Presented By: Faye Roberts
Compiled By: Faye Roberts & Phianna Lee
Fall 2013
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Objectives
Ground Rules
Silent Introductions
What is Cultural Competence?
Models of Cultural Competence
Carol’s Story
Race, Ethnicity, Culture
Worldview: Western VS. Non-western
Oppression, Racism, Power
Strategies for Developing Cultural Competence
Questions?
Resources
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The training must be participatory
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Reflect our values of the agency
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Carried forward into our programs in our Conversation
sessions, mentorships and events
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Build on the knowledge sharing of our newcomers to our
volunteers and beyond in to the community
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To identify the knowledge, skills and attitudes our
volunteers have to communicate across cultural boundaries
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To put the values of respect and diversity into practice in
our everyday lives
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Share knowledge
Be open
Show respect
Listen to each other
One person speaks
at a time
Honest with
feedback
Give feedback in
writing
BE YOURSELF!!!
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No one should make the claim of being educated
until he or she has learned to live in harmony
with people who are different.
- A. H. Wilson
OBJECTIVES:
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To understand the
inaccuracies & hurtful impact
of assumptions &
stereotypes
To understand how
stereotypes stigmatize an
entire group
To identify sources that
perpetuate stereotypes
To identify strategies for
eliminating negative
stereotypes and assumptions
ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION:
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Choose a partner with someone whom you do not know
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Without soliciting input from partner, each person answers following
questions about your partner:
Where is your partner from?
 Did your partner grow up poor, working-, middle-, or upperclass?
 What is your partner’s religious affiliation?
For how many generations has your partner’s family been in this
country?
 What is your partner’s ethnic origin?
 What is your partner’s marital status?
 How much formal education do your partner’s parents have?
 How many children does your partner have?
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After completion of the above, please…
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Share assumptions with partners
Explain why & how you generated these
assumptions
Correct any erroneous statements made
about him/her
Describe how it felt to hear these
Discuss what factors contribute to the
stereotypes & how they originated
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A set of congruent attitudes, practices,
policies & structures that come together in a
system/agency to enable professionals to
work more effectively with members of
culturally distinct groups in a manner that
values & respects the culture & worldview of
those groups
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Identify & understand the impact of various
identities in a given situation
Understand & effectively manage intergroup
dynamics to ensure effective communication
Understand & challenge the assumptions/
policies/politics in the system that impact on
identities & interactions
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Knowing everything about every culture/needing
to abandon own cultural identity, rather it means
a respect for differences & a willingness to accept
the idea that there are many ways of viewing the
world
Mason et al.’s (1996) 5-stage model of cultural competence:
1. Cultural destructiveness - Acknowledgement of differences is refused
2. Cultural incapacity - Differences are widely ignored
3. Cultural blindness: - Cultural differences are not viewed as important
4. Cultural precompetence – The need for cultural competence is
recognized
5. Cultural competence – Differences are acknowledged & organizations
explore issues of equity, viewing people’s
backgrounds as resources
Pedersen’s 3-stage model of cultural
competence:
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1. Awareness – of own attitudes &
biases as well as the sociopolitical
issues that confront culturally
different youngsters
2. Knowledge – accumulation of
factual information about different
cultural groups
3. Skills – integration of awareness
competencies to positively impact
others from culturally distinct
groups
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Carol is a supervisor of a data-processing
unit in a large securities firm. Her department
includes employees of several different
nationalities. She has had a recurring problem
dealing with unique management issues when
these cultures clash…
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“It is difficult keeping harmony in the
department. Each culture seems to form cliques.
You can see it when you look in the cafeteria at
lunch time – the West Indians sit over here, the
Portuguese over here, and the Filipinos and East
Indians in the other two corners.
It’s hard to develop a team spirit, especially when
most of the time they speak to each other in their
mother tongue. Today, for example, Sheena
refuses to work beside Mohammed because she
claims he put a curse on her. How am I supposed
to manage that?”
