In the past, education was given on an equal social basis, a school for everybody, promoting justice to diminish differences and targeting social integration. Today the major issue in our society is how to deal with difference? How should we recognise and valorise cultural differences and, at the same time, promote the authentic cultural integration and integral development of our students, first at school, and, later on, in society?
General principles of intercultural learning
Intercultural principles concentrate on openness to the other, active respect for difference, mutual comprehension, active tolerance, validating the cultures present, providing equality of opportunities, fighting discrimination. Communication between different cultural identities can appear paradoxical in the sense that it requires recognition of the other both as similar and as different. In this context, according to Ouellet (1991), intercultural education can be designed to promote and to develop:
:: a better comprehension of cultures in modern societies;
:: a larger capacity of communication between people from different cultures;
:: a more flexible attitude to the context of cultural diversity in society;
:: a better capacity of participation in social interaction, and the recognition of the common heritage of humanity.
The principal aim of intercultural education is to promote and to develop the capacities of interaction and communication between pupils and the world that surrounds them. Among the consequences of this, according to Guerra (1993), we should ensure that:
:: pluralism has to be a component of the education given to all pupils
:: minorities are not obliged to forget their cultural references;
:: every culture is to be equally valued;
:: support mechanisms are in place to guarantee similar success rates for the children who
belong to minorities as well as for majorities.
Fundamental to intercultural learning is the assumption that cultures can only be understood relative to one another and that particular behaviour can only be understood within a cultural context. In the intercultural learning stages, difference is not any more perceived as a threat but as a challenge. An attempt is made to develop new categories for understanding rather than to preserve existing ones.
Intercultural learning begins with the acceptance of cultural difference. First, this acceptance begins with accepting that verbal and non-verbal behaviour varies across cultures and that all of these variations deserve respect. Second, this acceptance is enlarged to the underlying views of the world and values. This second stage implies knowledge of one’s own values, and the perception of these values as culturally made. Values are understood as process and as a tool to organize the world, rather that as something one “has”.
Building on accepting cultural difference, adaptation is the following stage. Adaptation has to be seen in contrast to assimilation, where different values, worldviews, or behaviours are taken over while giving up one’s own identity. Adaptation is a process of addition. New behaviour that is appropriate to a different worldview is learned and added to one’s repertoire of behaving, with new styles of communication being at the forefront. Central to adaptation is empathy, the ability to experience a situation different from that presented by one’s own cultural background.
The final set of stages is integration. Integration demands an ongoing definition of one’s own identity in terms of lived experiences. It can lead to not belonging to any culture any more, but being an integrated outsider always.
Approaches in intercultural learning
One of the challenges associated with intercultural learning is that there is no clearly defined educational discipline known as “intercultural learning”. Nevertheless, if we adapt or create methods, we will do it in an educational framework, maybe created and influenced by ourselves, the circumstances, the trainers team, the participants. : More
Key international documents related to cultural diversity
The ability of everybody to participate in the cultural life of a community is a universal right. All people have the right to express themselves and to create and distribute their work in the language of their choice, particularly in their native language. One of the founding principles of the European Union is respect for its diversity. The upheavals of European history show the importance of protecting national minorities and allowing different religious, cultural, linguistic and ethnic identities to flourish. The peace and stability enjoyed by the EU over the last half century is largely due to this pluralism. : More
Source:”Intercultural Learning T-Kit”, Council of Europe and European Commission, November 2000
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