Baden-Württemberg STAATLICHES SEMINAR FÜR DIDAKTIK UND LEHRERBILDUNG (BERUFLICHE SCHULEN) KARLSRUHE SEMINAR BERUFLICHE SCHULEN KARLSRUHE

Baden-Württemberg STAATLICHES SEMINAR FÜR DIDAKTIK UND LEHRERBILDUNG (BERUFLICHE SCHULEN) KARLSRUHE SEMINAR BERUFLICHE SCHULEN KARLSRUHE

Baden-Württemberg STAATLICHES SEMINAR FÜR DIDAKTIK UND LEHRERBILDUNG (BERUFLICHE SCHULEN) KARLSRUHE WELCOME TO OUR WORKSHOP INTERCULTURAL EXERCISES Katrin Boeck, Thorsten Kindermann

INTERCULTURAL EXERCISES Nonverbal communication Integration vs assimilation A simulation game: The Albatros culture Reflexion Cultural dimensions (Hofstede) Intercultural questions: My position? A simulation game: Dinner invitation Reflexion Discussion: Consequences for the work with young refugees? 3

NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION Ø Source of misunderstanding: A gesture means different things in different cultures Ø The way you look at someone can be source of misunderstanding: Fixing his gaze on someone is considered a thread, but the question is, when does someone feel fixed by a gaze and threatened? This is culturally conditionned. 4

GESTURES What do these gestures mean in your culture? 5

INTEGRATION-ASSIMILATION 6

SIMULATION: CULTURE OF ALBATROS We will do a little simulation game/ exercise: Two volunteers one man, one woman- will leave the room and will be instructed by Thorsten. J The two volunteers will represent two individuals from the unknown culture of Albatros ; a people that lives on a small island in the Pacific Ocean. When the two persons enter the room, we will observe their behaviour very closely, in order to be able to describe the most important elements of their culture. 7

YOUR OBSERVATIONS? Tell us about your observations. Which conclusions can you draw? What are essential elements of the Albatros culture???? 8

SOLUTION The Albatros culture is a matriarchal culture that adores the Goddess of Mother Earth. Big feet are an ideal of beauty, because they enable us to have close contact to earth. You can achieve the power of Mother Earth by eating peanuts. Peanuts are a ritual food. So the people of Albatros honour their guests by putting their feet on the ground, in order to enable them to get the power of Mother Earth. Women are priviledged, because they can give life like Mother Earth does. Men have the duty to try all the food before they give it to women, and they always have to go ahead of the women, to protect them. Women are allowed to sit right on the holy groung, whereas men have to sit on uncomfortable things called Chairs which keep them away from the holy Mother Earth. A man is rewarded for his services when the woman allows him to touch her back. When he does so, the woman bows towards the Goddess, takes energy and lets it flow through her body to give it to the man. Men are only allowed to touch women when women allow them to do so. 9

CONSEQUENCES My culture determines the perception I have of other people and actions. Perception is always selective and subjective; you can draw very different conclusions from objective observations. A successfull communication between cultures is only possible if you are willing to take a different perspective. Knowledge about cultural norms, values and customs is of great importance if you want to understand a culture. 10

CULTURAL DIMENSIONS Edward T. Hall, cultural anthropologist is considered as a pioneer of intercultural investigation. In the 60s/ 70s he introduced the terms of time, space and directness of communication to describe how different cultures tend to deal with universal problems and questions. A few years later, Geert Hofstede enlarged this model. He distinguishes between the following cultural dimensions: Ø Ø Ø Ø Ø Ø Power distance Individualism/ collectivism Masculinity/ feminity Uncertainty avoidance Conception of time Long term orientation Read more: www-geert-hofstede.com 11

POWER DISTANCE In the picture you see the mayor of Karlsruhe, a city of 300000 inhabitants. Every spring the mayor participates in a cleaning day, where everybody collects waste to make the city clean and nice. Why do you think that a great number of refugees were shocked by this photo? 12

INDIVIDUALISM - COLLECTIVISM 13

INDIVIDUALISM-COLLECTIVISM 14

MASCULINITY VS FEMINITY Masculinity (traditionally masculine values) Feminity (traditionally feminine values) success strength competition risk social life care for others harmony security Which values are promoted and honoured in a society? (e.g. USA, GB, Japan: masculine societies; Sweden, Portugal, Netherlands feminine societies) 15

UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE 16

UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE IN EUROPE 17

PERCEPTION OF TIME Monochrone cultures Time passes and doesn t come back, time line Ø Efficiency, effective use of time Ø Only deal with one thing at a time Ø Accuracy Ø Punctuality Ø Time management, plans Ø Focus on results Polychrone cultures Time has a circular movement Ø Reaction to current environmental effects Ø Several parallel activities Ø Deadlines are not so important in work life Ø Flexibility Ø Focus on social relations (www.tankvonyvdar.hu) http://www.tankonyvtar.hu/ 18

LONG TERM ORIENTATION Long-term orientation: v Focused on the future v Delay short-term material or social success or short-term emotional gratification in order to prepare for the future v Values are persistence, perseverance, saving and being able to adapt. Short-term orientation: v Focused on the present or past v Immediate gratification is more important than long-term fulfillment v Values are tradition, the current social hierarchy and fulfilling your social obligations. (www.study.com) 19

LONG TERM ORIENTATION (GREEN = SHORT TERM, RED = LONG TERM) 20

YOUR POSITION? We will ask you a few questions about your position concerning cultural dimensions. Every question can be answered with I totally agree (1) I rather agree (2) I rather don t agree (3) I totally disagree (4) After every question, walk to the corresponding corner of the room (1-4) 21

Corner 1 : Corner 2: I totally agree I rather agree Corner 3: Corner 4: I rather disagree I totally disagree 22

QUESTIONS When my boss does something that I consider wrong, I can tell it to him openly. (Typical for cultures with a small power distance like Northern Europe, Northern America) I have cautiousely planned what I will do in the next two weeks. (Typical for monochrone cultures with the idea of time line ; Cantral and Northern Europe, Northern America, Asia) For me it s important to concentrate on one thing, until I have finished it. Before starting a new thing, I have to completely finish another one. (Typical for monochrone cultures with the idea of time line ; Central and Northern Europe, Northern America, Asia) It is important that laws and rules are followed strictely, even if some of them seem not to make sense. (Uncertainty avoidance is typical for rather collectivist societies; everybody must follow the common rules to strenghten social cohesion) 23

QUESTIONS (II) Once you have made a decision, you can always change it, if circumstances change and require a new plan. (Typical for a polychrone culture, which is very flexible if something unexpected happens) No risk, no fun (Culture with low uncertainty avoidance like e.g. Denmark) Everyone has the right to pursue his individual aims and long for happiness- even if this might hurt his family or friends. (Individualist cultures believing in freedom, independence of the individual) I would like to become a big boss and have a lot of power and privileges. (Cultures with a high power distance, where famous and rich people have a lot of privileges and the others obey them) There is a lot of wisdom in the traditions of my country. We should follow these traditions. (Long-term oriented cultures appreciate the past traditions and religions. Traditions assure the cohesion of the society. Typical in Africa and the Middle East) 24

ONLINE TEST You can test yourself with 25 quiz questions and in the end you can see which answers are commonly chosen in which part of the world. https://geert-hofstede.com/values 25

ROLE PLAY: DINNER INVITATION We need four volunteers. Everyone has a character representing a (fictional) culture. He/ she has to behave according to the standards of this culture in a dinner conversation. The others observe closely. After ~5 minutes, we will discuss which behaviour is appropriate or not. Please, take notes about polite behaviour and misbehaviour! 26

SOME IDEAS: CULTURAL AWARENESS IN REFUGEE CLASSES Show some typical things from the host culture and let them guess what it is. Then encourage them to bring or show pictures of typical things from their home culture. 27

WHAT IS THAT??? 28

SOME IDEAS: CULTURAL AWARENESS IN REFUGEE CLASSES Encourage intercultural exchange between pupils: present typical dishes, traditions and costums from the home country talk about intercultural themes: What is good wheather for you? How do you celebrate birtdays?. introduce gestures/ body language make projects with other classes 29

CONSEQUENCES After all that we have learned about cultural dimensions and perspectives: Which conclusions can we draw for our work with young refugees? What should be the relation between accepting cultural differences and imposing certain cultural values and norms? 30

Thank you for your attention! J KATRIN BOECK THORSTEN KINDERMANN 31