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Originally the term race was used to sort races
on basis of phenotypic/permanent physical
characteristics; therefore, many racial
distinctions were determined on basis of
physical differences
Currently, race operates as a social
construction that frequently refers more to
social & political interactions & dynamics that
subordinate nonwhite groups than to skin
colour, genetic/biological features
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Ethnicity describes groups in which members
share a cultural heritage from one generation
to another
Attributes include a group image & a sense of
identity derived from contemporary cultural
patterns (e.g. values, beliefs & language) & a
sense of history)
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Many similarities between race & ethnicity
Race  Broad encompassing term reflects
physical characteristics & social status
Ethnicity  Often refers to nationality &
country of origin
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Asians represent a racial group on basis of
their skin color and physical features
Varying ethnic groups among Asians (Koreans,
Hmongs, Japanese, Vietnamese)
People of same ethnicity may have different
racial origins
Latinos may share similarities in geographical
origin, but represent various racial
backgrounds (Caucasian, African, Indian)
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[16] What is Culture? (pp. 53-55)
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Culture  sum total of ways of living
developed by a group of human beings to
meet biological & psychosocial needs
Includes patterns of thought, behaviour,
language, customs, institutions & material
objects
Integrated pattern of human behavior, which
includes thoughts, communication, action,
customs, beliefs, values & instructions of a
racial, ethnic, religious/social group.
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Cultural differences between groups
frequently result in cultural conflict because
dominant cultural group often assumes that
its way of thinking, behaving & responding to
the world is superior & even universally
standard
Must recognize & accept reality that various
cultural groups have vastly different
fundamental beliefs & philosophical
orientations
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Often someone who has not been initiated
into a particular culture has little knowledge
of the more deep-seated aspects of culture:
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Patterns of thought
Perceptions about male-female relationships
Notions of ability & disability
Dictates governing children’s role in the family
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[14] Personal Influences (pp. 45-47)
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Provides helpful framework for understanding
how different cultural groups make sense of
& interpret their experiences and worlds
Worldviews consist of one’s attitudes, values,
opinions, concepts, thought & decisionmaking processes, as well as how one
behaves & defines events
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To understand various cultural worldviews,
must make 2 distinctions:
◦ 1) Western cultural orientation  people of various
European ancestries & usually approximates a
White, middle-class norm
◦ 2) Non-Western cultural orientation  culturally
distinct groups of African, Asian, Latino & Indian
ancestry
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Oppression: A system that allows access to
the services, rewards, benefits & privileges of
society based on membership in a particular
group
Umbrella term that captures all forms of
domination & control (racism, sexism,
heterosexism & classism)
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People can experience single/multiple forms of
oppression
African-American female receiving special
education services may experience:
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Racism = representative of a culturally different group
Sexism = result of her gender
Linguicism = does not speak Standard English
An internalized sense of shame & embarrassment,
because of stigma associated with a diagnosed learning
disability
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Personal Barriers (p. 117)
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1. Overt & covert
racism
2. Institutional
racism
3. Societal racism
4. Civilizational
racism
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Overt racism:
◦ Intentional & deliberate form of racism purposely enacted to
inflict pain solely on basis of race
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Covert racism:
◦ Unplanned & unintentional, yet yields consequences similar to
overt forms of racism
 E.g. When a child of colour registers for class in a new school
 Assumed, on basis of skin colour & perhaps social class, he/she
requires a class for children with low abilities
 In reality, child may have a stellar academic record & be eligible for
gifted education services
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Institutional racism:
◦ Policies & practices within an organization that
penalize members of a particular group on basis
of race
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Societal racism:
◦ When social & cultural assumptions of 1 group are
favoured over norms & dictates of another
 E.g. Definition of a “model” nuclear family = 2
heterosexual parents & their offspring(s)
 Deviations from this dominant cultural dictate =
aberrations & consequently, devalued
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Civilizational racism:
◦ Functions as a broad construct deeply embedded in how people
think
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Different groups = different orientations toward the world
Dominant groups/civilizations often assign subordinate status
to the values & viewpoints of groups as lower in societal
hierarchy
Values & viewpoints of dominant groups often prevail as
superior forms of functioning & become deeply embedded in
fabric of society (seldom questioned)
Based on many forms of scientific thought & often assume
prevalence in popular culture & behaviour
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p56b6nzslaU (9:31 mins)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHoP-WnTXkk (10:35 mins)
Describes what happens when a person who is perceived as
different enters a new group setting
Uses symbols rather than actors to avoid making specific
references to culturally different groups
By using Os to represent those in the minority & Xs represent the
dominant group, emphasis is placed on issues as opposed to
people
Promotes understanding & cooperation
Discuss your reactions
Discuss the extent to which these dynamics occur when people
interact
Discuss examples of feeling different in their personal lives &
examples of how we observe & respond to difference when it
occurs in reality
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What happens when “X”s and “O”s are people?
