INTERCULTURAL ENCOUNTERS -VARIATIONS ON THE THEME Name of author: Liisa LFMAN Email address: [Link]@[Link] Institution and ountr!

: National Centre for Profession al Development in Education, Finland Tar"et audien e

Pre service teac!ers o o Primar" teac!ers #econdar" teac!ers Primar" teac!ers #econdar" teac!ers

$n service teac!ers o o

Itinerar!

E%plorin& a'areness and skills needed in successful intercultural encounters

A#stra t (!e function of t!ese didactic materials is to focus t!e teac!ers) and students) interest in t!e interpla" *et'een t!e various factors of intercultural communication situations. (!e materials consist of a te%t dealin& 'it! intercultural encounters, *ack&round material, and t'o 'orks!eets. (!e te%t is 'ritten in a form of a stor" tellin& a*out a Finnis! student travellin& from t!e Nort! to participate in a conference furt!er sout!. +n t!e 'a", s!e meets interestin& fello' passen&ers. (!e stor" focuses on situations '!ere t!e communication *et'een t!e participants to t!e discussion ma" create o*vious or not so o*vious misunderstandin&s. (!e *ack&round material !elps t!e teac!er to e%plain t!ese situations to t!e students. (!ere are t'o 'orks!eets. (!e function of t!em is to make t!e teac!ers and students to concentrate on t!e follo'in& ,uestionsHow do we succeed in intercultural communication situations? How do we benefit from knowing basic facts of intercultural communication? How do I design further activities? How do we choose the information we give the students? Rationale (!e material focuses on t!e different conte%ts in '!ic! different people meet and communicate . 'it! different results. +n t!e *asis of t!e te%t and *ack&round material t!e class can discuss t!e

communication situations and t!us increase t!eir a'areness of t!e reasons *e!ind various 'a"s of communication. A furt!er idea . and a ver" important one . is to &ive t!e students t!e opportunit" to use t!eir ima&ination and create pro*lematic intercultural communication situations of t!eir o'n. Discussion in t!e class 'ill s!o' different 'a"s of *ecomin& a competent intercultural communicator.

So ial and $ersonal dimension o !avin& confidence in one)s professional a*ilit" to develop educational approac!es in '!ic! takin& account of lin&uistic and cultural diversit" is a realit" %rofessional dimension o findin& and communicatin& purposes in t!e pursuit of a ne' lin&uistic and cultural education/ o creatin&, e%perimentin& 'it! and evaluatin& educational pro0ects ultimatel" aimed at developin& plurilin&ual and pluricultural skills STOR& O' INTERCULTURAL ENCOUNTERS 1ariations on t!e (!eme INTRO(UCTION TO THE %LOT (!e star of t!e pla", 2o!anna 3allamaa, 45 "ears old, lives in t!e Cit" of (ampere, Finland. A fe' 'eeks a&o s!e &raduated from t!e 6niversit" of (ampere. After five "ears of intensive stud"in&, s!e is a competent and ,ualified teac!er of En&lis! and #'edis!. Ne%t autumn s!e 'ill *e&in !er teac!in& career in a small to'n called $kaalinen, some 78 kilometres from (ampere. 9ut no' s!e !as a free summer in front of !er . s!e is totall" free from t!e *e&innin& of 2une until t!e middle of Au&ust. 2o!anna !as decided to travel first to #'eden and from t!ere to 3am*ur& in :erman". From t!ere s!e mi&!t continue to 9arcelona in #pain. (!e reason for c!oosin& t!ese t'o locations is reall" a secret . s!e !as t'o *o"friends, 3ans in 3am*ur& and Antonio in 9arcelona. (!e" !ad all met in a Nort!ern Dimension seminar in t!e Finnis! Lapland t!e "ear a&o. Eventuall", s!e 'ould !ave to &o to London to a #$E(A; conference . if not!in& interferes 'it! t!e plan< (!is is a stor" a*out 2o!anna)s adventures in t!e *i& 'ide 'orld. (!e pla" *e&ins. ================================================================== Situation )* Refle+ions a#out Identit! 2o!anna is sittin& in a comforta*le loun&e c!air on t!e #il0a #erenade, one of t!e ferries cruisin& *et'een Finland and #'eden. #!e !as &ot some currenc", passport, and !er tickets. #!e is lookin& around !er, satisfied 'it! t!e &ood *e&innin& of t!e 0ou0rne". 9ecause it is summertime, t!e ferr" is cro'ded 'it! passen&ers, mostl" Finns and #'edes *ut also man" ot!er nationalities are *ein& presented. 2o!anna !as studied aspects of European inte&ration and attempts to'ards a common European identit". 3o' could

