The question as to how educators can equip students to interact within a very diverse cultural and global world is highly debated. Notions of education and cultural understanding has broadened to not only focus on the development of the individual and specific content, but to foster individuals that are competent communicators that can develop strong relationships within members of very different social and cultural groups (Phipps & Byram, 2003). More pertinently, to critically engage globally and promote a more peaceful world.
What is Intercultural Competence?
Notions of education has evolved in response to our ever changing, globalized world, where the traditional views of content and skill based education will not provide students with the ability to communicate appropriately and effectively with others from vastly different cultures. In reality the school gate must be one that does not exclude the globalised world, but one in which prepares students to be a global citizen who can understand, communicate, empathize and negotiate with others who have vastly different values, knowledge and opinions.
Intercultural Competence can be examined through many dimensions such as attitudes, knowledge, understanding, skills, and action or cognitive, affective and behavioural dimensions (Jokikokko, 2009, p.144). Byram (2003. p.60) states that to be interculturally competent is to bring into a relationship of two cultures, being able to take an ‘external’ perspective on oneself as one interacts with others and to analyse, and adapt one’s behaviour and underlying values and beliefs. Intercultural experience alone is not sufficient in becoming interculturally competent, but requires learning intercultural skills with a critical reflection of ‘one’ and ‘other’. An example of the different components of Intercultural Competence are described by Byram (2003, p. 62). ‘Attitudes’ involve a focus on open-mindedness to difference, valuing cultural difference, tolerance and a curiosity about values and one's beliefs, it includes a willingness to engage and collaborate with people who have different perspectives than you. ‘Knowledge and understanding’ needs to encompass understanding of different social group practices, and an awareness of one’s and ‘others’ preconceptions, prejudices, stereotypes and discrimination, and general processes of societal and individual interaction (Byram, 2003, p.63). Individuals must have the ‘skills’ of discovery and inquiry to acquire and interpret new knowledge of culture, and the ability to promote real time communication and interaction. This includes the key skill of empathy, and ability to facilitate intercultural exchanges. In a culturally diverse society, attitudes, knowledge, understanding, and skills are essential requirements to be interculturally competent but they also must be learned and action through intercultural encounters.
These dimensions of Intercultural Competence affirm that the key focus for educators is to promote the commonality of human experience and perspective and thereby create a more peaceful world (IBO, 2014). This is arguably a difficult challenge and requires all parties (powerful and powerless) to equally participate in intercultural dialogue (Barret et al, 2013, p. 4). Held et al (1999) admits that it is difficult to determine the ‘perceived’ benefit for everyone. To achieve this, students must be competent communicators, open-minded and knowledgeable. The significance of Intercultural Competence is that it does not involve abandoning one’s own culture to adopt another, but involves interpreting other people’s cultural perspectives and relating them to one’s own. Language has a critical role within intercultural encounters as it enables group members to share their cultural perspectives, beliefs and values (Byram et al, 2013, p.13).
Why be Interculturally Competent?
Intercultural Competence must be learned. It does not happen naturally and its application and understanding must go beyond the classroom. Intercultural Competence is like a conceptual tool that helps individuals to be local and global citizens and to have an active local and global consciousness within our complex and ever changing world. Identities are changing with migration with between 185 to 200 million transnational migrants that impacts every region of the world (Suarez-Orozco and Sattin, 2007, p.8). Intercultural Competence is necessary for individuals to respond to our globalized world that is interconnected through modern media that expose individuals to the people, lifestyles and events outside their known cultural patterns which lead to one to compare his or her identity, abilities, values, culture lifestyle from those of other cultures (Sussmuth, 2007, p.197).
‘Intercultural Encounters’ (Weber, 2003, p. 196) occur as interrelationships increase between economies and industry through globalization and involve complex and dynamic exchanges of ideas and knowledge. These encounters lead to interactions with individuals, societies and in a wider sense between nations, causing behaviors, values, norms, and beliefs to all be challenged. Weber (2003, p.199) asserts that confrontation between differing interpretations, practices and identities must lead to reflection and then action through an understanding that there is an alternative way. An interculturally competent individual will interact, collaborate and share with all participants, and see the potential of the unknown to create a peaceful co-existence where everyone feels understood, respected and supported within a culturally diverse society.
