International Co-ordinator Training for Schools

Cultural iceberg and Byram’s framework

Starter: The six-culture-game

The six-culture-game: Discuss in your group the following questions ( 5 min)

• What was my reaction when the other person didn‘t behave as I expected?

• Did I feel good/uncomfortable/confused /shocked?

Why - and how did it show?

• (What forms of ritual greetings do I/ we know or practice?)

Illustrations by www.teresa-robertson.co.uk

Encounter and Experience

Stereotypes involve generalisation

Stereotypes are the source of prejudice !!!

Hidden below the surface…

Byram’s Model of Intercultural Communicative Competence (1997)

Intercultural attitude

(savoir être)

Skills I (savoir

comprendre)

Skills II(savoir

comprendre)

Knowledge(savoir)

Critical culturalawareness

(savoir s‘engager)

BRITISH AND BULGARIAN CHRISTMAS CARDS: A RESEARCH PROJECT FOR STUDENTSKrassimira Topuzova (Bulgaria) – 2001*

Objectives were:

Show whether

Bulgarian Christmas tradition has changed – after 1990

Compare with

British tradition and introduce other cultural issues

‘Research':

analysing data, form concepts, draw conclusions.

*Krassimira Topuzova

2001, British and Bulgarian Christmas cards: a research project for students. In: M Byram, A Nichols and D Stevens (eds) Developing Intercultural Competence in Practice 

Clevedon: Multilingual Matters (246-259).

7

Organisation of the project

B

efore lessons start

-

Each student to go to a shop and buy one Christmas card they'd like to post for Christmas.

-

In shop, observe: who buys cards - age, sex, nationality - how many do they buy - which cards sell

more and which less?

-

At school, exhibited cards and explained why he/she had bought a particular card: price, size or

colour OR images and messages.

8

In the classroom: groups of 5/6 in order to analyse the cards

WHO BUYS CHRISTMAS CARDS?

1.What age, sex, occupation are they?2.Are they local people or tourists?3.How many cards do they buy?

WHAT CHRISTMAS CARDS?

1.What size and format are they?2.What images are included?3.Who printed them?

W

HY BUY CHRISTMAS CARDS?

1.What do Christmas cards mean to Bulgarians?2.Why do they buy them?3.Who do they send them to?4.What do they write on them?

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Second stage: classification cards into types, according to the images and messages

The following types emerged:

Traditional Bulgarian Christmas cards - illustrating the traditional Christmas table

Religious Christmas cards with Biblical images - new development -- official rejection of church before the changes.

Children's cards - e.g. children making snowmen, playing with snowballs Winter-landscape cards -snowy woods or fields

Christmas-tree decorations - typical Bulgarian cards - traditional decorations

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Third stage: discussion of the cultural implications: traditional Bulgarian Christmas cards haven't changed; recently introduced innovations, e.g. UNICEF cards with 'Merry Christmas' in English

C

omparisons

-

Distribute British cards to groups: analyse as before - four types: religious

cards, winter-season cards, children's cards, Christmas decorations.

-

Comparative analysis of the Bulgarian and British Christmas cards; make

two columns: for differences and for similarities; summarise the findings.

M

ost striking difference: information on cards: what charity and what material made of

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The example and the competences

1

.Becoming curious about Britain AND the recent history of Bulgaria, thinking about the future. Realising that

Bulgarian society has not been always ‘like this’.

A

ttitudes (savoir être) curiosity and openness, readiness to suspend disbelief about other cultures and belief

about one’s own.

