Communication and Cultural Diversity
When I see my interactions with others around me, such as my colleagues, families I work with, and my own family, I notice the aspects of cultural diversity and the effects it has on communication. In my own interactions I can notice that I change the way I communicate with different people according to the aspects of their culture. Different groups and cultures determine the way that I interact and communicate. An example would be that I speak with the families at my workplace much differently than my own family. The topics we discuss differ as well as my professionalism. I sometimes have to think about what I am saying and how I respond to the children and their families. In my own family I can speak on any topic and I do not have to communicate professionally. I feel more relaxed and at ease speaking with my own family rather than the professionals that I work with. I understand that I have to consider a person or groups culture when speaking with them.
Strategies that I would use to effectively communicate with others from differing groups and/or cultures are:
- I can consciously think of others before myself. I can try to understand more clearly what the other person or group is trying to communicate so that I can effectively respond.
- Another strategy is to recognize my own nonverbal behaviors. Becoming self aware of how I may be perceived can help with communicating with others that differ from my own culture.
- I can actively gain more knowledge in another person's culture or how to effectively communicate with others as well. Gaining more knowledge about effective communication can help me become better at my interactions with others.
It is very valuable to gain more knowledge about another persons culture. I have been working with two students from Vietnam and I learned how to say a few phrases. Their faces lit up and of course they giggled a little but it was important for me that they see me trying to learn their language as I am teaching them English. Anytime you can bring language or any other type of background to communication it shows to others that you are being considerate and that leads to more effective communication.
ReplyDeleteIn you blog post you provided, three strategies to help build effective communication when communicating with people from diverse backgrounds. I think the strategies you selected are excellent ways to build effectiveness. I can utilize these skills to enhance my ability to communicate effectively with anyone. In the field of early childhood education I often have to communicate and collaborate with many people from diverse backgrounds for the benefit of a child in my care. It is important that I communicate the needs of the children in my care effectively to ensure that they get what they need to be successful. Thank you for providing such great trips, I will be sure to use them to build on my professionalism,
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