There are consequences of not developing Intercultural Competence. If individuals do not have these skills through intercultural encounters, how can environmental dangers, threat of global disease outbreak such as SARS and HIV, and economic concerns like free trade be managed in an effective manner (Sussmuth, 2007, p.199). The need for mankind to take responsibility for their attitudes, beliefs and behaviours is becoming more evident as skills we must have, military force is not a way of the future. Walker (2010) in an International Baccalaureate position paper outlines that appropriate systems of justice, supported by citizens who can argue different points of view without coming to blows, has occupied the human mind since the time of Aristotle. Globalisation aluminates the need to ensure that despite drastic cultural inequalities, our motives to open dialogue is genuine and aimed to increase human rights and interconnectedness without exploitation.
Reflect for Action
Reflection is one vital strategy that generates action. Davcheva (2003, p. 68) was one of the first secondary schools to set intercultural communicative competence as a main goal of all foreign language education. The syllabus was created ‘Culture, branching out; A Cultural Studies Syllabus’ in which seven hundred teachers were trained was a result of the Bulkan countries demand for skills to cope with prejudice, conflict and difference (Davcheva, 2003, p.68). They found that for students to develop intercultural competency skills, educators must be competent in these skill sets themselves. Teachers reflected on their ‘perceptions of self’ through journal and diary entries. Training processes constructed meaningful learning of the relationship of language, culture teaching and trainees prepared to empathize with their future learners by seeing their own cultural world through their learners eyes (Davcheva, 2003, p.71).
Another way to develop Intercultural Competence in a school setting, Hayden (2006, p.59) reports this through ‘intercultural literacy’ as a cross cultural engagement where students learn and develop as a result of confronting another culture. It is this culture shock that starts the intercultural learning process and how students develop new attitudes about themselves and others. As students reflect through this process they can use these new skills to become interculturally competent.
How we teach students to have these attitudes, knowledge, and skills is a complex question and one that needs a holistic approach from administrators, teachers, parents, school policies and all aspects of the curriculum. Intercultural Competence requires a framework such as a school wide policy, teacher training with self-reflection of their own Intercultural Competence and parental and community involvement.
IB and Intercultural Awareness
The IB curriculum values intercultural learning and is a framework (PYP and MYP) that promotes teachers to use strategies of ‘Approaches to Teaching’ and ‘Approaches to Learning’ and using the IB Learner Profile (LP) as a way of teaching Intercultural Competence. The IB details in their Mission Statement how an IB education increases student understanding of language and culture, and how students become more globally engaged (Principles into Practice, 2014, p.12). IB mandates that students must learn more than one language and communicate in a variety of ways. Intercultural understanding involves recognizing and reflecting on one’s own perspective, as well as the perspectives of others and to increase intercultural understanding. IB programmes agree that it is important to promote how to appreciate critically different beliefs, values, experiences, forms of expression and ways of knowing (Principles into Practice, 2014, p.12). The IB LP is a set of ten attributes (Appendix 1) that is embedded within the curriculum and how teachers role model them and how students develop. The IB LP booklet (2008, p. 2) asserts the LP is a shared vision that encourages dialogue and collaboration among teachers and administrators to create a supportive community of learners that celebrate diversity and difference.
Goals to Develop Intercultural Competence
The approach that I have taken in developing my goals on Intercultural Competence has been outlined by Barret et al (2013, p.22) in which experience, comparison, analysis, reflection and corporative action are most effectively implemented if teaching and learning methods are in line with the educational aim of developing Intercultural Competence.
Transformative Learning
Jokikokko (2009, p.143) outlines Mezirow’s theory of transformative learning as a framework that explains how acquired meaning structures such as beliefs, attitudes and emotional reactions are transformed during a lifetime. Mezirow’s theory of transformative learning in Intercultural Competence involves a catalyst for change which is referred to as a ‘disorientating dilemma’ such as culture shock. This process would follow with reflection which would develop an awareness of self, assumptions, and how our community and background has affected us. It is essential in order to understand and appreciate other cultures, perspectives and look through another lens (Jokikokko, 2009, p.143). Many teachers at my school have discussed culture shock and talked about the differences and challenges of education and living in Taiwan, but have not critically reflected as a pathway to being more aware. Mezirow’s theory helps me to understand what teachers including myself have experienced and highlights the need to create a self-reflection tool for teachers. Understanding one is the start to understanding other.
There are many ways that I can develop Intercultural Competence within myself, my students and my school. As Head of Department (HoD) of Physical Education, I created a LP reflection task sheet (Appendix 2) that my students used to reflect throughout the year as they demonstrated a LP within PE. This reflection task was successful within my department, but in the PYP and MYP, it has not consistently been completed. My first goal is to present this reflection task at my next faculty meeting (Friday May 30, 2014) to collaborate with my PE team on how we can implement this more effectively.
