TRANSCULTURAL COMPETENCE:
HOW DO WE GET THERE?
SUSAN KNIGHT
CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
ACTFL 2013 Session # 1635375
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?
Do you have any of these as
student objectives?
–critical thinking
– global understanding
–cross-cultural perspectives
–transcultural competence
SOME BASIC ASSUMPTIONS:
DO 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
“There
is a crying need for understanding and mutual
acceptance among the world’s people and until we
can see an issue or practice from another’s point
of view, there will be no mutual understanding.”
(Omaggio)
Open mindedness involves an active disposition to
welcome points of view hitherto alien (Dewey)
HANVEY’S 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)
4. UNDERSTANDS HOW MEMBERS OF TARGET
CULTURE FEEL
(college students should strive for this)
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
But….. HOW IS THIS DONE? HOW MIGHT THESE
GOALS BE REACHED IN A CLASSROOM?
1) EXAMINATION OF A PROCESS MODEL
2) 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
TWO BASIC THEORIES/MODELS
1. Information-acquisition approach – teacher
provides students information and facts.
2. Constructivist/process oriented approachstudents construct their views of culture
via social and communicative interaction.
*-assumes a period of disequilibrium; the
construction of new meanings from old ones
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:
1. Pose a problem or topic leading to confusion
2. Encourage students to address problem themselves
first (teacher only served as mediator)
3. Students shared opinions – put reasoning in words
4. Probing questions with wait time so they could think
about answer
5. Opportunity to reflect on topic in relationship to their
attitudes
• Abrams (2002) produced similar results
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,
Example of Classroom Research
based on Morgan’s model
1. TOPIC CHOICE- illegal immigration
2. PRE- AND POST QUESTIONNAIRE- of
attitudes
3. SELECTION OF MATERIALS- various
viewpoints from various perspectives
(primary information source is not
instructor—articles; video)
4. CONSTRUCTION OF VARIOUS
STUDENT TASKS
• Film Arobics “Cultural Comparisons”
Yo
Chica
Yo
Chico
Rosa
Enrique
• Other tasks: pre-listening; maps;
comprehension; Z-charts; values
clarification via imaginate, debates, etc.
RESULTS
• QUANTITATIVE (PRE- AND POSTQUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS)
• QUALITATIVE (FREE WRITES, OPEN
ENDED QUESTIONS, DEBATES, ETC)
Questionnaire results:
Major attitude changes
• 2/3rds of questions answered were significantly
different in pre/post test
• showing greater understanding of immigrant
perspective
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.
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
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)
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
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.
COMPARING PERSPECTIVES:
BEGIN WITH YOUR CLASS
*clothing
* Food
*works of art
*tipping customs *degree of eye contact
*gestures
*methods of worship
*personal distance
*
*
*
*views on equality
*time management
*
~~~~~ perspectives ~~~~~
*rules of politeness
*relationship with nature
(adapted from Maximizing Study Abroad, p. 47)
*religious beliefs
*concept of beauty
PREPONDERANCE OF BELIEF
Human beings
Control nature/life
Nature controls
Human beings
10<……….…………5…………….…….>1
(Edward C. Stewart, American Cultural Pattern:
A Cross Cultural Perspective)
(Edward C. Stewart, American Cultural Pattern: A Cross Cultural Perspective)
Time comparisons:
to 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 devil’s 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 don’t grow until the rains come.”
• Ethiopia --“If you wait long enough, even an egg will walk (the
chicken will hatch).”
Spanish 101 – ARTIFACTS
moving from product to practice to perspective
What do you feel seeing this person?
STUDY II: EXAMINATION OF UNIVERSITY
COURSES SELECTED AS ENHANCING
PERSPECTIVE OF THE “OTHER”
1. Chairs of departments identified courses
and professors
2. Courses were examined for components of
the model.
– Evaluation of syllabi and tasks assigned
– Follow up discussion with professor
Examination of 25 syllabi for
examples of Morgan’s 4 points:
1. Awareness of student’s 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)
PRELIMINARY RESULTS (2)
Discussion with professors regarding course for
examples of Morgan’s 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)
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 )
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.
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)
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
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:
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
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.
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 family’s
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
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 InventoryWhen I meet people who are different from me, I
expect to like them.
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.”
Study Abroad = the solution ??
1. Study abroad in itself does not insure increase TL
fluency or intercultural competence
2. 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.
Conversation tasks with families based on topics
1) Mi preparación:
a) Vocabulario util
b) Mi punto de vista cultural
c) Preguntas para la familia
2) Información de la familia (la entrevista/apuntes)
3) Evaluación de la interacción
Followed by in-class conversation
Mahalo nui loa
Arigatou
gozaimasu.
ありがとうご
ざいます。
TRANSCULTURAL COMPETENCE:
HOW DO WE GET THERE?
SUSAN KNIGHT knigh1sm@cmich.edu
Power point presentation can be found at:
1. ACTFL Online Community- Session 1635375
2. http://www.chsbs.cmich.edu/susan_knight/
What are sources for showing our
students another perspective?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Movies/film
Books and articles
Guest speakers
Service learning
Study abroad
Internet partners
other?
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 bipolar—they 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.