all t!ese different people and nations s!are t!e same identit", s!e 'onders. And '!at is m" o'n identit", am $ Finnis!, #candinavian, European . a &lo*al citi>en? #!e is feelin& ver" p!ilosop!ical. ================================================================== Situation , - Are Stereot!$es true. @Aou are #'edis!, aren)t "ou?B asks a voice *" 2o!anna)s ear. @C!" don Dt "ou come and !ave first a drink 'it! me at t!e *ar, and t!en some dancin&, and t!en<B 2o!anna looks up and sees an unkno'n man lookin& appreciativel" at !er. @No t!ank "ouB, sa"s 2o!anna politel" alt!ou&! s!e 'ould !ave liked to use stron&er 'ords. 2o!anna is tall and *lond, 'it! *lue e"es . t!e true stereot"pe of a #'edis! &irl. And s!e is travellin& alone . is it an invitation to for 0ust an"*od" to approac! !er? 2o!anna realises . once a&ain t!at s!e is no' leavin& !er o'n countr" 'it! its customs and values *e!ind !er and enterin& a forei&n 'orld. 9ut alread" no', on t!e ferr" to #'eden, to t!e nei&!*ourin& countr"E ================================================================== Situation / - %re0udi es 2o!anna is standin& on t!e platform at t!e rail'a" station in #tock!olm. (!e train seems to *e so ver" far a'a", s!e is feelin& e%!austed after !avin& carried !er suitcase and *a&s from t!e ferr" *us. @Ma" 'e !elp "ou 'it! "our *a&s?B asks a polite voice. 2o!anna sees a most forei&n lookin& "oun& couple 'earin& funn" *ri&!t coloured clot!es. As an instantaneous reaction, 2o!anna sei>es !er *a&s ti&!tl" under !er arm and is convinced t!at s!e 'ill *e ro**ed< People lookin& like t!at cannot *e decent peopleE And t!e" are not even '!iteE ================================================================== Situation 1 - M! 2alues aren3t ne essaril! !our 2alues (!e train from #tock!olm to Copen!a&en is packed. 2o!anna finds a seat in a carria&e from '!ere c!eerful talk and loud lau&!ter is !eard to t!e platform. (!ere seems to *e a lar&e famil" travellin& all to&et!er, small c!ildren, a little older c!ildren, parents, cousins, &randparents, ma"*e an aunt and an uncle too. Ever"*od" looks !app" to *e to&et!er. A ver" old lad" is *ein& treated 'it! e%tra courtes". 2o!anna, t!e onl" c!ild of !er parents and t!e product of t!e silent Finnis! culture en0o"s 'atc!in& t!em. #!e is soon taken in t!e livel" conversation alt!ou&! s!e does not reall" understand t!e lan&ua&e t!e" are talkin&. Portu&uese it must *e, 2o!anna t!inks and tries to find use for t!e fe' Portu&uese 'ords s!e kno's. #oon s!e makes friends 'it! t'o "oun& ladies, a *it older t!an !erself. ================================================================== Situation 4 - 5hat time is it. (!e famil" on t!e train !as come from 6ppsala, '!ere t!e" !ad *een sta"in& 'it! relatives. (!e" come ori&inall" from 9ra>il. (!e" are &oin& to sta" in 3am*ur& 'it! ot!er relatives for a '!ile and invite 2o!anna to visit t!em. No' 2o!anna is sittin& in a cafF in 3am*ur& 'aitin& for !er t'o friends to arrive . t!e" !ave a&reed to meet at 4 pm. C!ere are t!e"? Did t!e" not reall" mean to meet !er? 2o!anna !ad t!ou&!t t!e" 'ere !er friends . !ad s!e !urt t!em some!o'? 2o!anna sits at !er ta*le and is *ecomin& impatient. No', time *ein& alread" G.G8 pm, s!e !ears lau&!ter and a *i& &roup of &irls storm in. 2o!anna)s friends !ad found some of t!eir older friends and spent some time 'it! t!em. No' t!e" are all !appil" !ere and ever"t!in& seems to *e +H. ================================================================== Situation 6 - (on3t ome too near me7

