Tools for developing cross-cultural understanding

Just as English language teachers need to develop cross-cultural skills for themselves, our students may also have this need.  A few tips on teaching cross-cultural skills to English Language learners:

1.  Don't assume that students have cross-cultural skills.  Just because they're from a different culture doesn't mean they have cross-cultural skills.

2.  Introduce recently arrived students to the Stages of Culture Shock.  This will help them understand the process of what they are going through being in a different culture.  Helping them process their adjustment to a new culture will help them see it for what it is.

3.  Be patient with students' perspectives.  Part of cultural adaptation is anger and misunderstanding.  When you see students going through this, be patient with them, allowing them the space to work out their own understanding.  Some people may never fully 'understand' a culture, but they do grow to accept it.

Other Helpful Resources about culture and the ELT classroom

• Thomas Jesus Garza online course on culture in the language classroom provides an in-depth and thorough examination of the theory and thought surrounding this dialog.  
• Language problems. Cultural Opportunities.  Tristan Verboven examines the impact of teachers expecting immigrant students to assimilate rather than integrate.
• Making Peace: A reading/thinking/writing text on global community is a textbook by Elaine Brooks and Len Fox with exercises to help English language learners explore concepts of peace in cultural interactions.    
• National Capital Language Resource Center: Teaching Culture provides an in-depth exploration of how to incorporate teaching culture into the classroom.
• Iceberg Concept of Culture is a great way to help students explore which parts of culture are causing stress in their lives.  It also helps them verbalize and explore how their culture may have unspoken rules that their new culture does not have.