In the IB, International Mindedness is used a concept (mindset) which is similar but different to Intercultural Competence (set of skills). My Director has started a Moodle Forum on ‘International Minded’. I have completed a blog entry and my second goal will be to raise awareness to colleagues and to encourage all staff to participate in this forum. I will continue blog entries that can promote Intercultural Competence as a set of skills that we learn in partnership with the IB on how we teach students to be ‘Internationally Minded’. I am currently a member of a CIS steering committee for section F (appendix 3) which reviews cultural practices within my school. I am excited to be a part of this group and look forward to the contributions I can make in collaborating with others on intercultural competence.
List of References:
Byram, M. (2003). On Being 'Bicultural' and 'Intercultural' In Intercultural Experience and Education. Cleveland: Multilingual Matters.
Barrett, M., Byram, M., Lazar, I., Mompoint-Gaillard, P., & Philippou, S. (2013, January 16). Developing Intercultural Competence through Education. Retrieved May 25, 2014, from http://hub.coe.int/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=9396761c-aea8-43f3-86a6-c105b45ef756&groupId=10227
Davy, I. (2011). Learners without borders: A curriculum for global citizenship (Rep.). Retrieved May 18, 2014, from International Baccalaureate website: http://occ.ibo.org/ibis/documents/general/g_0_iboxx_amo_1106_1_e.pdf
Hayden, M. (2006). Introduction to international education: Iinternational schools and their communities. London: SAGE Publications
Held, D., McGren, A., Goldblatt, D. & Perratun, J. (1999). Globalisation, Culture and the Fate of Nations, in Global Transformations: Politics, Economics and Culture. (pp. 327-374), Polity Press.
Jokikokko, K. (2009). The role of significant others in the intercultural learning of teachers. Journal of Research in International Education, 8(2), 142-163. doi: 10.1177/1475240909105202
IB Learner profile Booklet. (2008). IB Learner Profile Booklet. Retrieved May 18, 2014, from http://www.ibo.org/programmes/documents/learner_profile_en.pdf
MYP: From principles into practice. (2014). Cardiff, Wales: International
Baccalaureate Organization.
Suarez-Orozco, M. M. (2007). Learning in the global era: International perspectives
on globalization and education. Berkeley: University of California Press
Sussmuth, R. (2007). On The Need For Teaching Intercultural Skills. In Learning in
the global era: International Perspectives on Globalization and Education (p. 195). Berkeley; London : The University of California.
Walker, G. (2010). East is East and West is West (Rep.). doi: http://blogs.ibo.org/positionpapers/files/2010/09/East-and-West_George-Walker.pdf
What is Intercultural Competence?
Notions of education has evolved in response to our ever changing, globalized world, where the traditional views of content and skill based education will not provide students with the ability to communicate appropriately and effectively with others from vastly different cultures. In reality the school gate must be one that does not exclude the globalised world, but one in which prepares students to be a global citizen who can understand, communicate, empathize and negotiate with others who have vastly different values, knowledge and opinions.
Intercultural Competence can be examined through many dimensions such as attitudes, knowledge, understanding, skills, and action or cognitive, affective and behavioural dimensions (Jokikokko, 2009, p.144). Byram (2003. p.60) states that to be interculturally competent is to bring into a relationship of two cultures, being able to take an ‘external’ perspective on oneself as one interacts with others and to analyse, and adapt one’s behaviour and underlying values and beliefs. Intercultural experience alone is not sufficient in becoming interculturally competent, but requires learning intercultural skills with a critical reflection of ‘one’ and ‘other’. An example of the different components of Intercultural Competence are described by Byram (2003, p. 62). ‘Attitudes’ involve a focus on open-mindedness to difference, valuing cultural difference, tolerance and a curiosity about values and one's beliefs, it includes a willingness to engage and collaborate with people who have different perspectives than you. ‘Knowledge and understanding’ needs to encompass understanding of different social group practices, and an awareness of one’s and ‘others’ preconceptions, prejudices, stereotypes and discrimination, and general processes of societal and individual interaction (Byram, 2003, p.63). Individuals must have the ‘skills’ of discovery and inquiry to acquire and interpret new knowledge of culture, and the ability to promote real time communication and interaction. This includes the key skill of empathy, and ability to facilitate intercultural exchanges. In a culturally diverse society, attitudes, knowledge, understanding, and skills are essential requirements to be interculturally competent but they also must be learned and action through intercultural encounters.