(!e ne' friends are cro'din& at 2o!anna)s ta*le. (!e" are talkin& to eac! ot!er and to !er and at t!e same time touc!in& !er arm or s!oulder. 2o!anna starts feelin& uncomforta*le alt!ou&! t!e atmosp!ere is ver" 'arm and friendl". #!e tries to move !er c!air sli&!tl" a'a" from !er nei&!*ours. ================================================================== Situation 8 - 5hat am I tellin" !ou. @+! noE $ don)t *elieve t!is . t!is is not !appenin& to meEB 2o!anna is attendin & a part" in 3am*ur&. (!e $nternational #ummer Camp Association is cele*ratin& its I8 t! anniversar". 2o!anna is invited, and so is 3ans. 2o!anna is 'earin& !er ne' summer outfit and s!e is feelin& ver" cool. #!e is talkin& to 3ans and en0o"in& ever" minute of it. (!en s!e realises t!at some*od" is 'atc!in& !er < AntonioE 2o!anna makes a desperate attempt to ad0ust !er smile . is it too late? #!e dra's ,uickl" a *it a'a" from 3ans. 3as Antonio understood? ================================================================== Situation 9 - Losin" fa e. 2o!anna is sitin& on a train a&ain. #!e !as decided to travel all t!e 'a" to London no' 'it!out stoppin& an"'!ere. (ravellin& *" train, s!e t!inks, is a &reat 'a" of seein& European scener". $t)s &oin& to *e a lon& 0ourne" 'it! lots of *eautiful and !istorical places to see . and, needless to sa", man" interestin& fello' passen&ers to meet. 2o!anna needs ne' t!in&s to t!ink a*out after t!e catastrop!e last ni&!t. Alt!ou&! s!e !ad tried to e%plain to Antonio t!at 3ans 'as onl" a passin& ac,uaintance, s!e !ad felt t!at Antonio didn)t *elieve a 'ord s!e 'as sa"in& . s!e !ad *een transformed from a nice innocent Nordic &irl into a fatal temptress< @E%cuse me, is t!is seat taken?B asks a voice *e!ind 2o!anna. A "oun& man 'it! a *i& rucksack is standin& *eside !er. @+! no, do sit do'nB, sa"s 2o!anna. (!e" start talkin& and t!e 0ourne" &oes ,uickl". (!e "oun& man sa"s !is name is Mirek, s!ort for Mirosla', and !e comes from Po>nan, Poland. (!e" start talkin& a*out t!e countries in Europe in t!e 48 t! centur". @And "our countr", Finland, 'as occupied *" t!e ;ussians. Cas it ver" difficult?B asks t!e "oun& man. @No, 'e 'ere never occupied *" t!emEB flas!es 2o!anna, indi&nant. Mirek is *lus!in& . of course, !e s!ould !ave kno'n. ================================================================ Situation : - %luri ulturalit! and Inter ulturalit! After t!e a'k'ard moment, *ot! 2o!anna and Mirek continue t!e conversation and en0o" eac! ot!er)s compan". 2o!anna is almost a teac!er, Mirek is a nurse. (!e train moves for'ard and t!e" find lots and lots of interestin& topics and t!e" talk and talk . s"mpat!" of t!e souls seems to *e t!e name of t!e &ame. Different *ack&rounds don)t matter. Mirek tells 2o!anna a*out !is !ometo'n, and 2o!anna tells Mirek a*out t!e Finnis! summer '!en t!e sun never sets. (!e train finall" arrives at a rail'a" station in London. C!at a lot of people, 2o!anna t!inks, and so man" colours of skin. Mirek takes !is leave and &ives !is email address Ja ver" complicated oneK to 2o!anna and asks !er to email !im and keep !im posted a*out t!e course of !er life. ================================================================== Situation ); Multi ulturalit! (!e #$E(A; conference !as *e&un. 2o!anna looks at t!e people t!ere and is fascinated. $t 'ould *e temptin& to e%pand t!e international e%perience . 2o!anna !as often *een t!inkin& of movin& to anot!er countr", ma"*e to :erman" or to #pain. 9ut no', Mirek looked reall" coolE And !e 'as suc! a &ood compan". And !e !ad said t!at !e 'ould like to live a*road too. Could t!e" per!aps live in Finland, in Poland, in some ot!er countr"? 2o!anna)s ima&ination runs 'ild < (o live a*road, to 'ork a*road, to raise a famil" a*road < 3o' man" c!ildren 'ould t!e" !ave? Could t!e" look like t!eir fat!er or mot!er?

