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Title: TRANSCULTURAL COMPETENCE: HOW DO WE GET THERE?


1
TRANSCULTURAL COMPETENCE HOW DO WE GET THERE?
SUSAN KNIGHT CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY ACTFL
2013 Session 1635375
2
Self check
  1. What percent of your class time is devoted to
    teaching culture? What percent of your testing?
  2. Are products, practices and perspectives dealt
    with equally?
  3. How motivated are you to maintain your own
    culture knowledge? How do you do this? (Where
    does your information come from?)
  4. What are barriers to keeping abreast of cultural
    changes?

3
Do you have any of these as student objectives?
  • critical thinking
  • global understanding
  • cross-cultural perspectives
  • transcultural competence

4
SOME BASIC ASSUMPTIONSDO WE AGREE??
  1. STEREOTYPES ABOUND
  2. A LACK OF INTERCULTURAL CONTACT CAN RESULT IN
    FEAR, MISUNDERSTANDINGS, CONFLICT, ETHNIC STRIFE,
    HATE AND GENOCIDE (Fantini)
  3. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW ALL OF THE CULTURAL
    PERSPECTIVES OF EVEN YOUR OWN CULTURE OR THOSE OF
    YOUR SUBGROUP

5
  • There is a crying need for understanding and
    mutual acceptance among the worlds people and
    until we can see an issue or practice from
    anothers point of view, there will be no mutual
    understanding. (Omaggio)
  • Open mindedness involves an active disposition to
    welcome points of view hitherto alien (Dewey)

6
HANVEYS STAGES OF CROSS-CULTURAL AWARENESS
  • 1. CULTURE SEEN AS STEREOTYPED, SUPERFICIAL
  • 2. FRUSTRATION WITH CULTURE
  • 3. ACCEPTS NEW CULTURE AS AN ALTERNATIVE
  • BEHAVIOR RATHER THAN WRONG
  • (achievable goal for high school)
  • UNDERSTANDS HOW MEMBERS OF TARGET
  • CULTURE FEEL
  • (college students should strive for this)

7
SOME BASIC GOALS
  • HELP DEVELOP IN STUDENTS
  • AN OPENNESS TO LEARNING NEW ASPECTS OF THEIR OWN
    AND OTHER CULTURES
  • A CURIOSITY ABOUT OTHER PERSPECTIVES
  • A REALIZATION THAT LIVING LEARNING
  • TOOLS OR A PROCESS BY WHICH TO ENHANCE THAT
    LEARNING

8
1) Examination of a process model2) EXAMINE
Culture lessons in 3 settings based on this
model a) Projects/tasks in the FL classrooms
b) Examples from university classes/instructors
cited for their ability to change
attitudes c) Study abroad tasks
  • But.. HOW IS THIS DONE? HOW MIGHT THESE GOALS
    BE REACHED IN A CLASSROOM?

9
TWO BASIC THEORIES/MODELS
  • Information-acquisition approach teacher
    provides students information and facts.
  • Constructivist/process oriented approach-
    students construct their views of culture via
    social and communicative interaction.
  • -assumes a period of disequilibrium the
    construction of new meanings from old ones

10
Past research on this model
  • Wright (2000). used both approaches to cultural
    learning with college students learning German.
    Both had same factual information but 2nd group
    had added tasks
  • Pose a problem or topic leading to confusion
  • Encourage students to address problem themselves
    first (teacher only served as mediator)
  • Students shared opinions put reasoning in words
  • Probing questions with wait time so they could
    think about answer
  • Opportunity to reflect on topic in relationship
    to their attitudes
  • Abrams (2002) produced similar results

11
Deardorff (2006) and Bryran (1997)- first step in
developing intercultural competence begins with
examination of attitudes. Morgan (1993) did a
comprehensive review of the research and theory
on attitude changes with regard to FL classroom
learning and concluded that four aspects need to
be considered when attempting to change student
attitudes, namely (1) awareness of their own
cultural attitudes. (2) active student
involvement with controversial materials (3)
novel classroom activities, (4) struggle with
complex material ? own conclusions,
12
Example of Classroom Research based on Morgans
model
  • TOPIC CHOICE- illegal immigration
  • PRE- AND POST QUESTIONNAIRE- of attitudes
  • SELECTION OF MATERIALS- various viewpoints from
    various perspectives (primary information source
    is not instructorarticles video)
  • CONSTRUCTION OF VARIOUS STUDENT TASKS

13
Film Arobics Cultural Comparisons
  • Other tasks pre-listening maps comprehension
    Z-charts values clarification via imaginate,
    debates, etc.

