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.