whole group, brainstorm specific attributes of culture. The list generated by participants should resonate with Slide 7.

Refer to Slide 8: Culture is…

• Activity – Working on paper and with participant movement
  

2 Culture as Dynamic

Suggested time allocation: 30 mins.

The following three activities explore how various texts can be used to develop tasks that support the understanding of culture as dynamic.

Options

Depending on time and the size of the whole group, the facilitator may decide to:

• Activity 1 (Suitable for teachers in Secondary Years of Schooling, using Inspirations)
• Activity 2 (Suitable for teachers in Primary Years of Schooling, using The Really Big Beliefs Project)
• Activity 3 (Suitable for teachers in Secondary Years of Schooling, using Film Asia)

Divide participants into smaller groups, with each group undertaking one activity for a longer period of time (potential to focus on resources appropriate to participants own teaching context); or

Offer each activity for a shorter period of time to the whole group as part of a rotational series of activities; or

Depending on availability of resources, each activity could be set up as a learning centre activity, particularly if participants are undertaking each activity.

3 Identifying skills and capacities necessary to work with a variety of learners.

Suggested time allocation: 10 mins.

Explain to participants that the purpose of this activity is to identify skills and capacities necessary for a teacher/educator when working with a variety of learners in developing intercultural understanding.

Consequently they need to identify what skills they currently have, where their development needs are, and identify appropriate ways to develop further skills.

Ask participants to identify whether any particular skills and capacities necessary for the teacher became evident during the previous activities. If so, does that contribute to their understanding of themselves as a learner.

Provide Resource 13: Self as learner.

Ask participants to individually journal:

• the skills they currently have, such as openness and respect
• where they need to develop, such as engaging with more cultures
• how they might develop the skills, such as study or travel.

Ask participants to suggest ways to best address the range of understandings and possible sensitivities amongst learners to ensure that all are included and their views are valued.

Form groups of four and share the skills and capacities identified.

One person from each group reports the most significant findings to the whole group.

Highlight major connections to the purpose of the sessions – that developing intercultural understanding is based on a dynamic view of culture and cultures are socially constructed through lived experience. Teaching approaches to culture have been varied and many promoted a static view. However, there are many contemporary resources available that enable teachers and learners to engage with a dynamic, multi-layered view of culture. Use of dynamic approaches to culture requires teachers to see themselves as learners at various stages and to engage in appropriate professional learning.