stand up to racism and support people from different cultural backgrounds, you want to learn how to understand cultural differences. If you’d rather try your luck online, there are sites that help you look for an international penpal. The sooner you accept that everyone is different, the easier it becomes to understand and embrace cultural differences. Seek feedback from the people you work with or from a friendly party in the other culture… Just being curious and open-minded can be helpful. There are a wide range of … Last but not least, you probably will … Whether a person wants to learn more about regions in Japan, the Middle East, Africa, or any other world culture, becoming familiar with its food is a giant step in the right direction. “By learning about people of different cultural … Culture shapes how we as people view world. One of the biggest difficulties to overcome in understanding cultural differences is making judgements based on one opinion. You could try: Check out some virtual travel and history experiences from the comfort of your own home. It takes time and effort to develop high levels of cultural intelligence, and so… My dream is to visits the other … Stereotyping people from different cultural backgrounds can impact their quality of life and opportunities. Do your own research and make an effort to actually learn about people, instead of making broad-brush assessments. Mary Mayesky, author of "Creative Activities for Young Children," suggests incorporating important elements of cultural celebrations into lessons to provide a hands-on way to show your kids what is important to other cultures 3. There are many ways that people can learn about other people's cultures and build relationships at the same time. they may interpret humor as not taking things seriously. Australia is super-multicultural, which means that people and traditions from many other countries and cultures are noticeable and celebrated. Think about your favorite song: Why is it your favorite? Developing your understanding of other cultures, or ‘cultural awareness’, lets you have more meaningful interactions with those around you. Things such as gender and race play a big part on shaping us as individuals. Your filter describes the way you view the world. The best way to respect people from other cultures is to strike a balance between curiosity and appreciation: ask questions if your friends are open to it, but also learn how to just silently observe and … Our 'What's on your mind?' Learning about cultures and customs helps children to appreciate diversity and gives them an opportunity to engage with and understand other cultures in a considerate way. you want to learn how to talk to people from different backgrounds. Try not to compare or judge. It creates curiosity: Learning about other cultures will make you more motivated to visit and find out … The first step toward solving this problem is clear: learn as much about other cultures as you can. It is a great … You could try: Have a chat or catch-up with an acquaintance, friend or coworker that you’ve wanted to get to know better. Here are four ways that learning about other cultures will enrich you as an individual: 1. Sometimes, for one reason or another, it’s not all that easy to understand some cultural differences. This doesn’t mean that you have to be an expert in other cultures. The following activities will help children respectfully interact and engage with people from diverse cultures… The following activities will help children respectfully interact and engage with people from diverse cultures… It is important for students to appreciate cultural … Examine your biases about people from other cultures. Learn more about how you can become more accepting. 15 Tips For Staying Healthy While Traveling Abroad |, 5 Steps in Adjusting to a New Culture | Jeff Hurt Blog, https://blog.academicyear.org/7-ways-to-learn-about-a-different-culture/, Techniques For Learning a New Language – TheLanguageDoctors. Study the Weather. The Importance of Cultural Understanding. It may also prevent cross-cultural conflicts by allowing someone to learn about a specific culture … This is also a great way to practise your language skills if you’re learning a language. tool can help you explore what's right for you. Learning about different cultures can be a great way to develop an understanding of cultural diversity. Traveling opens up a world of possibilities when it comes to learning new things about others. It just means being willing to be open-minded and to ask questions to get more information, rather than having a knee-jerk reaction to anything you don’t agree with. Learning how to talk about other cultures in a respectful, mature way is essential for success in life outside the classroom. … Subscribe to newspapers from that culture online to know more about what they are reading. It can be very easy to stick with what you know, rather than try to meet people who are different from you. Ever since, my son has been interested in learning about other cultures. Cultural awareness, or cultural sensitivity, is being aware that cultural differences and similarities exist, while not judging people based on that. Celebrations are one way to teach children about the different foods, music, art and songs that have value in different cultures. Learning about cultures and customs helps children to appreciate diversity and gives them an opportunity to engage with and understand other cultures in a considerate way. 4. Cultural intelligence is the capability to interact effectively across cultures. Going to different kinds of restaurants that are embedded in cultural communities gives kids the opportunity to taste new food, hear other languages and see what people from different cultures … Each day, nurses must make ethical decisions when assessing patients’ conditions and documenting their observations for physicians and other medical staff to review. Your email address will not be published. They are first listed, and then elaborated upon one at a time. You don’t have to understand, or even agree with, someone in order to accept them. Cultural intelligence is a new concept and builds upon the idea of emotional intelligence; the idea that it is important how an individual handles his or her emotions. Culture Matters is a cross-cultural training workbook developed by the Peace Corps to help new volunteers acquire the knowledge and skills to work successfully and respectfully in other cultures. One of the best ways to learn about another culture is to visit other countries. You will broaden your horizons: Learning about other cultures expands your views on everything, from … The best way to resolve or handle cultural conflict is by learning about other cultures. Being culturally responsive requires openness to the … Use celebrations in your teachings. 