Topic 3: Principles of effective teaching for cultural diversity

1. Good teaching is good teaching for all
   Teaching that is designed to cater effectively for cultural diversity in respect to ethnic difference will also cater effectively for the needs of all other groups of students. As Biggs (1997, p.1) argues:

   Apart from language and personal adjustment problems, the teaching-related problems of international students are not in principle different from those of local students. While some beliefs and attitudes about education are based on culture and socialisation, the principles of good teaching are as valid in the East as in the West.

Good teaching does not exclude individuals or groups of students; it is inclusive of culture, ability levels, gender, age, socio-economic status, learning styles and so on. Irrespective of cultural background, all students need to be given the framework within which they can collect and learn the concepts they are expected to learn. Effective teaching means making the unit information accessible to everybody, in a way that cuts across their language, learning, cultural and educational background.
This does not mean it should be ‘dumbed down’ to enable international students to pass, rather it means that you may have to broaden or alter how you present material to students, what you expect them to do with it, and how you teach them to produce what it is you want them to produce.

1. Behave respectfully and demand respect from students
   Irrespective of students’ background experiences, behave respectfully towards them. Male students from some other cultures can occasionally be less respectful of female academics and female students than is acceptable in our institutions. Sometimes there is pressure on females to do the work for male peers. Be mindful of these aspects of the educational process.
2. Effective international and interpersonal communications is dependent on trust
   It is important to develop a positive atmosphere within the class because it can be argued that effective international and interpersonal communication is dependent on trust. If you can create a trusting environment where the rules of the group are clear, where there’s respect for everybody within the student group and between the students and the lecturer, that’s a key aspect of teaching. It has been referred to as ‘academic feng shui’.
3. Take the time to learn something about the countries and cultures from which students come
   It's most important to find out as much about the students’ cultures as possible. Teachers have to know enough to ask questions that students can think about and explain to everybody else, and have to know enough to ask the tease-out questions without giving offence. Knowledge about other cultures not only contributes to an inclusive educational experience, it can also enrich the subject matter of a course in many discipline areas.
   
   Don’t assume that just because students look as though they come from another culture, they are students from other countries. They may be first, second or third generation Australians with various cultural heritages. These cultural heritages may be still important to understand, but to see and treat them as other than Australian may give enormous offence. Likewise, people may look of a certain nationality, but may not be from a certain associated country, e.g. they make look Indian but may be from Malaysia or Fiji, not from India. Or, they might look of a certain religion but may not be from a certain country or region, e.g. they may be Muslim and from India, Indonesia or western European country and not from a Middle Eastern Arab country. (You might also incorrectly associate them with better known countries in a region or continent, when they might actually come from less well known, at least to you, countries in those parts of the world.) Again, these misunderstandings may cause offence. It is important to get to know people’s cultural background and establish an accurate picture of how they see their identity. Offence is given when incorrect or inappropriate assumptions are made about people’s cultural/personal identities. Such offence undermines a trusting educational exchange between teachers and students.
4. Get to know your students personally whenever possible
   In addition to knowing something of the culture from which students come, it is also important to get to know students as individuals because while some differences have a cultural basis, others are due to personality differences. When you know your students as people, you can gain a better understanding of their linguistic and intellectual abilities, and can judge when it is appropriate to ask questions of them in class or in private.
5. Understand what people from other cultures value
   Getting a different understanding of what other people value or what’s important to them, or what kinds of explanations they might find satisfactory or not is important. However, it may not be appropriate to be too relativistic about things. You can’t get to the point where every explanation will do. There has to be a point at which we bring some knowledge, some understanding, some information and some serious commitment to understanding what it is we’re talking about in a particular discipline area.
6. Create a teaching persona that is not too remote or intimidating
   It helps to show students that you are human, that you are interested in them and are aware that they are in an unfamiliar environment. An informal approach is generally the best way to ensure that you create a persona that is not too intimidating to students. Many international students revere academic staff, especially professors, but being approachable will draw students out more effectively than remaining distant from them. The student grapevine works well in letting students know that you are approachable and helpful.
7. Create a comfortable learning environment
   Students will learn best if they feel comfortable and if they feel they can trust you, their teacher. In the early days of semester, when students are getting to know you and you are getting to know them, be selective about the questions you ask international students, so they are not being made to feel a failure. This does not mean they should not be challenged in their learning, but it is a matter of timing and degree.
8. Keep in mind that students are people, not numbers
   Students are people who have particular requirements for learning. It’s useful to remember that sometimes there are stresses and problems in their lives you may not know about. They probably have a number of concerns other than what appears uppermost at the time.
9. The important dynamic in teaching is the link between people
   Teaching is an interpersonal activity and real time interactive spaces are still very important. Many teachers believe technology is a useful tool, but it should not be a substitute for teaching. They also believe the immediate personal link fosters inclusive practices in a more direct way than technology-mediated interaction. On the other hand, there is some evidence to suggest that international students feel more comfortable about communicating online than they do in the classroom in front of their peers. Whether it is in class or online, interactive communication is the key element.
10. Use aspects of cultural diversity to enrich learning
    Find ways of benefiting from cultural diversity. Rather than seeing it as a problem to be solved and/or catered for, consider how contributions from other cultures could broaden and enrich course content and learning processes. Different perspectives from different cultural backgrounds can heighten the interest of students in the subject matter.
11. Develop a good-natured, good humoured respectful approach
    As related to respect, in dealing with students it’s good to keep your sense of humour. This might involve displaying a sense of good natured play in both you and international students, for example, remembering and pronouncing correctly each other names. There’s no harm done in both parties being able to giggle at each other’s mistakes, though it should be recognised that students from other cultures might have a different sense of humour from yours. Students can see you as more human and more approachable. Having said this, always keep in mind that many international students will still respect you as authority figure so a good humoured respectful approach should be cultivated.

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