2o!anna decides to send an ur&ent email to Mirek)s address. 9ut t!e information societ" !as turned its *ack to !er . Mirek)s email address !as &one missin& in t!e course of man" c!an&es of trains and openin& and s!uttin& of *a&s. EP$L+:6E $t so !appened t!at 2o!anna met a c!armin& "oun& C!inese arc!itect, 9o, at t!e #$E(A; Conference. 9o came from 9ei0in&. 2o!anna and 9o decided to live to&et!er. (!e" esta*lis!ed a Finnis! C!inese compan" specialisin& in pluri and intercultural trainin& pro&rammes 'orld'ide. ====================================================================== <AC=>ROUN( MATERIALS I(ENTIT& :eneral $nformation +ne)s o'n identit" is somet!in& t!at is vitall" important *ot! for a person and for a countr". $t specifies '!o "ou are, and '!at "our countr" is, and differentiates "ou 'it! "our c!aracteristic ,ualities from some*od" else. $t is often said t!at a &ood sense of identit" unifies a nation . so it is no *i& 'onder t!at European $dentit" is a muc! discussed item. $dentit" can *e understood as t!e *" product of e%periences in different cultures. STEREOT&%ES :eneral $nformation #tereot"pes are &eneralisations of ot!ers and of us. (!e" are deep rooted part of one)s o'n culture and t!e" live lon&E #tereot"pes ori&inate from "our o'n culture and t!e" influence "our *e!aviour ver" muc! indeed. Aou see and understand t!in&s in a certain 'a" *ecause "ou are a product of "our o'n culture . some*od" from a different culture 'ould per!aps *e una*le to understand t!e same p!enomenon in t!e 'a" "ou do. #tereot"pes can *e positive or ne&ative. (!e" function as a s!ortcut of t!inkin&, causin& "ou to react ,uickl", 'it!out t!inkin&, to a stimulus. %RE?U(ICES :eneral $nformation Pre0udices are ne&ative stereot"pes a*out certain people or &roups. (!e" !ave e%isted for man" &enerations and *ecome stron&er *" &eneration. (!e" are emotional and t!e" e%press deepl" ne&ative feelin& a*out people or &roups different from us. People 'it! pre0udices often 'ant to put for'ard values t!e" *elieve to *e correct J@to stand up for t!e one true reli&ionBK (o defend one)s o'n e&o, people *lame difficulties on ot!er people. People often !ide t!e fact t!at t!e" are pre0udiced(okens convince ot!ers t!at "ou are not pre0udiced/ suc! is one 'oman or one *lack mem*er on a committeeE +r "ou can *e friendl" and positive to'ards people different from "ou, if t!e" remain convenientl" at an arm)s len&t!. Pre0udices often lead to racism. VALUES :eneral $nformation

