Teaching in the Intercultural

Classroom
Teaching Support Centre
2006

Todays session

A definition of culture
Cultural variations
A Different Place
Observations
Intercultural theory
Small group discussions about observations
Larger group discussion
Canadian students

Culture
A learned set of beliefs, values and norms that
members of a group share about what are
appropriate and inappropriate ways of thinking,
behaving and communicating.

Cultures differ in
Nonverbal communication
(gestures, use of time, space, eye contact)
Verbal Communication
(logic, silence and talk, formality)
Value orientations
power and status; relationship of individual to
society; perception of activity, relationship to
nature, gender norms

Generalizations vs. Stereotypes

A generalization: The tendency of a majority of
people in a cultural group to hold certain values
and beliefs, and to engage in certain patterns of
behavior.
NB: A cultural tendency
NB: Hypothesis to be held lightly

A stereotype: The application of a generalization

to every person in a cultural group; or,
generalizing from only a few people in a group.
Janet M. and Milton J. Bennett

Normative behaviour

Janet & Milton Bennett

A Different Place:
The Intercultural Classroom
Ming
China
Esteban
El Salvador
Simon
South Africa
Charlie
U.S.A

Katia
Russia
Amy
U.S.A
Professor
Larry Ford
USA

Mariko
Japan
Joanna
U.S.A

Communication Styles
Describe the patterns of expression and rules of
interaction that reflect the norms and values of a
culture
Janet and Milton Bennett, Intercultural Communication Institute 1993

Communication Styles

Linear
Direct
Low Context
Attached (Emotional)
Idea Focused
Task Focused
Formal

Circular
Indirect
High Context
Detached
Person Focused
Relationship Focused
Informal

Linear

vs.

A -------------- B
Getting to the point is
important
Point is stated explicitly
Not getting to the point
is waste of time

Circular

Circular communication
around the main point
Let the story make the
point
Stating the point is
seen as insulting to
other person
Elegant, flowing
remarks

Direct vs. Indirect

Straightforward
No beating about the bush
Directness = honesty and
respect for other person
Avoiding ambiguity

Meaning conveyed by
subtle means, stories,
implication
Indirectness = politeness
and respect for other
person
Frequent use of
implication

Low Context vs. High Context

The context is not
assumed to be known
Clear explanation, precise
description
Spell out everything
Reliance of verbal
messages
Overexplaining

The context is assumed to

be known
To explain everything and
state meaning precisely
may be insulting
Leave understanding up to
other person
Underexplaining

Attached

vs.

Detached

Communicating with
feeling and emotion

Communication should be
calm and impersonal

Subjectivity valued

Objectivity valued

Sharing ones values and

feelings about issues is
desirable

Emotional, expressive
communication is seen as
immature or biased

Idea Focused

vs. Person Focused

Ideas and person holding

them separate

Ideas and person not

separate

Open disagreement
acceptable
Disagreement with
persons ideas not seen as
personal attack

Feelings important
Disagreement handled
very carefully
Disagreement is attack on
the person

Task

vs.

Relationship Focus

Priority: getting the task

done
Peoples feelings are
secondary to this goal

Priority: relationships
Maintaining group
harmony central
No task completion at
the expense of group or
person

Formal vs. Informal

Strict rules about forms
of address,
acknowledgement of
status
Ritualized
communication

Fewer specific rules

Use of first names
More flexibility in what
one can say to whom
and how

Skills that make a difference

Mindfulness (Ting-Toomey, 1993)

Sense of Humor
Tolerance for ambiguity
Ability to make mistakes

Objectives
Help students understand the norms and
expectations in the Canadian classroom
Help Canadian students become aware of cultural
differences in reasoning and communication
Encourage integration: help international students
to adapt and communicate effectively in Canada
while maintaining connection with their home
culture

Strategies for the intercultural

classroom

Explain norms of your classroom culture

Describe your expectations
Discuss differences openly
Be open to new ways of learning
Be cautious in making attributions about student
behaviour

Strategies for the intercultural

classroom
Do an audience analysis
Where are students from?
What assumptions do they bring with
them about classroom interaction?
How do they learn best?
What makes them uncomfortable?

 Refer students to workshops and courses that

help them succeed in Canadian academia:
Teaching Support Center/TATP
www.uwo.ca/tsc

Cognitive Styles
Describe how an individual interacts with his or
her environment, extracts information from it and
organizes personal knowledge and then applies
that knowledge.
Jonassen & Grabowski, 1993
Handbook of Individual Differences, Learning and Instruction

Continuum of Cognitive Styles

Differences in:

use of logic
problem solving strategies
level of abstraction
use of intuitive, hypothetical and structured
ways of knowing