14
RESULTS
  • QUANTITATIVE (PRE- AND POST-QUESTIONNAIRE
    RESULTS)
  • QUALITATIVE (FREE WRITES, OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS,
    DEBATES, ETC)

15
Questionnaire results Major attitude changes
  • 2/3rds of questions answered were significantly
    different in pre/post test
  • showing greater understanding of immigrant
    perspective

16
ITEMS WITH GREATEST CHANGE
  1. Illegal immigrants often suffer poor working
    conditions even though they are now in the US
  2. Many of these jobs are dangerous in one way or
    another
  3. Americans do benefit from Hispanic undocumented
    laborers
  4. Illegal immigrants do face discrimination in the
    U.S.
  5. Not all who live in the U.S. should speak English
  6. I understand how one might illegally cross into
    another country and why someone might do so.

17
Student comments
  • Enjoyed project
  • At times I wanted to be on the other side because
    that is how I feel now
  • Wish there was a sequel to the movie
  • Liked the games and activities we did in class
  • I understand this situation better

18
Goal of project
  • Not to indoctrinate, but to show another
    perspective and let the students decide.
  • Becoming aware of our own biases and helping
    students recognize theirs are first important
    steps in teaching for cultural understand in our
    classrooms (Omaggio)

19
AATSP presentation by Regina Casale Longwood
Central School District, Middle Island NY
  1. Used the film Deputized, (2012) examining the
    hate crime that resulted in murder of Ecuadorian
    immigrant Marcelo Lucero in Long Island
  2. PEW research center info - 65 of hate crimes
    against Latinos 35 all other races and women
  3. Examples of pre- and post-viewing activities

20
ANOTHER CLASSROOM EXAMPLE
  • Role plays using a model proposed by Smith and
    Otero (1977) 2 Americans traveling through
    imaginary countries of Crony, Ord, Fondi, Dandi
    or Lindi. They lost their money and need to ask
    natives for help.
  • When Fondis agree with something they frown and
    look down when they disagree, they smile and nod
    their heads.
  • Dandis stand 12 inches or closer to people when
    talking to them.
  • Cronies would not listen to a male if he asks for
    a favor because females decide everything
    important.

21
COMPARING PERSPECTIVES BEGIN WITH YOUR CLASS
22
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26
clothing tipping customs degree of
eye contact Food gestures
methods of worship works of art
personal distance
practices
products




perspectives views on equality
rules of politeness religious
beliefs time management relationship with
nature concept of beauty (adapted from
Maximizing Study Abroad, p. 47)
27
PREPONDERANCE OF BELIEF Human beings
Nature controls Control nature/life
Human beings 10lt.5..gt1 (Edwar
d C. Stewart, American Cultural Pattern A
Cross Cultural Perspective)
28
(Edward C. Stewart, American Cultural
Pattern A Cross Cultural Perspective)
29
Time comparisonsto chart
  • U.S. --Time is money!
  • Spanish -- He who rushes, arrives first at the
    grave.
  • Japanese -- When in a hurry, take the
    roundabout route and The more haste--the less
    speed.
  • The Arabs caution -- Haste is the devils work
    and patience is from the Merciful (Allah).
  • The Chinese long-term perspective -- Drips of
    water wear through stone and Feather by
    feather the goose is plucked.
  • Ecuador -- Little by little one walks far.
  • Zaire --The peanuts dont grow until the rains
    come.
  • Ethiopia --If you wait long enough, even an egg
    will walk (the chicken will hatch).

30
Spanish 101 ARTIFACTSmoving from product to
practice to perspective
31
What do you feel seeing this person?
32
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33
STUDY II EXAMINATION OF UNIVERSITY COURSES
SELECTED AS ENHANCING PERSPECTIVE OF THE OTHER
  • Chairs of departments identified courses and
    professors
  • Courses were examined for components of the
    model.
  • Evaluation of syllabi and tasks assigned
  • Follow up discussion with professor

34
Examination of 25 syllabi for examples of
Morgans 4 points
  1. Awareness of students own cultural attitudes
  2. Active student involvement with controversial
    materials
  3. Novel classroom activities
  4. Struggle with complex material ? own conclusions
    (content that is reflected upon and transformed
    personalized not memorized)

35
PRELIMINARY RESULTS (2)
  • Discussion with professors regarding course for
    examples of Morgans 4 points
  • awareness of their own cultural attitudes
    (14/25)
  • active student involvement with controversial
    materials (21/25)
  • novel classroom activities (15/25)
  • struggle with complex material ? own conclusions
    (19/25)

36
Philosophy 118 Moral problems
  • Teeter-totter model using yes /no questions.
  • formulate your question clearly
  • give the best reasons in favor of yes answer
    and then best for no
  • weigh up the reasons
  • accept the answer that has the most going for it
    (i.e., weighs more)
  • Worked through examples in class (e.g., Tracy
    Latimer death penalty euthanasia the Dutch
    laws versus the Oregon laws )

37
TESOL
  • Uses books (e.g., Guadalupe Valdes book Con
    respeto) to have students do value comparisons
    for different cultures
  • What does it mean to be successful in different
    cultures?
  • Makes students find articles on controversial
    issues both pro and con. Must be from quality
    source. They must write a page summary of each,
    and then a 2-page summary of their position based
    on the facts.

