Building intercultural communicative
competence one activity at a time
Pablo Muirhead, Ph.D.
WAFLTNovember 2nd,
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 [email protected]
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.