Using Cross Cultural Communication to Improve Relationships

Using Cross Cultural Communication to Improve Relationships

In culturally diverse communities, differences may be expected to exist in the communication styles of students, teachers, parents, administrators and noninstructional staff. Perhaps the most important reason for educators to understand cross cultural communication is to improve their relations with the diverse groups of students and parents they will encounter. If left ignored, communication differences will inevitably lead to various types of miscommunication which may lead, in turn, to conflicts which erode school climate and cause certain groups of students usually African American and other nonwhite students to feel unwelcome.

The fact that these circumstances occur is a tragedy, of course. The greater tragedy, however, is that educators do not always know how to eliminate or minimize this type of discord.

Tactics for Removing Cross CulturalCommunication Barriers

Once we have established the prerequisites for understanding communication issues, we should then seek to remove cross cultural communication barriers from the school environment. The major tactics that might be employed for this purpose fall under two categories:
# Removing language which appears to stereotype students; and
# Reducing violations of cultural rules during discussions and conversations.

With respect to removing stereotypical language, the following strategies might be useful:

- Be aware of words, images and situations that suggest that all or most members of a racial group are the same.
Example: "Why can't Joe ever be on time?" "He's African American, isn't he?"

- Avoid using qualifiers that reinforce racial and ethnic stereotypes.
Example: "The articulate African American student" implies that African American students typically have low verbal skills.

- Avoid racial identification except when it is essential to communication.
Example: "Judy, an outgoing student" is preferable to "Judy, an outgoing African American female student."

- Be aware of possible negative implications of color symbolism and usage that could offend people or reinforce bias.
Example: Terms such as "black magic" or "black market" can be offensive.

- Avoid language that has questionable racial or ethnic connotations.
Example: Phrases such as "culturally deprived," "culturally disadvantaged" and "you people" have racist overtones. With respect to changing communicative behaviors which violate the cultural rules of others, the following strategies may be useful:

- Be aware of rules for attentiveness during conversation.
Example: The constant maintenance of eye contact while listening during a conversation often violates a conversational rule in working class African American and Hispanic cultures.

- Be aware of rules regarding the distance between speakers during conversation.
Example: In some cultures, speakers stand close enough to touch often. In other cultures, distance is maintained to denote respect.

- Be aware that objects, characters and symbols may reflect different beliefs or values for different groups.
Example: The confederate flag and Uncle Remus stories may offend African Americans because they reflect the culture of slavery and the Old South.

- Be aware that cultures may vary in what they consider humorous or taboo.
Example: Ethnic humor is often perceived by many groups as evidence of racial prejudice. Discussion of in group cultural rules and behaviors with outsiders is considered taboo within many cultures.

- Be aware of different rules for taking turns during conversations.
Example: African American children frequently perceive "breaking in" to reinforce or disagree with another's point to be perfectly permissible, indeed desirable.

- Cultures may use different standards for loudness, speed of delivery, silence, attentiveness and time to respond to another's point.
Example: Many Native American societies place high value on contemplation and tend, therefore, to feel little responsibility to make immediate responses during conversation.

- Be aware of different cultural rules for entering into conversations in progress.
Example: African American students tend to consider conversations as private between recognized participants. Therefore, anyone, including the teacher, who "butts in" is viewed as an eavesdropper and rebuked.

One way to improve relationships across cultural lines, particularly in the upper grades, is to develop a unit on "Communicating with One Another." The purpose of such a unit would be to teach students how to communicate more effectively across cultural lines and how to address and negotiate differences.

It is also useful for teachers to brainstorm with one another on how to remove communication barriers. In addition, a well designed staff development program can lead to better relations among staff and generate effective cross cultural communication activities for the classroom.

It can also be useful for teachers to ask parents to identify sources of miscommunication and socially offensive behavior or language. Parents may be asked to suggest ways that school personnel can improve communication with students, adults and the communities.

While schools have a responsibility to teach students the behavioral I codes of the society at large and to expect students to adhere to them, they have a similar responsibility to reduce culturally induced discipline problems and to avoid misinterpreting cultural differences as behavioral problems.

posted by Robert Heard at 6:21 PM