Asia Education Foundation

Developing Intercultural Understanding: An Introduction for Teachers

cover image: Developing Intercultural Understanding
An Introduction for Teachers

The Developing Intercultural Understanding Program aims to develop participants' notions of interculturality and knowledge of intercultural understanding within the context of studies of Asia in English, Languages, SOSE and the Arts. The Program explores links between intercultural understanding and current State and Territory curriculum documents and national curriculum priorities and provides practical classroom activities that explore interculturality across learning areas and year levels.

 

 


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Session 7: Sharing of Strategies

Suggested time allocation: 30 minutes

Purpose:

To share learnings, potential implications of learnings, and possible actions

Share learnings, potential implications of learnings, and possible actions

Provide Resource 20: Developing intercultural understanding – sharing learnings, implications and actions.

Ask participants to record their responses to the following:

  • What have you learnt about developing intercultural understanding?
  • What are the implications of this learning for your classroom practice and school (or other workplace)?
  • What are possible actions you can take in relation to these implications?

Draw three columns on the whiteboard with the following headings:

Have participants identify a specific learning from the activity. An example could be the recognition that language used in any situation, and especially a classroom is culturally constructed. The implication from that learning is to be aware of the assumptions and presumptions in the language used. The related action may be to find more inclusive language.

Another learning could be the recognition that cultures change. The implication is that professional knowledge needs to be regularly updated. Related actions could be to have a professional learning plan that incorporates appropriate learning opportunities to engage with a variety of cultures.

  • Learnings
  • Implications
  • Related actions.

Ask participants to find a person from a similar work environment and discuss learnings, implications and actions in pairs. Record these on an A3 copy of Resource 20.

Ask each pair to join with another pair and to share their discussion.