These dimensions of Intercultural Competence affirm that the key focus for educators is to promote the commonality of human experience and perspective and thereby create a more peaceful world (IBO, 2014). This is arguably a difficult challenge and requires all parties (powerful and powerless) to equally participate in intercultural dialogue (Barret et al, 2013, p. 4). Held et al (1999) admits that it is difficult to determine the ‘perceived’ benefit for everyone. To achieve this, students must be competent communicators, open-minded and knowledgeable. The significance of Intercultural Competence is that it does not involve abandoning one’s own culture to adopt another, but involves interpreting other people’s cultural perspectives and relating them to one’s own. Language has a critical role within intercultural encounters as it enables group members to share their cultural perspectives, beliefs and values (Byram et al, 2013, p.13).
Why be Interculturally Competent?
Intercultural Competence must be learned. It does not happen naturally and its application and understanding must go beyond the classroom. Intercultural Competence is like a conceptual tool that helps individuals to be local and global citizens and to have an active local and global consciousness within our complex and ever changing world. Identities are changing with migration with between 185 to 200 million transnational migrants that impacts every region of the world (Suarez-Orozco and Sattin, 2007, p.8). Intercultural Competence is necessary for individuals to respond to our globalized world that is interconnected through modern media that expose individuals to the people, lifestyles and events outside their known cultural patterns which lead to one to compare his or her identity, abilities, values, culture lifestyle from those of other cultures (Sussmuth, 2007, p.197).
‘Intercultural Encounters’ (Weber, 2003, p. 196) occur as interrelationships increase between economies and industry through globalization and involve complex and dynamic exchanges of ideas and knowledge. These encounters lead to interactions with individuals, societies and in a wider sense between nations, causing behaviors, values, norms, and beliefs to all be challenged. Weber (2003, p.199) asserts that confrontation between differing interpretations, practices and identities must lead to reflection and then action through an understanding that there is an alternative way. An interculturally competent individual will interact, collaborate and share with all participants, and see the potential of the unknown to create a peaceful co-existence where everyone feels understood, respected and supported within a culturally diverse society.
There are consequences of not developing Intercultural Competence. If individuals do not have these skills through intercultural encounters, how can environmental dangers, threat of global disease outbreak such as SARS and HIV, and economic concerns like free trade be managed in an effective manner (Sussmuth, 2007, p.199). The need for mankind to take responsibility for their attitudes, beliefs and behaviours is becoming more evident as skills we must have, military force is not a way of the future. Walker (2010) in an International Baccalaureate position paper outlines that appropriate systems of justice, supported by citizens who can argue different points of view without coming to blows, has occupied the human mind since the time of Aristotle. Globalisation aluminates the need to ensure that despite drastic cultural inequalities, our motives to open dialogue is genuine and aimed to increase human rights and interconnectedness without exploitation.
Reflect for Action
Reflection is one vital strategy that generates action. Davcheva (2003, p. 68) was one of the first secondary schools to set intercultural communicative competence as a main goal of all foreign language education. The syllabus was created ‘Culture, branching out; A Cultural Studies Syllabus’ in which seven hundred teachers were trained was a result of the Bulkan countries demand for skills to cope with prejudice, conflict and difference (Davcheva, 2003, p.68). They found that for students to develop intercultural competency skills, educators must be competent in these skill sets themselves. Teachers reflected on their ‘perceptions of self’ through journal and diary entries. Training processes constructed meaningful learning of the relationship of language, culture teaching and trainees prepared to empathize with their future learners by seeing their own cultural world through their learners eyes (Davcheva, 2003, p.71).
Another way to develop Intercultural Competence in a school setting, Hayden (2006, p.59) reports this through ‘intercultural literacy’ as a cross cultural engagement where students learn and develop as a result of confronting another culture. It is this culture shock that starts the intercultural learning process and how students develop new attitudes about themselves and others. As students reflect through this process they can use these new skills to become interculturally competent.
How we teach students to have these attitudes, knowledge, and skills is a complex question and one that needs a holistic approach from administrators, teachers, parents, school policies and all aspects of the curriculum. Intercultural Competence requires a framework such as a school wide policy, teacher training with self-reflection of their own Intercultural Competence and parental and community involvement.
IB and Intercultural Awareness
The IB curriculum values intercultural learning and is a framework (PYP and MYP) that promotes teachers to use strategies of ‘Approaches to Teaching’ and ‘Approaches to Learning’ and using the IB Learner Profile (LP) as a way of teaching Intercultural Competence. The IB details in their Mission Statement how an IB education increases student understanding of language and culture, and how students become more globally engaged (Principles into Practice, 2014, p.12). IB mandates that students must learn more than one language and communicate in a variety of ways. Intercultural understanding involves recognizing and reflecting on one’s own perspective, as well as the perspectives of others and to increase intercultural understanding. IB programmes agree that it is important to promote how to appreciate critically different beliefs, values, experiences, forms of expression and ways of knowing (Principles into Practice, 2014, p.12). The IB LP is a set of ten attributes (Appendix 1) that is embedded within the curriculum and how teachers role model them and how students develop. The IB LP booklet (2008, p. 2) asserts the LP is a shared vision that encourages dialogue and collaboration among teachers and administrators to create a supportive community of learners that celebrate diversity and difference.