2

. Knowledge about: Christmas cards in England and Bulgaria; recycling; recent history in Bulgaria; the role of

charity in capitalist welfare states (and others)

Knowledge (savoirs): of social groups and their products and practices in one’s own and in partner country, and

of the general processes of societal and individual interaction

3

. Relating/comparing: English and Bulgarian symbols of Christmas; English and Bulgarian concepts of charity

Skills of interpreting and relating (savoir comprendre): ability to interpret a document or event from another

culture, to explain it and relate it to documents or events from one’s own12

4

.Discovering social practices in Bulgaria (and England) connected with Christmas by

investigating/observing/collecting data, categorising data i.e. being scientists

S

kills of discovery and interaction (savoir apprendre/faire): ability to acquire new knowledge of a

culture and cultural practices and the ability to operate knowledge, attitudes and skills under the

constraints of real-time communication and interaction

5

. Evaluating the change in Bulgarian society since the change from communism – the

advantages and disadvantages.

Critical cultural awareness (savoir s'engager): an ability to evaluate, critically and on the basis of

explicit criteria, perspectives, practices and products in one’s own and other cultures and countries

Comment

The students found it difficult to accept the idea of buying Christmas cards to support a charity.

The concept of charity didn't exist in our culture before 1989.

Now the concept of charity has emerged with a clear shape and meaning. The 'classless

society' has practically become non-existent. Instead, two distinct classes have formed - those

of the rich and the poor. Homeless and unemployed people started to appear.

At the same time, the first charity organizations appeared, usually founded and sponsored by

people with money and power..

At this point we had a discussion on British charities, their role and value

in society.

They were surprised to find out that these charities got their funds from

public donations, not from state or private businesses as is the case in

Bulgaria.

They explained this by reference to the centralised social service system

in our country which is still surviving, though quite neglected by the state

due to its financial and economic crisis.

However, they came to the conclusion that the charities in Bulgaria would

develop in very much the same way as West European charities because

of the guidance they received from them, and the expertise they followed

in organization and activities

When I come to you I am a resource, when you come to me you are an honoured guest

Intercultural Communication and school partnerships

Scenario

A UK school has managed to bring teachers from their partnership cluster in India into the UK at

the same time as a Comenius partner meeting and the two groups are brought together. The

other partners begin to talk about some fundraising initiatives for the Indian schools and one

partner especially has a very stereotypical view of schools in the less developed world. The

UK-India partnership is founded on an equitable relationship and this philosophy is well

understood by both sides. One of the European partners says to the Indian representative;

"We are going to give your school all our old sports equipment and 4 old laptops!”

What has happened here ?

How does each of the partners feel ?

Why do they feel that way ?

What assumptions have they made ?

What other actions could they take ?

Film clip

http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_s

tory.html

Eye contact in different cultures

Culture ConventionArab A lot of eye contact: too little could be disrespectful, but unrelated

men and women may avoid eye contact with each other as this could be seen as flirtatious.

White British The speaker makes eye contact but periodically looks away to avoid ‘staring’; a speaker who does not make eye contact may be seen as untrustworthy. A listener is expected to look at the speaker: not to do so is seen as disrespectful, or implies the person is not listening.

South Asian Direct eye contact can be seen as aggressive and disrespectful.Japanese and Chinese Direct eye contact for more than a couple of seconds is

disrespectful, especially towards people seen as social ‘superiors’.

Afro-Caribbean The speaker looks at the listener and the listener looks away: looking at the speaker may imply challenge and disrespect.

The amount of eye contact regarded as acceptable or necessary in different situations is culturally specific. For example:

What the British say What they mean What others understand

You must come for dinner

It’s not an invitation, I’m just being polite

I will get an invitation soon

Very interesting That is clearly nonsense They are impressed

That is a very brave proposal

You are insane He thinks I have courage

That’s not bad That’s good That’s poor

With the greatest respect I think you are an idiot He is listening to me

I hear what you say I disagree and do not want to discuss it further

He accepts my point of view

Oh, by the way The primary purpose of our discussion is…

That is not very important

How might cultural diversity affect your partnership ?

•Misinterpretation

•Assumptions about one another

•Expectations of money

•Way schools work

•Different teaching styles

•Respect for elders

•Time issues

•Moral/religious differences

•Traditions/family structures

•Willingness to admit mistakes

•Flexibility

•Prejudice

What’s important for you?

Thinking about all the things we have talked about today