International educators: Are they inter-culturally competent? Beverly D. Shaklee, Ed.D. George Mason University MAIS November 2013

 Primarily from western or westernized nations  Primarily English speaking  Primarily prepared in western models of teacher education  Primarily prepared to teach in the English medium  Little is known about their socio-economic status, world language skills, ethnicity or areas of exceptionality  Shaklee, 2012 International Educators: what do we know? B. Shaklee, 2013

 Emerges out of one’s cultural upbringing and is carried throughout one’s lifetime;  It motivates and colors the social dynamics of teaching;  The pedagogical strategies selected; and,  “Moves what ever happens in the classroom” (Freire, 1998) Teaching Identity B. Shaklee, 2013

 International students often score higher than their teachers in assessments of ICC (DeJaeghere and Cao, 2009; Grossman & Yuen, 2006; Mahon, 2006)  Teachers, who are the classroom leaders, have less well developed intercultural communication competence than their students (Cushner, 2012).  “if a teacher does not reflect on the impact of culture upon his or her identity, the ramifications for students can be immense” (Romano & Cushner, 2007, p. 217). Scant Research however… B. Shaklee, 2013

Inter-Cultural Competence Knowledge of a culture does NOT make one culturally competent. One can have knowledge of a culture and yet not be able to successfully navigate and communicate within that culture ( Bennett, 2009)

 The capability to shift cultural perspective and adapt behavior to cultural commonality and difference. (Hammer)  Developing an understanding and sensitivity to the views of others as well as a sense of connectedness. (Cushner & Brennan)  Appropriate and effective management of interaction between people who represent different or divergent affective, cognitive or behavioral orientations toward the world. (Spitzberg & Changnon) What is intercultural competence? B. Shaklee, 2013

 Understanding that others hold deep perspectives that may be significantly different from your own.  Transcending traditional ethnocentrism to build an ethnorelative orientation toward others.  Developing the capacity to communicate effectively in both verbal and non-verbal modes.  Acquiring interpersonal skills to work effectively across cultures.  Understanding the adjustment that accompanies international transitions. (Cushner & Brennan, 2007) Skills needed to be inter-culturally competent B. Shaklee, 2013

 Take a minute to reflect:  With a partner share one story of ‘adjustment’ that you had to make coming to teach in an international school setting.  What was most compelling in your experience?  How was it similar or different from your upbringing?  What did you learn from your experience?  How did it influence your teaching? With a partner B. Shaklee, 2013

Hammer, Benne t & Wiseman, 2003 B. Shaklee, 2013

How did you respond? Monocultural  Denial – comfortable, maintain separation  Polarization – defend your culture, stereotypes, deny your own culture  Minimization – Everyone is alike, I see no ‘differences’, “we’re all human” Intercultural  Acceptance – Awareness of your own cultural values, culture is complex, curious about other cultures, learning  Adaptation – value alternative cultural perspectives, can take another perspective with culture, intentionally can change behavior & communication styles to be effective  Hammer, Benne t & Wiseman, 2003 B. Shaklee, 2013

 In India, you see something new every day. That's what everyone says, and it's true. Not just new shops or new people or new signs, but new happenings and situations. Like the day I saw a man washing a rooster. Every day, your mind is blown away by something new. Today I realized, however, that for everyone else in India, I am one of those new things they see every day. And just as my reaction varies to the new things I see - from awe to disgust to bewilderment and more - I've started to catalog the reactions I receive from others when they see me.  Happy smiles from children who run up and say, 'Hello!'  Wrinkled noses and a disapproving, 'tsk tsk tsk' from a neighbor lady as I walked from the elevator to my car in a floor-length dress to go out for the evening. Frazzled waiters for whom neither of us can understand each others' English. A Reflection B. Shaklee, 2013

 These reactions are what create culture shock for foreigners in any new country. We always talk about what we feel as the foreigners surrounded by locals. It often elicits intense emotions - ideally we fall in love with a place and its culture, but at times we also find ourselves in a constant battle with our surroundings.  Yet stepping back and watching locals react to me somehow removes the emotion and it becomes an exercise in understanding. Not simply understanding what they think of me, or of foreigners in their country, but on a much deeper level it opens a window to a greater understanding of my own self-awareness. Used with permission A reflection B. Shaklee, 2013

Intercultural Competency As Developmental (Deardorff, 2006, 2009) Requisite Attitudes Respect; openness to intercultural learning; curiosity & discovery orientation B. Shaklee, 2013

Requisite Attitudes Listen & Observe Respect Openness Curiosity and Discovery B. Shaklee, 2013

 When new teachers are recruited, how are attributes of intercultural competency addressed in the interview?  When new teachers arrive what kind of intercultural awareness and preparation activities are they engaged in?  As new teachers begin to teach in your school what kind of cultural mentors are available?  How do you assess intercultural competency with your faculty and staff? With a colleague B. Shaklee, 2013

Knowledge & Skills Knowledge & Comprehension  Cultural Self-Awareness  Cultural Specific Information  Sociolinguistic Awareness  Developing deep understanding and knowledge of culture Skills  Listen, observe and interpret  Analyze, evaluate and relate  Reflective practitioner  Leading to:  Adaptability  Flexibility  Empathy  Ethnorelative viewpoint B. Shaklee, 2013

 Teachers who behave and communicate effectively and appropriately based on their intercultural knowledge, skills and attitudes.  Able to manage the stress associated with intercultural interactions  Able to communicate verbally and non-verbally across cultures  Able to establish and maintain positive new relationships across cultures  (Brislin & Yoshida, 1994) Outcomes B. Shaklee, 2013

Are international teachers inter-culturally competent? *The data is unclear and assumptions are unwarranted. *Western teacher education programs often focus on multicultural education within the nation’s context but not intercultural competency for international education. *Some international schools have substantive professional development on intercultural competence and many have none. B. Shaklee, 2013

 Teachers (all) need an opportunity to develop their skills and attitudes to become interculturally competent.  Schools should provide opportunities for:  The development of cultural self-awareness  Understanding of the cultural context of the school/community  Knowledge and scaffolding from a cultural mentor  Engagement in deepening intercultural understanding In closing… B. Shaklee, 2013

 Cushner, K. (1998). Intercultural education from an international perspective: An introduction. In K. Cushner (Ed)., International perspectives on intercultural education. (pp. 1-14). Mahwah, NJ, USA: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.  Cushner, K. (2011). Intercultural research in teacher education: An essential intersection in the preparation of globally competent teachers. Action in Teacher Education, 33(5/6), doi: /  Cushner, K., A. McClleland, P. Safford (2012). Human Diversity in Education: An Integrative Approach (7 th ed). New York: McGraw Hill.  Deardoff, D. (2004). In search of intercultural competence. International Educator, 13 (2),  Heyward, M. (2000). Intercultural literacy and the international school. International Schools Journal, 19(2),  Olson, C. & Kroeger, K. (2001). Global competency and intercultural sensitivity. Journal of Studies in International Education, 5(2),  Shaklee, B. and Baily, S. (Eds). (2012). Internationalizing Teacher Education in the United States, Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Education Publishing Group.  Shaklee, B. and Merz, S. (2012) Intercultural communication competency for international educators. International Schools Journal, Vol.XXXII (1), Selected Resources B. Shaklee, 2013