1alues are t!e *asic *uildin& *lock of a culture. Eac! culture can *e distin&uis!ed *" its s"stem of values. 1alues s!ape t!e *e!aviours of people. 1alues can *e defined as a set of standards *" '!ic! t!e individual lives and forms !is relations!ip 'it! !imself, !is friends, relatives, environment, and, in fact, ever"t!in& around !im. 1alues are culture specific. A list of values *" H.#. #itaram J*orn in $ndia, professor of communication studies in t!e 6#AKA&&ressiveness Aut!oritarianism 9rot!er!ood Collective responsi*ilit" Color of skin Cooperation Education Efficienc" E,ualit" of 'omen Firstness Frankness :ratefulnessLlo"alit" 3ierarc!" 3ospitalit" 3uman di&nit" $ndividualit" $n!erited propert" Harma Masculinit" Modest" Mone" Mot!er!ood Patriotism Peace Preservation of environ ment Punctualit" ;eli&ion ;espect for elders ;espects for "out! #acredness of farmland #aviorism CM Cestern cultures E M Eastern cultures A M African cultures MM Muslim cultures TIME :eneral $nformaton Also t!e concept of time is culture specific. (ime can *e seen as linear, circular, or it can *erelated to events t!at !appen or do not !appen. (!e 3indu reli&ion links time, space and Harma to&et!er. (!e" *elieve t!at some individuals ac!ieve t!eir &oals . self realisation . !ere and no', '!ile ot!ers ma" !ave to 'ait for several re*irt!s in t!is or ot!er 'orlds. Primar" values C EMA M EAM EC M C C C C C EA CEMA EA C C E E MECA E CA E MAE E E C CMAE EAM C E C #econdar" values M C M A EAM E EAM M EAM

AM M C A

MA A M

Monoc!ronic Jstrai&!t for'ard, one t!in& at a timeK and pol"c!ronic Jmore com plicated, man" t!in &s !appenin& at t!e same timeK are t'o t"pes of understandin& time. (!ese t'o concepts are often used to descri*e people too. Mono hroni $eo$le Do one t!in& at a time Concentrate on t!e 0o* (ake time commitments seriousl" Are lo' conte%t and need information Are committed to t!e 0o* Ad!ere to t!e plans Are concerned a*out not distur*in& ot!ers #!o' &reat respect for private propert" Emp!asise promptness Are accustomed to s!ort term relations!ips %ol! hroni $eo$le Do man" t!in&s simultaneousl" Are !i&!l" distracti*le and su*0ect to interruptions Consider time commitments to *e ac!ieved, if possi*le Are !i&! conte%t and 'ell informed Are committed to people and relations!ips C!an&e plans easil" and often Are concerned 'it! t!ose '!o are closel" related Are not concerned 'it! privac" 9orro' and lend t!in&s easil" 3ave tendenc" for lifetime relations!ips S%ACE :eneral $nformation (!e visi*le *oundar" of ever" livi n& t!i n& is surrounded *" a series of invisi*le *oundaries, from t!e individual)s personal space to !is @territor"B. Personal space can *e c!aracterised as an invisi*le *u**le around eac! person. @(erritor"B means t!at t!ese places or t!in&s are mine, don)t come nearE People react unconsciousl" to differences in distances *et'een people. A&ain, distances are ver" culture *ound. Distance is perceived *" all t!e sensesE Ed'ard (. 3all distin&uis!es four distance >ones$ntimate distance Personal distance #ocial distance Pu*lic distance NONVER<AL COMMUNICATION :eneral $nformation Nonver*al communication can tell people t!in&s a*out "ou t!at "ou ma"*e 'ould not like t!em to kno'. %aralan"ua"e means variations in t!e 'a" "ou speak, suc! as stress or speed. (!e use of paralan&ua&e tells a*out "our attitude to'ards t!e person "ou are 'it!. Cit!out sa"in& an"t!in& specific "ou can s!o' t!at "ou like or do not like a person.

