CONCLUSION. Although this study was concerned with cultural diversity and the respect thereof, learners continued to talk in terms of raceAlthough this study was concerned with cultural diversity and the respect thereof, learners continued to talk in terms of race. They did not seem to be able to talk in terms of culture only and had to be constantly reminded of the differences in these two concepts or classifications. Given South Africa’s legacy of apartheid, it would seem that learners’ reactions were borne out of the historical race classification system and separate living. The way has to be paved for learners to start associating and communicating with each other. They have to overcome their prejudices. Ethnocentrism and racism issues have to be addressed at the institution in order for open dialogue to commence. Learners need to stop regarding each other with suspicion. Learners need to acknowledge that they are indeed different but they must also recognize that they need to learn to communicate with, tolerate and work with each other. Bennet (2003: 48-51) adds that this recognition process takes place in six stages: denial, defense, minimizing, acceptance, adaptation, and integration. Seeing that learners were displaying characteristics of the first three stages, this study proposes that the DUT and indeed all education institutions make a concerted effort to help learners to achieve the last three stages. Programs will have to be put in place to enable learners to learn to interact with each other. Learners have to become familiar with customs, traditions, values, and norms of the different cultural groups on campus. Cultivating a respect for cultural diversity will hopefully lead to tolerance among learners of different cultures among their own race groups. By learning about the different cultural practices, beliefs and ways of life, learners will be exposed to new and different world views. This awareness will hopefully in turn, broaden and inform their perceptions of diversity leading to greater acceptance and tolerance of diversity in terms of race. Multiculturalism needs to be celebrated. These goals cannot be attained overnight, but sustained, carefully planned intervention on the part of the institution can reap numerous rewards not only for the learners, but for the educators and indeed all players in a multicultural environment.
2. Answer the questions based on the text: - Do you agree with the statement: “Simply bringing different racial and cultural groups into contact may generate more heat than light”? - What is essential for multicultural education? How does it differ from monocultural education? - How do understand “the process of becoming intercultural”? - What are the barriers to effective intercultural communication? - What was the questionnaire described in the text about? - How the tolerance among learners of different cultures can be increased? - What are the major problems in multicultural learning environment?
3. Comment on the table reflecting the findings of the questionnaire depicted in the text. The answers concern the problems of multicultural communication:
4. A lot of foreigners today study at our university. Do you somehow interact with them? At the picture you can see foreign students painting Ukrainian Easter eggs.
Can you remember other events that were organized to show our culture and traditions to foreign students? How do you think: is it difficult for them to adjust to our lifestyle, to learn our language and to communicate with other people? 5. Think of a group of people that you feel have specific, shared, cultural characteristics, for example, Californians, blacks, whites, Japanese, Russians, Chinese. Describe the people as a group, and list the characteristics that you think distinguish that group from others. To what extent is your description a stereotype? What is the source of your information about the group? Can you think of some reasons why your stereotype might be inaccurate? Can you think of some ways in which it might affect your communication with individual members of that group?
DISCOVERING OTHER CULTURES
Cross-cultural and status barriers [21] Part II
Cross-cultural observations can easily be tainted and contaminated by other factors. Perceived status differences can create barriers between cultures and even within organizations. For instance, farm managers, instructors, and foreign volunteers (through universities, Peace Corps, farmer-to-farmer programs, etc.) may appear to have a status differential with those farm workers, students, and technical assistance recipients they are working with. A person with this status differential will have to show, by word and action, that she values the potential contributions of those she works with. Until this happens she will only obtain compliance but never commitment. At times, then, it may appear that some workers or students, especially when there are social or ethnic differences, do not participate as easily. This is not because they do not have ideas to contribute, but rather, because they may need a little convincing that their ideas would be valued. Once this floodgate of ideas is opened, it will be difficult to stop it. In some sub-cultures, once a person has given an opinion, others are unlikely to contradict it. That is why some organizations ask their least senior employees to give an opinion first, as few will want to contradict the more season employees. Setting up the discussion from the beginning as one where one desires to hear all sort of different opinions, can be very fruitful both in the workplace and in the classroom. Americans have been historically welcome in most of Hispanic America. With a few exceptions they are looked up to, resulting in deferential treatment. This deferential and polite treatment should not be confused for weakness, lack of interest, and the like. Studies conducted some years ago showed African American children preferred White dolls. This has been changing as African Americans are less likely to discount their own contributions. I believe Hispanics are also valuing their contributions more than in the past, and less subservient behaviors will be observed. Only through equality of respect between races and nations can we reach positive international relations in this global economy (as well as peace at home). Cultural and ethnic stereotypes do little to foster this type of equality. Breaking through status barriers can take time and effort. The amount of exertion will depend on many factors, including the skill of the manager (teacher, volunteer) on the one hand, and how alienated and disenfranchised from the main stream the person he is trying to reach feels. For example, in East Africa, a non-Black manager speaks to the Black African accountant and the accountant makes little eye contact and responds with submissive "Yes, Sirs" regardless of what he hears. When the manager exits, this same accountant makes plenty of eye contact and is full of ideas and creativity when dealing with those of his same and different race. In another example, an adult class of Hispanic farm workers says nothing to their Anglo-Saxon instructor over a three day period--even though they do not understand what is being taught. This same group of farm workers, when given a chance to be active participants in the learning process, become, in the words of a second Anglo-Saxon instructor at the same junior college, "the best class of students I have ever taught." In yet another case, an Anglo-Saxon adult educator finds that Hispanics are apt to listen politely but not ask questions. He advises others not to expect much participation from Hispanics. A female Hispanic elsewhere wonders if those Hispanic farm workers she teaches don't participate because she is a woman. The first perceives that the lack of participation is somewhat inherent in the Hispanic population; the latter assumes her gender is the cause. Meanwhile, other Hispanic instructors create so much enthusiasm and active participation from the Hispanic audiences they work with, that those who walk by wonder what is going--and why participants seem to be having so much fun. It is not a cultural difference if someone can totally involve a group into a discussion, within minutes, even when that group has had little experience with a more participatory method in the past.
How does different social status influence intercultural communication? Why is it easier to learn other culture communication with people of the same rank and the same social class? What other barriers to effective multicultural communication do you know? UNIT 11
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