Mod 7 Discussion: Cross Cultural Awareness

One idea that stood out to me comes from Teaching for Change (http://www.teachingforchange.org), which emphasizes teaching cross-cultural awareness through cultural sensitivity. Instead of framing students’ diverse backgrounds as obstacles to overcome, this approach highlights them as assets to learning. By affirming students’ cultural identities, teachers create classrooms where students feel valued, respected, and confident in sharing who they are.

For example, cultural sensitivity can be built into lessons through student-led storytelling projects, where learners share traditions or experiences from their home culture. This not only helps the student presenting feel recognized and validated, but it also expands the cultural understanding of peers. Activities like this strengthen empathy and encourage students to see diversity as a resource rather than a barrier.

Teaching cross-cultural awareness through cultural sensitivity helps students build both competence and confidence as learners. When students feel that their culture matters in the classroom, they are more motivated to engage, more willing to take risks with language, and better prepared to succeed academically. This approach also prepares all students(not just ELLs)to thrive in a diverse society.