CULTURAL REFLECTIONS
Over the course of this semester, you have had opportunities to experience the target language as well as the cultures that represent that language.
You may have sought out opportunities to experience cultural events in the community, and/or perhaps exposed yourself to cultural perspectives
through readings, movies, friends, etc. All of these experiences came in addition to those provided in class.
You will now have an opportunity to write a two- to three-page essay reflecting on your experiences with the cultural perspectives you have gained.
In addition to these experiences, you have also been exposed to the presentation “It’s a matter of perspective” that digs deeper by providing a
comparative analysis of traditional and utilitarian cultural perspectives. Your essay needs to tie together your experiences along with the knowledge
gained on intercultural competence.
Please see the rubric below for a clear idea of how your essay will be assessed. Note that N stands for NOT APPLICABLE.
COMMUNICATE
EFFECTIVELY
N
1
2
3
4
5
Learner
communicates in a
bias-free manner.
The learner’s BIASES
ARE EVIDENT
throughout the cultural
reflection. Judgment of
cultures studies is
MOSTLY NEGATIVE.
The learner’s cultural
perspectives are
considered the only viable
way of viewing the world.
Anti-bias thinking is
LACKING throughout
the cultural reflection.
Negative judgment is
RARELY suspended. The
learner’s cultural
perspectives dominate the
reflection.
Anti-bias thinking is
SOMEWHAT
EVIDENT throughout the
cultural reflection.
Negative judgment is
SOMETIMES
SUSPENDED. The
learner’s cultural
perspectives while not
pronounced are quite
evident.
Anti-bias thinking is
MOSTLY EVIDENT
throughout the cultural
reflection. Negative
judgment is OFTEN
SUSPENDED. For the
most part, the learner does
not impose their cultural
perspectives.
Anti-bias thinking is
EVIDENT
THROUGHOUT the
cultural reflection.
Negative judgment is
ALWAYS
SUSPENDED. Learner
does not impose their
cultural perspectives.
Learner supports
viewpoints with
evidence.
Assertions are NOT
BACKED UP with
concrete examples. No
evidence of their origins.
With SOME
INTUITION, the
READER CAN AT
LEAST SEE assertions
were rooted.
Backs up SOME
assertions with examples.
Backs up MOST
assertions with examples.
Backs up EACH
assertion with examples.
Learner writes
effectively for the
intended purpose,
audience, occasion,
and topic.
LACKS ANY evidence
of knowing the “how,
when and why to say what
to whom.”
Shows MINIMAL
evidence of knowing the
“how, when and why to
say what to whom.”
Shows SOME evidence
of knowing the “how,
when and why to say what
to whom.”
For the MOST part,
knows the “how, when
and why to say what to
whom.”
CLEARLY knows the
“how, when and why to
say what to whom.”
THINK
CRITICALLY
N
1
2
3
4
5
Considers others’
viewpoints and
perspectives.
NEITHER can suspend
judgment NOR be open
to cultural perspectives
previously unfamiliar.
Shows a MINIMAL
ability to suspend
judgment and be open to
cultural perspectives
previously unfamiliar.
Shows SOME ability to
suspend judgment and be
open to cultural
perspectives previously
unfamiliar.
Shows a GOOD ability to
suspend judgment and be
open to cultural
perspectives previously
unfamiliar.
Shows a TREMENDOUS
ability to suspend
judgment and be open to
cultural perspectives
previously unfamiliar.
Analyzes
relationships
between ideas,
people, events and
things.
UNABLE to make
connections between
varieties of cultural
activities and
development of
intercultural competence.
Able to make MINIMAL
connections between
varieties of cultural
activities and
development of
intercultural competence.
Able to make SOME
connections between
varieties of cultural
activities and
development of
intercultural competence.
Able to make GOOD
connections between
varieties of cultural
activities and development
of intercultural
competence.
Able to make STRONG
connections between
varieties of cultural
activities and development
of intercultural
competence.
Selects and applies
problem-solving
methods.
Demonstrates NO ability
to resolve potential
cultural
misunderstandings and
DOES NOT exhibit any
knowledge of varying
cultural perspectives.
Demonstrates
MINIMAL ability to
resolve potential cultural
misunderstandings
although they may
exhibit MINIMAL
knowledge of varying
cultural perspectives.
Demonstrates SOME
ability to resolve
potential cultural
misunderstandings
through knowledge of
varying cultural
perspectives.
Demonstrates a GOOD
ability to resolve potential
cultural misunderstandings
through knowledge of
varying cultural
perspectives.
Demonstrates a STRONG
ability to resolve potential
cultural misunderstandings
through knowledge of
varying cultural
perspectives.
RESPECT
CULTURAL
DIVERSITY
Appreciates
perspectives of
people outside own
background/
culture.
Learner
acknowledges
personal
prejudices, and
biases.
N
1
Showed NO
UNDERSTANDING of
how different cultural
perspectives impact our
view of the world.
Reflection suggests that
the individual is in the
“DENIAL” or
“DEFENSE” stages of
the Bennett Model of
intercultural
communicative
competence.
Learner claims to be biasfree although their
cultural reflection would
strongly suggest
otherwise.
2
Showed MINIMAL
UNDERSTANDING of
how different cultural
perspectives impact our
view of the world.
Reflection suggests that
the individual is in the
“MINIMIZATION”
stage of the Bennett
Model of intercultural
communicative
competence.
Showed potential of
acknowledging their
biases but did not
explicitly do so.
3
4
5
Showed SOME
UNDERSTANDING of
how different cultural
perspectives impact our
view of the world.
Reflection suggests that
the individual has
REACHED THE
“ACCEPTANCE” stage
of the Bennett Model of
intercultural
communicative
competence.
Evidence of SOME
personal reflection over
the course of the semester,
or longer, by disclosing
intimate feelings around
prejudices and biases.
CLEARLY showed an
UNDERSTANDING of
how different cultural
perspectives impact our
view of the world.
Reflection suggests that
the individual is IN THE
“ACCEPTANCE” stage
of the Bennett Model of
intercultural
communicative
competence.
CLEARLY showed an
APPRECIATION of how
different cultural
perspectives impact our
view of the world.
Reflection suggests that the
individual has reached the
“ADAPTATION” or
“INTEGRATION” stages
of the Bennett Model of
intercultural communicative
competence.
Evidence of GOOD
personal reflection over
the course of the semester,
or longer, by disclosing
intimate feelings around
prejudices and biases.
Evidence of STRONG
personal reflection over the
course of the semester, or
longer, by disclosing
intimate feelings around
prejudices and biases.