Cultural Awareness

The student counsellor needs to be aware of any cross-cultural issues which may affect student welfare.

Culture and Society

Many students choose to study abroad for the opportunity to experience life in the destination country. Their understanding of society and culture is usually based on preconceptions which may or may not be accurate. The student counsellor should correct any misconceptions, and provide students with accurate information about living in the destination country. International students can benefit greatly from useful information and practical tips about the common cultural challenges they may encounter in the destination country.

The student counsellor should brief students about cross-cultural issues before departure. Education institutions usually address social and cultural issues during students’ orientation and may provide ongoing assistance to students during their studies.

Understanding destination countries’ society and culture is discussed in A1.2 Understanding a Country/Society and Culture.

Multicultural Awareness

Several factors can influence students’ awareness of cultural issues and how these issues affect them.

Preconceptions

Preconceptions about the destination country may influence how students perceive it. The local population’s preconceptions about other countries may influence how they perceive international students.

Cultural Similarities and Differences

Students should have a realistic awareness of the similarities and differences between the cultures and societies of home and destination countries. Generally the greater the differences between the cultures, the greater the sense of dislocation experienced by students after arrival.

The severity of students’ culture shock can be reduced if they are:

• Accurately briefed about what to expect
• Aware of areas of potential misunderstanding
• Able to access support (e.g., from an international student adviser)

Social Structures and Institutions

Students need to adjust to the way in which the destination country structures its society and social institutions. Students can be confused by differences in the relative status of various segments of society, such as socio-economic groups, ethnic or cultural minorities, etc. Interactions between social groups may follow quite different conventions than students are used to.

Public Behaviour

Students need to be aware of and adjust to the local customs regarding public behaviour. Behaviour which is normal in the home country may be unusual or unacceptable in the destination country. Conversely, students must deal with aspects of the destination country’s culture which would be strange or offensive in their home country. In particular, students need to know and conform to the local standards of etiquette, and avoid breaking any taboos.

Personality

Students’ personalities may be interpreted differently in separate cultures. For example, a quiet but polite personality may be considered dull and unfriendly in other cultures. A vivacious and assertive personality at home may be regarded as pushy and aggressive in other countries. This can be confusing for international students and create misunderstandings in interactions with local people. The student counsellor and other advisers may need to take personality factors into account when advising students about cultural differences.

Discourse Characteristics

Each culture has unique characteristics in the ways its members engage in communication with each other. Cultural norms differ concerning physical aspects of interactions, such as appropriate personal space, eye contact, volume and tone of voice, touch, and gestures. In addition, social norms vary regarding appropriate discourse in interactions between different social levels, such as superior and subordinate, expert and novice, teacher and student.

Students can encounter great difficulty with such differences in discourse. They can be a source of mutual misunderstanding between international students and the local population. For example, students from a culture which values humility can struggle in a society which values assertiveness, and vice versa.

Classroom Discourse

In particular, students need to be aware of cultural differences in the ways in which students interact with teachers and other students. Classroom discourse can vary greatly depending not only on cultural norms but also on teaching and learning styles. For example, a tutorial-type classroom has a very different dynamic to a large lecture hall.

Some cultures prefer a didactic style of learning in which students listen and absorb the knowledge imparted by the teacher. In contrast, other cultures may favour a facilitation model in which students question the teacher who guides them to appropriate learning materials. International students may need special assistance to understand the learning styles used in their classrooms, and to learn to use the appropriate discourse patterns.

Social and Business Discourse

Outside of the classroom, international students need to adapt to the characteristics of social and business discourse in the destination country. They should receive pre-departure information and orientation after arrival and may need ongoing assistance with social and business interactions during their stay.

Extension Questions: For each relevant destination country:

• What are the cultural similarities and differences with the home country?
• What preconceptions do students have about it?
• What common challenges should international students be aware of?
• What do students need to know about social structures and institutions?
• What do students need to know about public behaviour, social etiquette, and local taboos?
• What differences in the characteristics of discourse can affect international students?
• What cultural assistance can international students access?

Language

International students need to be able to communicate in the language of the destination country. They should be aware of linguistic factors which may affect their cross-cultural communication irrespective of their language proficiency. Cross-cultural communication depends not only on students’ language proficiency but also on culturally appropriate usage.

Cross-cultural Communication

Students should be aware of the formulaic and colloquial language used in everyday communication in the destination country. Students should also know numbers and how to count.

Formulaic Language

Formulaic language is frequently used in everyday communication. For example, it is commonly used in functional language such as greetings, farewells, thanks, everyday transactions, etc. Note that formulaic language can vary regionally within a country.

Colloquial Language

Colloquial language is commonly used in informal communication. It can include idiosyncratic expressions or word usage, abbreviations, slang, etc.

Discourse Characteristics

International students can benefit greatly from understanding the basic features of discourse in the destination country. It is much easier for them to avoid misunderstanding and choose appropriate language when they can recognise the discourse markers which indicate different types and levels of interaction in the local culture. Students must be aware of the characteristics of classroom discourse in the destination country.

Paralinguistics (Body Language)

International students should be aware of cultural differences in the use of body language which could result in misunderstanding. In particular, students should know to avoid inappropriate or offensive body language. They also may need advice to interpret local people’s body language correctly. Students should know what constitutes appropriate personal space, eye contact, volume and tone of voice, touch, and gestures in the destination country.

Varieties of Language, Dialects

Students can be confused by linguistic variation in the destination country. For example, some languages are gender-neutral, while others have distinctive male and female discourse. Within a culture, significantly different forms of language may be used by different generations, social groups, occupational groups, etc. Formal and informal language usually differ markedly. The local language may be non-standard (or at least different from the version familiar to the student). It may be a local dialect or contain regional variations from the standard language. In many cities, students will encounter a mix of local dialects from the surrounding regions.

Extension Questions: For each relevant destination country:

• What language variations exist?
• What linguistic factors may affect cross-cultural communication?
• What linguistic challenges should international students be aware of?