Building intercultural communicative

competence one activity at a time

Pablo Muirhead, Ph.D.

WAFLTNovember 2nd,

2013muirheap@matc.edu

Conceptualization ofCulture

THE PROFESSIONAL

Intercultural Communicative

Competence

THE PERSONALConnection betweenLanguage & Culture

Culture as an iceberg

What do you see?And now?

Culture is…

… tantamount to perspective … intertwined with issues of power

… products and practices

Pablo Muirhead

In other words…

“Culture is a fluctuating embodiment of a group’s

products, practices and perspectives. Inseparable from

language, culture is also impacted by issues of power as it

can be used to marginalize or privilege.”

Muirhead, P. (2009). Rethinking culture: Toward a pedagogy of possibility in world language education. Critical Inquiry in Language Studies, 6(4), 243-268.

 

How is culture integrated into the teaching of languages?

THEN NOW IDEALPure focus on language“Culture” limited to upper-level coursework (through literature)

Recognition of importance of cultureStruggle to make it natural part at all levelsMoving toward deeper understanding of cultureSubconsciously infusing culture in lessons

Inextricable link between culture and language visible in classroomsStudents gain multiple perspectives that help them challenge societal injustices

Having a single cultural perspective.

Not being able to adopt different points of view.

AVOID BEING CULTURE BOUND

Pablo Muirhead

CULTURE

POWER

Perspectives

Practices Products

Pablo Muirhead

the 3 Ps

PERSPECTIVESWhat can we gain?

PRODUCTSFamily meal

PRACTICESSobremesa

PRACTICE:Gemütlichkeit

PERSPECTIVES:What perspectives

do you associate with

this?

PRODUCTS:What products

do you associate with

this?

Unspoken Rules• Read the unspoken rules of

behavior associated with your culture.

• Take on the role of someone from this culture when speaking to others but DO NOT share this information with others.THEN, get to know several people by…1. Introducing yourselves. 2. Talking about your roles as language

educators. 3. Sharing the impact of your intercultural

immersion experiences.

To study another language and culture gives one the powerful key to successful communication: knowing

how, when,and why to say what to whom.

(INTERCULTURAL) COMMUNICATION

LANGUAG

CULTURE

INTEGRATIV

E

MOTIVATIO

N

INSTRUMENTAL

MOTIVATION

Our subconscious acts on its own and we often make assumptions as a result. These can often be completely innocuous but sometimes they can be very detrimental.

You are about to view a series of images. Share your first impression with a neighbor.

First impressions

Young or old woman?

Man Playing Horn... or Woman's Silhouette?

Hint: woman's right eye is the black speck in front of horn handle

Woman in vanity... or Skull?

Hint: move farther a bit from screen and blink to see the skull or the woman (looking at the mirror)

Two Faces... or One?

Hint: two faces sideprofile or one facefront view

A Rabbit... or a Duck?

Hint: the duck is looking left, the rabbit is looking right

Chances are…

…you and your partner didn’t see the same thing at first.

…you may have struggled to see both representations all the time.

Fact is…

…impressions and decisions are made very quickly.

…we will gain a bigger picture of issues if we can first suspend judgment.

Reflections…

Excellent resource for self-reflection.

Multiple tests are available to measure your subconscious.

Find at http://hvrd.me/Wgh2pm

Harvard Hidden-Bias Tests

Bennett ModelExperience of Difference

Development of Intercultural Sensitivity

Denial Defense Minimization IntegrationAdaptationAcceptance

ETHNOCENTRIC STAGES

ETHNORELATIVE STAGES

Lange, D. L. (1999). Planning for and using the new national culture standards. In J. K. Phillips & R. K. Terry (Eds.), Foreign language standards: Linking research, theories, and practices (pp. 57 135). Lincolnwood, Illinois: National Textbook Company.

DENIAL

Individual does not perceive cultural differences, or avoids

them. ETHNOCENTRIC

STAGES

I haven’t left my little

bubble yet…

DEFENSE

Individual demonstrates intolerance toward

differences. ETHNOCENTRIC

STAGES

There “they” go speaking Spanish again.

MINIMIZATION

Individual downplays differences and takes on belief that everyone is the same.

ETHNOCENTRIC STAGES

I like to think of

myself as color

blind. I don’t see a person’s

race.

ACCEPTANCE

Individual begins to value the richness that cultures offer.

ETHNORELATIVE STAGES

I don’t understand but I’m okay

with that and am open to learning.

ADAPTATION

Individual begins to develop other perspectives and skills to get along better with “others”.

ETHNORELATIVE STAGES

I see things differently

now and can better

understand why others feel the way

they do.

\INTEGRATION

Individual is able to view the world from multiple

perspectives.ETHNORELATIVE

STAGES

I have acquired various lenses

through which to

understand the world.

Reflecting on these stages, prepare to answer some

questions.

Denial Defense Minimization IntegrationAdaptationAcceptance

ETHNOCENTRIC STAGES

ETHNORELATIVE STAGES

Pull out your phones and text your responses to...

Reflecting on these stages, prepare to answer some

questions.

Denial Defense Minimization IntegrationAdaptationAcceptance

ETHNOCENTRIC STAGES

ETHNORELATIVE STAGES

And now respond to…

It’s a gradual process

Move from seeing cultures from the OUTSIDE IN to the INSIDE OUT

Developing ICC

To seamlessly weave culture and language, we need to…Make relevant to students’ lives.Reclaim curriculum by developing standards-based thematic units and using the text as a resource.

Develop multiple perspectives.

Useful StrategiesWrite from a different perspective.Weather from different parts. Interview community members.Activities in the community.Listen to and work with music.Reenact an event.Noticias del mundo hispanohablante. Thematic Units: Immigration, Chicano Civil Rights, U.S. in Latin America, Identity

10 Chairs of Wealth

Language ExchangeObjective: Create an opportunity for Spanish-

dominant English-language learners and Spanish learners to interact on an even playing field.

Suggestions: Create the least structure possible so that the exchange flows organically from students. Suggest they bring pictures, scrapbooks, etc. to share with one another. Divide time evenly between English and Spanish.

Results: Students are motivated to practice because of the realness factor and perspectives can be gained from one another.

p. 13

Mil Gracias

Pablo Muirheadmuirheap@matc.edu

I hope you were able to reflect today

on the art of teaching. As we

return to our students and try new strategies, let’s stay in touch to support one another. Feel

free to contact me!! I look forward to

hearing from you.