LL250: Intercultural Communication                
Prof. Bauer-Ramazani                                      Name _________________      
 

Worksheet for Chapter 7
“Cultural Influences on Context: The Educational Setting”


Samovar and Porter (2005, p. 234)) state that “all cultures teach the same thing: the perpetuation of the culture passing their history and traditions from generation to generation ... through formal and informal education... Thus, in every culture, schools serve a multitude of functions."

  1. “They help fashion the individual.”
  2. "Children are also shaped by their schools as they become aware of what they need to know in order to lead productive, successful, and satisfactory lives."
  3. “Schools are a primary means by which a culture’s history and traditions are passed from generation to generation.”
    (=  _____________________ knowledge of culture)
  4. “… to teach the informal knowledge of a culture.”   This includes rules of _________________________, a  ___________________________________, how to _______________________________, _______________________ expectations, and ________________________.

I.  Comparative Educational Systems—Some Questions to Consider

Directions:  In groups of your fellow countrymen, discuss the educational system of your own country.  How would you describe it to people who were educated in another country?  How did you learn the values, beliefs, prejudices of your culture through education? Give examples of how these elements were evident in your education.  Then explain your country’s education system to the other groups.

A.  Educational system – general questions

  1. How is education funded?  Do the students have to pay or is it free (private vs. free)?
     
  1. How is the system divided (e.g., elementary, middle school, high school – how many years?)?
     
  1. How much education is compulsory?
     
  1. Are there different types of schools at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels that have different lengths of study and different goals?  (Specify.)
     
  1. What is the relationship between education and religion?
     
  1. How about higher education (i.e., college or university)?   Who pays for it and how much?  How do students qualify?
     

B.  For each level of school (elementary, middle, high school and college), answer the following:

1.      Goal: What is the goal of education in your country?  (equal opportunity?  accommodate the best?)

2.      The curriculum

a.       Subjects taught (list them; include major subjects and minor ones)

b.      What did you learn in history class (what types of history, for how many years, what was the focus)?

c.       How important was/is math (how many years, what areas of math were covered)?

d.      What about geography?

e.       What about religion, ethics, culture in general?   

  1. Hours per day/days per week/weeks per year?
     

  2. Uniforms required?  Dress codes?
     

  3. What rules of behavior are imposed?

  1. What disciplinary procedures are used for infractions of rules?
     

  2. What are the common types of disciplinary issues and problems?

  1. Describe the classroom dynamic—the method of teaching and typical student learning behavior.

  1. How would you characterize the relationship between teachers and their students, both in class and out of class, including outside school hours and school grounds?  Do teachers have any responsibility or authority over students outside of school?

     

  2. What extracurricular activities are commonly available?  What is their role/importance in the educational experience?
     

  3. Describe a typical day in the life of a student at each level?

     

  4. Give 1-2 examples of typical curricular aspects of your culture’s education system that may be different in other cultures (e.g., particular interpretations of history; emphasis on particular cultural influences, religious or philosophical teachings; etc.).

     

  5. What do you wish to change about education in your country?
     

  6. What do you think is the best part of education in your country?

II.  Learning styles and classroom interaction

One part of the challenge of education in multicultural settings involves culturally different styles of learning and classroom interaction.  Jot down the characteristics of the concepts below.  Which are you?  Do you think you are you typical or atypical of the norm in your culture?
 

A.  Learning Styles

1.      Cognitive Styles

a.       Field independence vs. field sensitivity

 

b.      Cooperation vs. competition

 

c.       Trial & error vs. “watch then do”

 

d.      Tolerance vs. intolerance for ambiguity

 

2.      Communication Styles

a.       Direct vs. indirect communication

 

b.      Formal vs. informal communication

 

c.       Nonverbal communication

 

d.      Topic-centered us. topic-associating communication

 

3.      Relational Styles

a.       Dependent vs. independent learning

 

b.      Participatory vs. passive learning

 

c.       Reflectivity vs. impulsivity

 

d.      Aural, visual, and verbal learning

 

e.       Energetic learning vs. calm learning

  

4.      Motivational Styles

a.       Intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation

 

b.      Learning on demand vs. learning what is relevant or interesting

 

B.  What advice would you give to a new teacher who has to deal with a class made up of students from the United States, Bosnia, Vietnam, Tibet, Korea, Japan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Chile, Colombia, and other places?

 

 

 

 

 

©2004  Christine Bauer-Ramazani, Saint Michael's College. Last updated: July 09, 2017