CHAPTER V: INTERCULTURAL EDUCATION

King Jeffrey P. Siron BEED IV-A

Intercultural Education
Dealing with social brought by ethnicity, language, religion, gender, age, culture, socio-economic
class, etc., is an increasing challenge in a multicultural society. This is even more pronounced in the 21 st
century as the world is rapidly changing and increasingly becoming diverse and integrated. There are
various factors that account for this global trend and phenomenon.

What is Intercultural Education?

It is an emerging concept in education that highlights the development of students intercultural
knowledge, values, and skills for a more sustainable and tolerant society.
It is a dynamic perspective that spreads over education as a whole, which teaches knowing and
appreciating the differences between individuals. It is an education dedicated to the personal
growth of individuals and promoting harmonious relationships between people.
Intercultural Education is also considered a school reform. The reform is primarily focused on
changing the negative preconceived knowledge of people against another cultural group, rejecting
all forms of discrimination and encouraging full participation among different under privileged
cultural groups in an open and pluralistic society.
That is why topics in this subject revolve around learning some key concepts related to putting an
end to discrimination, removing stereotype and prejudice, as well as moving people from
ethnocentric perspective to ethno relative orientation.
The United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO)
believes that the best way to prepare students to be socially competent in 21st century
and to create a peaceful and progressive world is by intercultural education.

Reasons for Teaching Intercultural Education:

There are several reasons for the promotion of intercultural education in the 21 st century. Among its
advocates, intercultural education is opined to have four (4) focal points.
One, it celebrates and recognizes that diversity in all facets of human life is a basic reality of
humanity.
It is an inevitable fact that everyone has destroyed diversified ways of life, worldviews, customs,
and sense of what is right and wrong.
Two, it fights all forms of discrimination and advocates genuine equality, justice, human rights, as
well as equitable and just learning environment.
Cultural conflicts start from forms of discrimination that people hold against cultural groups like
stereotyping, labeling, and other ethnocentric behaviors.
Three, it encourages cultural sensitivity and positive communication among students of diversity
especially acting in culturally tolerant ways.
Through intercultural education, individuals become competent in verbal and non-verbal behaviors
of various cultures.
Four, it empowers one to be culturally adept by actively participating in the social interaction with a
feeling of pride of his own identity and cultural group.
It also teaches individuals the ability to communicate with another culture in a socially appropriate
and personally effective manner.
Intercultural Communication
What is Intercultural Communication?
Intercultural Communication studies cultural variation in communicative interaction and
interpersonal relationships among peoples of diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, with the
end view of developing and improving relationships.
Intercultural Communication is sometimes used synonymously with cross-cultural communication.
The Context of Intercultural Communication and Intercultural Education
Intercultural Communication came about as a result of globalization or the enlarging of trade and politics.
As Transnational Corporations (TNCs) and political alliances are expanding and operating in different
countries, employees and diplomats are also becoming multicultural.

Intercultural Communication (ICC) came about as a result of globalization or the enlarging of trade and
politics. As Transnational Corporations (TNCs) and political alliances are, expanding and operating in
different countries, employees and diplomats are also becoming multicultural. Problems of intercultural
communication become an issue in the process of ongoing globalization of employees because they create
obstacles to successful business operations and professional communication. Specifically, issues on
language differences and interpersonal relationship between and among employees, and diplomats from
different cultures are posing a big problem in the organization. For example; differences in language and
cultural- orientations may pose misunderstanding, suspicion, and conflict among employees.