Crossing Borders Education

Intercultural Interactions (USA)Connecting Domestic and International Students

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It is through the mirror of others that we learn to know ourselves.Stella Ting-Toomey

 

This cross-cultural toolkit supports domestic and international students in the USA to leave their comfort zones, learn intercultural skills, and interact openly with each other around the topics of intercultural film clips.

The three intercultural sessions are suggested formats for short and targeted student interactions that can be easily custom tailored to your specific needs and contexts. They are designed as awareness exercises where the student learning happens predominantly through first-hand experiences of intentional peer-to-peer interactions. You may also be interested in the Concept & Strategy behind this toolkit.

Facilitator Manual
Online Resources

Content

Orientation Session: Awakening Intercultural Interest

Suggested class time: 5-10 mins
Learning areas: Curiosity, Cross Cultural Awareness

  1. Why explore Diversity? (1 min) view

Session 1: Enhancing Intercultural Awareness

Suggested class time: 60-90 mins
Learning areas: Critical Thinking, Cross Cultural Awareness, Social Skills

  1. On Speaking a Second Language (4 min) view
  2. On Pre-Conceptions (5 min) view
  3. On Beginning a Journey (4 min) view

Session 2: Growing Intercultural Skills

Suggested class time: 60-90 mins
Learning areas: Communication Skills, Cross-Cultural Skills, Social Skills

  1. On Differences of Communication Styles (4 min) view
  2. On Non-Verbal Communication (4 min) view
  3. On Culture Shock (4 min) view

Session 3: Appreciating Cultural Diversity

Suggested class time: 60-90 mins
Learning areas: Intercultural Empathy, Cross-Cultural Awareness, Social Justice

  1. On Differences of Backgrounds (8 min) view
  2. Relationships Bridging Differences (6 min) view
  3. The Power of Empathy (9 min) view

Additional Sessions: Screening Events & Open Dialogues

Practice communication skills, deepen intercultural understanding and interconnect diverse students by initiating Screening Discussion Events with the intercultural documentaries by Crossing Borders Films, set in Morocco, China and the USA.

Crossing Borders – Encountering the ‘Other’ – Discovering Ourselves