<od! lan"ua"e is ver" revealin&. Aour &estures and postures can indicate t!e 'a" "ou are feelin& and '!at "ou are t!inkin& a*out t!e person 'it! '!om "ou are talkin&. E,uall" rev ealin& is t!e 'a" "ou dressE Cit! e!e lan"ua"e "ou can send si&ns s!o'in& t!reats or propositions Cit! "our s$a e lan"ua"e "ou can indicate formal, informal, or intimate distances. #pace lan&ua&e is seen in t!e n'a" "ou furnis! "our rooms Ja &iant desk in an office/ a *i& teac!er)s desk *et'een t!e teac!er and t!e studentsK. (!e most e%pressive part of nonver*al communication is t!e tou h lan"ua"e. $n different cultures t!e ans'er to t!e follo'in& ,uestion is different- C!o can touc! '!om '!ere and in '!at circumstances? And 'it! '!at resultE 'ACE :eneral $nformation A $ositi2e fa e means t!at "ou are considered to *e a &ood and 'ort!" person. (o lose fa e means t!at durin& a conversation, for e%ample, "ou sa" or do somet!in& t!at causes em*arassment and t!e ot!ers c!an&e t!eir positove opinion of "ou into a ne&ative one. A ne"ati2e fa e, as a result of losin& fac e, is a situation to *e avoided in intercultural communication. $f t!e conversation is to *e continued, all t!e co conversationalists tr" to contri*ute to t!e success of t!e talk and to do t!eir *est to keep eac! ot!er)s faces. $f a loss of t!e face !appens, kit makes t!e continuation of t!e conversation ver" difficult . t!e savin& of t!e face of edver"one is t!e task of t!e people '!o 'ant t!e conversation to &o on and results to *e reac!ed. %LURICULTURALIT&@ INTERCULTURALIT& :eneral $nformation $dentit" is t!e *" product of e%periences in different cultures. (!us, multiple identifications create our uni,ue personalit", '!ic! is more t!an static @identit"B. %luri ulturalit! implies an approac! to t!e self and t!e ot!er as comple%, ric! *ein&s t!at act and react from t!e perspective of t!ose multiple identifications J(!e HitK. Inter ulturalit! is t!e link *et'een lan&ua&e and culture. 9ein& intercultural is a 'a" of participatin& in communication in '!ic! interlocutors Are a'are of t!e relevance of culture in communication Participate activel" in communication ;eact criticall" to communication. J(!e HitK Multi ulturalism :eneral $nformation Multi ulturalit! refers to conte%ts '!re cultures are in contact, not restricted to nations, reli&ions or et!nic &roups. J(!e HitK CLASSIC 5RITERS ON INTERCULTURAL THEMES: Dean 9arnlund 2anet and Milton 9ennett ;ic!ard 9rislin Donald Car*au&! C.9. :ud"kunst #tella (in& (oome" Ed'ard (. 3all :eert 3ofstede F.;. Hluck!orn ;o*ert Ho!ls Mar&aret Pusc! H.#. #itaram F. (rompenaars

5orAsheet ) (imin&- 4 % N8) HoB do Be su eed in inter ultural ommuni ation situations. HoB do Be #enefit from AnoBin" #asi fa ts of inter ultural ommuni ation. HoB do I desi"n further a ti2ities.

;ead t!e stor" of 2o!anna)s Adventures C!at facts of intercultural communication did "ou find? Did "ou t!ink of more facts t!at could *e added to t!e stor"? Discuss "our ans'ers in class

After readin" the stor! Crite "our o'n stor" 'it! different c!aracters and 'it! different intercultural communication situations

5orAsheet , (imin& N8) HoB do Be hoose the information Be "i2e the students.

Readin" the #a A"round material C!at kind of information 'ould "ou &ive to "our students? $n '!ic! form 'ould "ou &ive it to t!em? Discuss "our ans'ers in class

Discuss "our ans'ersd i