3. What assumptions do you make about people from the same background as you? Webster’s dictionary defines culture as “The integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief and behavior that depends upon man’s capacity for learning … I have been to Romania, Hungary, the Ukraine, and a few other European countries. Even if you hear or read something about a certain culture, it’s important to realise that this doesn’t mean everyone from that particular background acts/thinks/believes the same thing. Here’s what you can do: Work out your own beliefs, values and personal biases. Choose what culture or cultures you would like to learn more about. Practice Cultural Sensitivity While it’s important to keep an open dialogue amongst students, it’s equally as important to make sure you’re being sensitive to everyone’s culture… However, actively trying to understand and embrace cultural differences can open you up to a whole world of experiences. With an increase in mobility, as well as technology, we are far more likely to come in contact with people of different cultural … Practice self-awareness. Music … Learn about how your values, attitudes, behaviors and communication style may be perceived by someone from another culture, e.g. The main thing to remember is that everyone, no matter what their cultural background, has their own unique opinions, habits and ways of life. Browse websites with data on entertainment, outings, politics, or trends. Other Cultures are Interesting. It might take a while to save for, but planning a trip overseas to a country you’re interested in can be the best way of opening yourself up to new cultures. Kids who live in Ohio won't have to worry about a willy-willy. The second step is also clear, but frequently overlooked: understand your own assumptions about body language, communication style, or other cultural … Listen to Local Music. 1. Integrating an appreciation for cultural … You’re building your respect and empathy for other people, and celebrating your differences as well as your similarities. You don’t necessarily have to ask them directly about their culture, but by getting to know them as a friend or peer, you’ll automatically find out more about their life and experiences. Australia is becoming more multicultural, which means that people and traditions from other countries and cultures are becoming more noticeable and celebrated. Learning about other cultures, languages, religions, and holidays aside from their own will help children learn that their classmates may be very different from them. It is nothing more than the ability to adapt when interacting with people from another culture. Food is an important part of different cultures and allows people to gain insight into a particular cultural … You’re living in a vibrant multicultural country, so it’s great that you want to understand cultures other than your own. Given this, one Baylor College of Medicine expert explains the importance of respecting other cultures and offers tips on how people can learn more about different cultures. More likely than not, you’re going to meet many people and experience many situations that are unfamiliar to you. It is a good way to absorb new information, and view things from different perspectives. Unless you live under a rock (okay, some narrow-minded people do), you’re going to meet people, and experience situations, that are unfamiliar to you. There are a few ways to do this, but the most important is to remember that we’re all just people who are trying to do the best we can. The filter impacts how we see other cultures. Log in. New White Paper Highlights Impact of International Secondary Students in the U.S. Tony Cook Memorial Grant 2020: 6 American High Schools Who Promote Cultural Exchange, 18 Kids & Counting: Host Family Reunites with Exchange Students in Europe, Host Family of the Year Runner-Up: The Nix Family in Illinois, Host Family of the Year Runner-Up: The Kee Family in Idaho. This gives people the opportunity to interact regardless of culture (Wang, 2018). Yep – it can be confronting, but by doing this you’ll be able to think about how these traits might impact on your approach to and understanding of differences. 2. The ability to learn from and relate respectfully to people of your own culture as well as others' is known as "cultural responsivity." First of all, it’s interesting to learn about those who are different from … Such a viewpoint can be taught by promoting a culture of learning from one another rather than a culture of passing judgment on differences in values and beliefs. For example, when we travel to countries that speak different languages, we want them to adapt their language so that we can understand it. A non-judgemental mindset lets you observe cultural differences without labelling them as ‘good’ or ‘bad’, or ‘right or wrong’. You could try: Think about what assumptions you make about your friends, peers, people you work with and strangers you see walking down the street. Make a conscious decision to establish friendships with people from other cultures. You could try: Practise being empathetic towards the people around you and be mindful of your thoughts about others. [1] X Research source You should be able to find news sources from different cultures in your language. Being culturally aware is a wonderful way to promote inclusion for all in your classroom. One of the most important ways to learn to become respectful of other cultures is to spend some time reflecting on your own beliefs and biases. For example, check out Common Ground’s resources for learning about Indigenous Australian culture and history. In these situations, the best approach is just to acknowledge that some people are different and to accept that that’s okay. This makes you less likely to treat someone differently, just because they are from a different culture or ethnicity than you. Read online news sources. “I think it’s very important to make sure you’re learning from a culture and not about a culture,” said Kuraishi. ReachOut.com uses cookies to give you the best experience. Secondly, learning other cultures can broaden your horizons. Just as not everyone you know has identical beliefs, people who come from different cultural backgrounds aren’t all a certain way, either. Put yourself in situations where you will meet people of other cultures. This includes biases about your own cultural background. Do you do the same? One of the best ways to experience and understand other cultures is to actually live among them. Find out more about cookies and your privacy in our policy. Organizations work in diverse environments. I love this post! Here are some steps you can take. In a world that is becoming increasingly small, cultural understanding is important. Many different factors can affect your filter. Each of us has what is known as a "filter". But what is cultural intelligence? You could try: Check out some foreign films on SBS or Netflix, attend a local food festival, or search for some online resources. I have done mission work over seas several summers now and love visiting other cultures and learning about them. But where will you … Remember to treat them just like you would anyone else, and don't think of them only as a way to get to know about other cultural backgrounds. Try and get to know someone from a different cultural background better. It's not always easy to find the right place to start.