Intercultural Learning
Intercultural education has been regarded as a framework that can and should be developed and adopted. Many people still think that such kind of educations is still in its infancy or even will be adopted in the future. However, the future is now when it comes to intercultural education. There are many gaps to be filled and approaches to be developed, but in the vast majority of countries, teachers have been using the principles and methods of intercultural education for years. The discussion of numerous issues related to the matter can help every educator to acquire the necessary skills to make their students more culturally competent and open.
Some of the most valuable insights into the problem that arose during the discussion are associated with the most effective practices and principles applied to practice. Four tweets chosen for this brief analysis are concerned with the ways teachers can facilitate the intercultural education of their students. These tweets are chosen as they help unveil some of the crucial aspects for an educator as they equip teachers with tools to achieve their educational goals. Powell stresses that various dimensions associated with intercultural education and the global university exist (1). Ideoscapes are the dimension that can guide teachers. For instance, Josee draws peers’ attention to the value of assimilation. The teacher has to be ready to assimilate to be able to help students build bridges and become effective cross-cultural communicators. I will try to assimilate into my future practice as well as my daily communication with people of different backgrounds.
However, assimilation can be different in many contexts especially when groups include people coming from different cultures. Coulby stresses that some nations may have numerous points of discord that cannot be easily handled in the classroom setting within the given time limits (248). At that, the researcher also states that such conflicts are often irrelevant when the focus is on things that unite rather than divide. Therefore, another important aspect of intercultural education is the focus on intercultural competence.
Kylie Hilliard’s tweet addresses this concept as she points at the ways to facilitate second language studies through the incorporation of intercultural education. It is stressed that people should be aware of the major peculiarities of different cultures to develop proper communication patterns with the representatives of these cultural traditions. Knowledge is a key to understanding so people learning about other beliefs, norms, traditions, can better understand and communicate with people. I also contributed to the conversation and emphasized the value of language and culture learning for people’s communication.
Stephanie Green also made a similar tweet that focuses on the role education can play in the development of the global society and the way younger generations should be taught. It is stressed that people should learn to care about each other. Rizvi claims that there is no need for adopting and approving other cultures, norms, and beliefs to come to terms with others (262). It is sufficient to know about these peculiarities and accept the fact that all people are different, which is their major strength. I will use all these concepts in my practice as I have also faced some challenges associated with differences. I understand that it can be quite different to accept norms that are regarded as inappropriate or even sinful. I also know that it can be hard to teach such things as people are unwilling or even unable to adopt, accept, and assimilate. Adaptation rather than adoption can work in many cases.
Apart from such linguistic-related and purely cultural issues, global universities should also pay attention to some global aspects related to economy and politics. It is noteworthy that these areas are still related to such universal values as equality, respect, development. Bleszynska notes that intercultural education involves such spheres as intercultural dialogue, integration and acculturation, social cohesion, and civic society (543). Heather’s tweet is related to the political aspect and civil society development. This item is chosen as it addresses the filed where intercultural education is essential. Immigration is one of the illustrations of the complexity of the modern world and its major issues. Intercultural education can become the solution to numerous problems associated with immigration. One of the central reasons for people’s unwillingness to see immigrants in their countries is their fear of someone new and someone they do not know or understand.
Another important factor contributing to the tension in such countries as the USA is people’s concerns about their economic well-being. Many Americans fear that immigrants will take their jobs from them. However, intercultural education and research provide extensive evidence of the benefits of intercultural collaboration in business. Manuela Wagner contributes to this discussion by referring to an article concerning the importance of creative business solutions. Cross-cultural teams can easily develop such effective solutions as they include people having different backgrounds, different perspectives, and ways of thinking. These differences are beneficial when it comes to working on some problems. Seeing issues from different angles translates into efficient solutions. However, this collaboration will be effective if people know and understand each other. Intercultural education is a way to achieve this goal.
Finally, one tweet deserves specific attention. Josee draws people’s attention to equality issues. The cartoon is a very accurate illustration of the contemporary world. Moreover, the picture sheds light on one of the obstacles to effective intercultural communication. Modern people often claim they contribute to the development of fair societies where equality is one of the major principles. Nevertheless, many people have a limited understanding of what equality is. It is essential to make students aware of the nature of true equality in the global society. Equal opportunities are not confined to standardized tests or approaches. It is more about an opportunity given to all people to use their potential to the fullest. I will try to help my students concentrate on this kind of equality and come up with their creative ways to address other vices that still exist in contemporary society.
In conclusion, it is necessary to emphasize that intercultural education is already a part of the educational curriculum. However, there are still many gaps to be filled in. The discussion of these issues has made me distill my knowledge and skills in this sphere. I have a clearer understanding of the matter, and I will use new approaches to make my students (as well as myself) more culturally competent and more open to other cultures. I will use such strategies as assimilation, acceptance, and appreciation in different situations. I will also try to develop a thirst for new cultural knowledge in my students.
Works Cited
Bleszynska, Krystyna M. “Constructing Intercultural Education.” Intercultural Education, vol. 19, no. 6, 2008, pp. 537-545.
Coulby, David. “Intercultural Education: Theory and Practice.” Intercultural Education, vol. 17, no. 3, 2006, pp. 245-257.
Powell, Jason L. Global Scapes: The Case of the University. The Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Globalization, 2016.
Rizvi, Fazal. “Towards Cosmopolitan Learning.” Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, vol. 30, no. 3, 2009, pp. 253-268.