How do “O”s feel in a group setting in which
they are a numerical minority?
What are some personal examples of feeling
different in your own life?
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Function of power & powerlessness when
individuals from different racial & cultural groups
interact
Power: a sociopolitical process that effects
change & wields influence over others, especially
in a manner that diminishes one’s own sense of
personhood
Inability of a person to effect change & influence
the outcomes in her/his life
Status differentials exist between an individual
with more power & 1 with less power
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Embedded in values of individualism, personal
mastery, competition & acquisition of material
goods are notions that individuals must
exercise control, dominion & authority
Power can be exercised justly & equitably, too
frequently power is abused so that individuals
with less power are manipulated, controlled &
coerced > themselves & others
Be used for self-enhancement to reinforce
another individual’s sense of powerlessness &
inadequacy
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Conformity – person prefers aspects of the
dominant culture to her/his own culture
Dissonance – person challenges previously
held beliefs & attitudes
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Class, race, sexuality, general—and all other
categories by which we categorize and
dismiss each other—need to be excavated
from the inside.
- Dorothy Allison
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[13] Ups & Downs (pp. 43-44)
1. Valuing diversity
2. Engaging in cultural selfassessments
3. Understanding the dynamics
of difference
4. Developing cultural
knowledge
5. Adapting to culture,
especially to its deep structural
aspects
6. Establishing cultural
reciprocity
1) Valuing diversity: acknowledging & celebrating
diverse values & viewpoints
2) Cultural self-assessments: self-assess one’s own
identities, attitudes, values & beliefs, if done critically,
allow individuals & systems to determine what areas to
address & change = “cultural therapy”
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Individuals & organizations must examine their
cultural attitudes, assumptions, worldviews, values,
prejudices & biases
Generally reluctant to engage in this self-assessment
process
3) The Dynamics of Difference: include stereotypes
we all bring to any interaction, which affect
interacting with others & should bridge cultural
schisms that currently impede mutual acceptance
& understanding between culturally different
groups
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When 2 individuals from different cultures
interface, both bring aspects of this dyad & their
assumptions & stereotypes about someone from
the other group
Often results in cultural conflicts &
misunderstandings
4) Developing Deep Cultural Knowledge: of culture of
self & others enhances interaction
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Being willing to ask for & seek out information from
others
If truly interested in learning about the “other,”
opened-hearted questioning of others usually
reveals much useful information:
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Reading extensively
Engaging in public education
Using media materials
Personally experiencing these groups
5) Adapting to cultural differences: process in
which individuals & systems include, analyze &
infuse funds of cultural knowledge & artifacts into
organization, structure & processes
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Valuing cultural & other forms of difference &
including these forms of difference in the
routines of teaching & learning exemplify this
principle
Adapting to diversity can be awkward, but can
use people’s differences as a bridge from which
to grow & increase knowledge
6) Cultural Reciprocity:
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Represents shared & mutual process of
collaboration involving individuals,
families/other institutions
Involves a willingness to consider the
assumptions that culturally diverse
individuals & families have that could impact
the educational process for children
Focus on people’s perspective
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Cultural Competence: Self-Assessment Form
from “Diversity Mosaic” on pg. 37 + Scoring
Categories on pg. 41
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http://www.doe.virginia.gov/special_ed/tec
h_asst_prof_dev/self_assessment/dispropor
tionality/cultural_competence_manual.pdf