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Intercultural Incompetence

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• Intercultural Competence Worksheet

PART A: Short paragraph

INSTRUCTIONS: RESPOND TO EACH QUESTION BELOW WITH AT LEAST 150-WORDS, USING COMPLETE SENTENCES. ADDITIONALLY, INCLUDE AN EXAMPLE FROM THE READING MATERIALS THAT SUPPORTS YOUR POSITION.

1. What does “intercultural” communication mean to you? Intercultural communication to me is the way people of different cultures, races, ethnicities etc., all communicate. It is also how different cultures are understood by others. Intercultural communication shows how people of different countries and cultures act and communicate with each other. Communicating with people of different countries, races, ethnicities, religions, etc. is a big part of working in corporate America. Whether it’s a large company that has stock and constantly communicating overseas or a small company that just has diversity in their company intercultural communication is necessary. An example from the reading materials is when President Obama was elected. When he was elected Kenya made a national holiday out of it. In the United States from all over from the east coast to the west coast some celebrated while others hated the fact we had our first African American president. Hate crimes broke out all over the United States from the east coast to the west coast. Many saw this election as a way to improve international communications.

2. Define “intracultural” communication. How is this definition both similar and different to “intercultural” communication? Intracultural communication is the communication between at least two people from the same culture. The similarity between intercultural communication and intracultural? communication is that they both relate to communication. The definition of communication given by Myron Lustig and Jolene Koester in our textbook is Communication is a symbolic, interpretive, transactional, contextual process in which people create shared meaning. Even though intercultural communication and intracultural communication are both communication, in the intracultural communication, the communicators are from the same culture.

3. What are some reasons and approaches behind mastering intercultural communication? In order to master intercultural communication there are four stages to do this. The first stage is unconscious incompetence. In this stage you are unaware of the different cultures around you. The second stage is conscious incompetence. In this one you are aware of the changes around you but you are not willing to change to the new ways. The third stage is conscious competence. This time you are aware of the changes around you and are making an attempt to commit to changing your ways. In the fourth stage unconscious competence you are continuously practicing all the knowledge and skills you have been taught.

PART b: Intercultural encounters activity

INSTRUCTIONS: DESCRIBE AND ANALYZE A RECENT INTERCULTURAL ENCOUNTER WITH SOMEONE OF A DIFFERENT AGE, ETHNICITY, RACE, RELIGION, ETC. IN AT LEAST 450-WORDS, RESPOND AND INCLUDE DETAILS TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:


1. Briefly describe the person and the place.
2. How were you changed by the encounter?
3. What do you wish you had known to deal better with this intercultural encounter?

I work in a very diverse company. We have Middle Eastern, Hispanic, Chinese and English people in

my company. I am an infant daycare teacher and one of my coworkers is Hispanic and does not

understand English very well. I need to communicate with her regarding the babies in my class so she

knows what needs to be done for the children in my absence. In order to communicate with her I have

to speak slowly, clearly and in short sentences. A lot of how I communicate with her is actually showing

her what I am trying to communicate. An example of this is holding a baby food jar and showing her on

the jar how much to feed each baby if they don’t eat a full jar. If communicating to her in this way does

not help then I would get one of the girls that speaks Spanish to translate to her what I am trying to tell

her but that is a last resort way of communicating with her as I try not to depend on the Spanish

speaking girls at work so I can learn how to communicate with her. I was changed by this because it

taught me how to communicate with people who do not speak my language. After talking to some of the

Hispanic girls in my company I have learned a few words of Spanish to help me get by and

communicate easier with the non-English speaking coworker. I still sometimes have to get one of the

other girls that speaks Spanish to translate for me what needs to be done with the children. To deal

better I wish I had known Spanish to better communicate with her or at least known how to

communicate with her through actions. As far as the Chinese woman, she speaks and understands

English but her English is very broken and she speaks so fast I cannot understand what she is trying to

say to me. I have to have her repeat it several times before I get a few words and understand what she

is trying to get across to me. When she doesn’t understand what I am trying to explain to her, just like

the Hispanic woman, I speak slowly and pronunciate everything and if need be I show her with my

motions what I am trying to tell her.

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