Cultural Competence:  

What does it mean for our educators and ELL population?

Defining cultural competence:

• Cultural competence is the ability of individuals and organizations to:
  • Assess attitudes, values, and behavior toward diverse cultures.
  • Learn from the multiple cultural experiences and perspectives ("expert knowledge") that people bring to situations.
  • Communicate effectively and appropriately with others who do not share the same culture, ethnicity, gender, etc.
  • Acknowledge inevitable intercultural conflicts and have proactive strategies in place to mediate conflict. 
  • (source:  Judith A. Nelson, Ph.D. & Rebecca M. Bustamante, Ph.D.)

Our Current Communication Challenges:

• Approximately 20 different languages spoken in our school
• 1.5 ELL Teachers
• Decrease in availability of translators
• Need to communicate regularly with parents who don't speak English

Communication Resources for Educators (Click each link):

• Tips for Connecting with Non-English Speaking Parents
• Using "Google Translate"
• Using "Talking Points"

Sources:

The Schoolwide Cultural Competence Observation Checklist for Professional School Counselors (Powerpoint) by Judith A. Nelson, Ph.D. & Rebecca M. Bustamante, Ph.D.