38
French 591 France at War in 20th Century
  • Began by reflecting on their own war knowledge,
    feelings, and experiences
  • Blackboard readings from FRN newspapers
  • Sent professor 3 questions from articles
  • Film clips of personal experiences in trenches,
    in landmine, etc.
  • Class visitor who was in France during Algerian
    War
  • Final reflection paper (served as pre-post
    test of sorts when no good tests)

39
Political Science 275 Great Political Thinkers
  • Question political philosophy seeks to answer
    How should we live together? What is the best
    way for an individual to live?
  • While many questions cannot be answered, we
    should not let this lead us into indifference or
    intellectual laziness about answers that have
    been given we must be willing to think about
    them seriously and consider their strength and
    weaknesses.
  • Some answers are better than others if not, how
    could we praise Martin Luther King or condemn
    Hitler for their beliefs and actions
  • TASKS debates-- student prepares 2-page essay
    stating his/her position and listing 2 or 3
    points made by one of authors in debate

40
Culture and civilization of Latin America
  • Have students read a about the war between Mexico
    and U.S. in the 1800 from a history book for
    Mexican children (sexto grado)
  • Have them read the same history from a U.S.
    viewpoint.
  • Discussion

41
Religion 241. Islam an Introduction
  • Task Write 3 critical book reviews of books
    read using 3 contexts
  • your encounter with them based on
  • your own experience
  • your critical reflection on the text
  • at least 3 learning events among your
  • classroom experiences

42
Sociology 323 Racism and Inequality
  • Students participate in his project to introduce
    at-risk high school students to higher ed.
  • Students served as mentors to high school
    students who did not even consider going to
    college.
  •  

43
SPN 201 Intermediate SPN
  • Task 1 - Make a list of food items that your
    family usually eats in a typical week. Where do
    you get these items? What comes pre-prepared?
    What meals do you eat together? How do your
    familys eating patterns reflect the value that
    your family puts on different activities?
  • Task 2 Share lists with 3 classmates. How
    similar
  • Task 3 Look at photographs from Hungry Planet
    What the World Eats

44
Caveats
  • Must be sure that the materials, tasks and
    presentation are not indoctrination.
  • Lack of good psychometrical measurement tools
    with established statistical norms for changes in
    critical thinking, attitude, or values (Follman)
  • Example Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory-
    When I meet people who are different from me, I
    expect to like them.

45
Setting guidelines
  • You are encouraged to introduce into the
    discussion any relevant topic that you think is
    interesting and important if the rest of us seem
    to be overlooking it
  • Many of the ideas that we will consider are
    controversial, and you will probably have strong
    feelings and opinions about some of them. I
    encourage you to offer your opinions and add to
    the discussion. However, personal attacks and
    abusive language will not be tolerated. People
    can sincerely differ with you without being
    stupid, dishonest or malicious.

46
Study Abroad the solution ??
  • Study abroad in itself does not insure increase
    TL fluency or intercultural competence
  • Findings from
  • Knight, Susan and Barbara Schmidt-Rinehart.
    (2010). Exploring conditions to enhance
    student/host-family interaction abroad. Foreign
    Language Annals, Vol. 43, No. 1, 64-80.

47
Conversation tasks with families based on
topics
  • 1) Mi preparación
  • Vocabulario util
  • Mi punto de vista cultural
  • Preguntas para la familia
  • 2) Información de la familia (la
    entrevista/apuntes)
  • 3) Evaluación de la interacción
  • Followed by in-class conversation

48
gracias
thanks
danke
Mahalo nui loa
merci
Arigatou gozaimasu. ???????????
49
TRANSCULTURAL COMPETENCE HOW DO WE GET THERE?
  • SUSAN KNIGHT knigh1sm_at_cmich.edu
  • Power point presentation can be found at
  • ACTFL Online Community- Session 1635375
  • http//www.chsbs.cmich.edu/susan_knight/

50
What are sources for showing our students another
perspective?
  • Movies/film
  • Books and articles
  • Guest speakers
  • Service learning
  • Study abroad
  • Internet partners
  • other?

51
Composite definition for attitudes has been
provided by Baker 1988.
  •   ATTITUDES are cognitive (i.e., are capable of
    being thought about) and affective (i.e., have
    feelings and emotions attached to them). They
    are dimensional rather than bipolarthey vary in
    degree of favourability/unfavourablity.
    Attitudes predispose a person to act in a certain
    way, but the relationship between attitudes and
    actions is not a strong one. They are learnt,
    not inherited or genetically endowed and tend to
    persist but they can be modified by experience.
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