Goals to Develop Intercultural Competence
The approach that I have taken in developing my goals on Intercultural Competence has been outlined by Barret et al (2013, p.22) in which experience, comparison, analysis, reflection and corporative action are most effectively implemented if teaching and learning methods are in line with the educational aim of developing Intercultural Competence.
Transformative Learning
Jokikokko (2009, p.143) outlines Mezirow’s theory of transformative learning as a framework that explains how acquired meaning structures such as beliefs, attitudes and emotional reactions are transformed during a lifetime. Mezirow’s theory of transformative learning in Intercultural Competence involves a catalyst for change which is referred to as a ‘disorientating dilemma’ such as culture shock. This process would follow with reflection which would develop an awareness of self, assumptions, and how our community and background has affected us. It is essential in order to understand and appreciate other cultures, perspectives and look through another lens (Jokikokko, 2009, p.143). Many teachers at my school have discussed culture shock and talked about the differences and challenges of education and living in Taiwan, but have not critically reflected as a pathway to being more aware. Mezirow’s theory helps me to understand what teachers including myself have experienced and highlights the need to create a self-reflection tool for teachers. Understanding one is the start to understanding other.
There are many ways that I can develop Intercultural Competence within myself, my students and my school. As Head of Department (HoD) of Physical Education, I created a LP reflection task sheet (Appendix 2) that my students used to reflect throughout the year as they demonstrated a LP within PE. This reflection task was successful within my department, but in the PYP and MYP, it has not consistently been completed. My first goal is to present this reflection task at my next faculty meeting (Friday May 30, 2014) to collaborate with my PE team on how we can implement this more effectively.
In the IB, International Mindedness is used a concept (mindset) which is similar but different to Intercultural Competence (set of skills). My Director has started a Moodle Forum on ‘International Minded’. I have completed a blog entry and my second goal will be to raise awareness to colleagues and to encourage all staff to participate in this forum. I will continue blog entries that can promote Intercultural Competence as a set of skills that we learn in partnership with the IB on how we teach students to be ‘Internationally Minded’. I am currently a member of a CIS steering committee for section F (appendix 3) which reviews cultural practices within my school. I am excited to be a part of this group and look forward to the contributions I can make in collaborating with others on intercultural competence.
List of References:
Byram, M. (2003). On Being 'Bicultural' and 'Intercultural' In Intercultural Experience and Education. Cleveland: Multilingual Matters.
Barrett, M., Byram, M., Lazar, I., Mompoint-Gaillard, P., & Philippou, S. (2013, January 16). Developing Intercultural Competence through Education. Retrieved May 25, 2014, from http://hub.coe.int/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=9396761c-aea8-43f3-86a6-c105b45ef756&groupId=10227
Davy, I. (2011). Learners without borders: A curriculum for global citizenship (Rep.). Retrieved May 18, 2014, from International Baccalaureate website: http://occ.ibo.org/ibis/documents/general/g_0_iboxx_amo_1106_1_e.pdf
Hayden, M. (2006). Introduction to international education: Iinternational schools and their communities. London: SAGE Publications
Held, D., McGren, A., Goldblatt, D. & Perratun, J. (1999). Globalisation, Culture and the Fate of Nations, in Global Transformations: Politics, Economics and Culture. (pp. 327-374), Polity Press.
Jokikokko, K. (2009). The role of significant others in the intercultural learning of teachers. Journal of Research in International Education, 8(2), 142-163. doi: 10.1177/1475240909105202
IB Learner profile Booklet. (2008). IB Learner Profile Booklet. Retrieved May 18, 2014, from http://www.ibo.org/programmes/documents/learner_profile_en.pdf
MYP: From principles into practice. (2014). Cardiff, Wales: International
Baccalaureate Organization.
Suarez-Orozco, M. M. (2007). Learning in the global era: International perspectives
on globalization and education. Berkeley: University of California Press
Sussmuth, R. (2007). On The Need For Teaching Intercultural Skills. In Learning in
the global era: International Perspectives on Globalization and Education (p. 195). Berkeley; London : The University of California.
Walker, G. (2010). East is East and West is West (Rep.). doi: http://blogs.ibo.org/positionpapers/files/2010/09/East-and-West_George-Walker.pdf
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