As part of their requirements toward earning ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) certification, our instructors on the standard ESOL Endorsement track must take a course entitled "Cross-Cultural Communication and Understanding". The course covers theories related to the effect of culture in learning and achievement for individuals from diverse backgrounds. The content of the course is designed to assist instructors in identifying and understanding the nature and role of culture, cultural groups, and individual cultural identities. I was reviewing the course content recently and thought how applicable the content was to business as well as education.
Maybe we all should be required to complete such a course? There is no doubt that the culture we each identify with has tremendous influence on our learning, communication styles, belief systems, value orientations, and patterns of thinking and behaving. All of these play a part in our roles within the organization.
What about the dangers inherent with ignoring the effect cultural differences have on all of the above? All employees in any organization would benefit from lessons in honoring diversity and caution to the dangers of stereotyping and the over generalization of any specific population.
Dr. Deborah Swallow, an international speaker and seminar leader in the areas of cultural diversity, intercultural communication, and international business practices, has created a blog of her own with some very useful content. Check out her blog topics related to cross-culture here.
