cultural awareness reaching out and welcoming second language learners and their families arkansas...
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Cultural Awareness
Reaching Out and Welcoming Second
Language Learners and Their Families
Arkansas Department of Education Special Education Unit
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Explore different cultural perspectives to everyday early childhood situations, and gain information about establishing rapport with families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
OVERVIEW
Paraprofessional Competencies
Examine their own unique cultural life ways.
Recognize how their cultural life ways impact their perspective to everyday situations.
Recognize differences between their cultural life ways and those of families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
Identify everyday situations in early childhood settings that can result in contrasting perspectives between professionals and families.
Establish and maintain rapport with culturally and linguistically diverse families.
Paraprofessional Competencies (Continued)
Paraprofessional Competencies (Continued)
Effectively use interpreters to communicate with non-English speaking families
Identify strategies for preventing and resolving conflicts with families.
KEY CONCEPTS
Life Ways
Culture
Cultural Continuum
Ethnocentrism
Family
Rapport
Interpreter
Translator
Working with Interpreters
Differences in Child Rearing
Dialogue vs. Argument
“It Starts With Me”
Section 1
Family Name Exercise
Activity 1
CULTURE
Culture is the pool of rules, beliefs, and values by which a group’s members conceptually order the objects and events in their lives in order to operate in a manner acceptable to its members.
CULTURE SHAPES: The way we think
(Cognition) The way we interact
(Behavior) The way we communicate
(Language) The way we transmit knowledge to the next
generation (Education)
Collier, 1988
LIFE WAYS
• Courtesies• Beliefs• Cultural customs• Values• Practices
• Manners of Interacting • Roles• Relationships• Language• Expected Behaviors
Life ways consist of family’s:
Activity 2
My Family of Origin Cultural Life Way Map
Handout 1
My Cultural Life Ways
Part I and II
Handout 2
Page 1 and 2
Activity 3
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:
How many of the rituals followed in your family of
origin do you continue to follow in your own family?
How many have been blended or eliminated?
What insights did you gain by doing this exercise?
What surprised you?
“NEIGHBORS”
What kind of neighborhood is depicted on the video?
What values are reflected in the neighborhood?
How was the “Mime” family portrayed? In what ways could the “Mime” family
overcome the resistance exhibited by their neighbors?
Video
“NEIGHBORS”
What kind of neighborhood is depicted on the video?
What values are reflected in the neighborhood?
How was the “Mime” family portrayed? In what ways could the “Mime” family
overcome the resistance exhibited by their neighbors?
Contrasting Perspectives
Section II
CONTRASTING PERSPECTIVES
Purpose:
In this activity, participants explore different perspectives to everyday early childhood situations and discuss the values and beliefs that impact these perspectives.
CONTRASTING PERSPECTIVES
Outcomes: Recognize differences between their
cultural life ways and those of families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
Identify everyday situations in early childhood settings that can result in contrasting perspectives between professionals and families.
“Without a culture we cannot see,
but with a culture we are forever
blind.”Irving, 1986
What do you think he is trying to say?
Others’ Cultural Life Ways Maps
Use Handout 2
Activity 4
Contrasting Perspectives
Differences and Similarities
Handout 3
Activity 5
Video
Diversity-Contrasting Perspectives
Handout 4
Anais Nin Stated:
“We don’t see things as they are, we see them
as WE are.”
“If someone listens, reaches out a hand, says a kind word, or attempts to understand, extraordinary things begin to happen.”
Loretta Girzartis
Family Connections
Section III
FAMILY CONNECTIONS Purpose:
In this activity, participants will gain information about how to communicate effectively and respectfully with a family given the family’s unique style and linguistic needs.
FAMILY CONNECTIONS Outcomes:
Identify the basic elements of successful communications and demonstrate conversation techniques that convey respect of and build understanding with culturally and linguistically diverse families.
Effectively use interpreters to communicate with non-English speaking families.
A mutual feeling of trust and understanding. Because it is culturally defined, it is nearly impossible to describe. Rapport is an ongoing process that varies from day to day.
Project Ta-Kos, 1994
Rapport
Elements of Successful Communication
Activity 6
Handout 5
Page 1 & 2
Activity 7
Create a Script
Handout 6
Page 1-3
Communication Helpers and Blockers
Handout 7
Ten Ways to Make Families Feel Included
Handout 8
1. Create a welcoming environment.
2. Make any meeting a 2-way exchange.
3. Reflect families home language and culture in your program.
4. Consider the family’s needs not just the child’s.
5. Identify the decision-maker in the family.
6. Create parent education and support programs.
7. Find staff and administrators from families’ cultural, ethnic, and racial backgrounds.
8. Communicate regularly with parents.
9. If you need an interpreter, get one.
10. Make it your goal to provide culturally responsive care.
Helping Parents Talk About Differences
Be available
Be informative
Be receptive
Develop listening skills
Figure out problems together
Sort out the root of the problem
Don’t assume quiet parents don’t have issues
Handout 9
Ten Questions to Ask When you Disagree with a
Family’s Practice
Handout 10
The Role of Interpreters
Section IV
Activity 8
CONVERSATIONS FOR THREE
1. Role of Interpreters
2. Simulation of Interpreting Process
3. Challenges to the Interpreting Process
Video
Conversations for Three
Handout 11
WORKING EFFECTIVELY WITH INTERPRETERS
1. Planning
2. Interacting
3. Reflecting
GUIDELINES FOR WORKING
WITH THE INTERPRETER
Preparation
Interaction
Reflection
Handout 12 & 13
AT&T LANGUAGE LINE SERVICES
1-800-752-0093
IDEAS TO
EXTEND PRACTICE
Brainstorm Time
Handout 14
• Share handouts with co-worker.
• Set up an interpreter training in my program.
• Consciously practice complementing the
communication dance of families.
• Add things to my program that help Hispanic/Spanish
speaking families feel more welcome.
• Identify interpreters available in my community.
• Continue to explore and reflect on my own cultural
beliefs and values
• Practice respecting the cultural values and beliefs of
others, even if I don’t agree with them.
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Trainers
Susie Branon AR Dept. of Education Schaun Brown AR River Ed Co-op Sandi Campbell NLR School District Linda Quinn Crowley Ridge Ed Co-op Charlotte Pittman LR School District Caroline Lee Southside/Bee Branch Virginia Halcrombe Parent Pam Satterfield Pathfinders