- "Cultural competence, also known as intercultural competence, is a range of cognitive, affective, behavioural, and linguistic skills that lead to effective and appropriate communication with people of other cultures."
Developing the ability to understand and navigate different cultural norms, values, and beliefs related to race, ethnicity, and identity in order to better engage with diverse communities.
Definition and Importance of Cultural Competence: Understanding what exactly cultural competence is and why it's important is a crucial starting point for learning about this topic.
Cultural Identity: Understanding one's own cultural identity and how it can shape our worldview is important when learning about cultural competence.
Stereotypes and Prejudice: Learning about stereotypes and prejudice can help individuals challenge their own biases and better understand how they affect our interactions with people from different cultures.
Cultural Differences in Communication: Understanding the differences in communication styles and preferences that can exist between cultures is important for effective communication and avoiding misunderstandings.
Body Language and Nonverbal Communication: Learning about the different meanings and interpretations of body language and nonverbal cues across cultures can help individuals better understand and navigate interactions with people from different backgrounds.
Power and Privilege: Exploring the concepts of power and privilege can help individuals understand how their own experiences may differ based on their cultural background and how those differences can affect interactions with others.
Intersectionality: Recognizing that individuals often hold multiple aspects of their identity (e.g. ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, etc.) and understanding how these identities interact and intersect is important for cultural competence.
History and Context: Understanding the historical and cultural context of different ethnic and racial communities can deepen understanding and facilitate better communication and mutual respect.
Cultural Competence in Healthcare: Understanding how cultural competence can be applied in healthcare settings, where cultural differences can potentially have significant impact on health outcomes.
Cultural Competence in Education: Learning about how cultural competence can be applied in educational settings to improve outcomes for students from diverse backgrounds and create more inclusive learning environments.
Cultural Competence in the Workplace: Understanding how cultural competence can help create a more diverse and inclusive workplace and improve communication and teamwork across cultural differences.
Globalization and Cultural Competence: Learning about how cultural competence has become increasingly important as the world becomes more interconnected and diverse.
Racial Competence: The ability to understand, appreciate, and respond to racial differences between individuals and communities.
Ethnic Competence: The ability to understand, appreciate, and respond to cultural differences based on ethnic backgrounds.
Linguistic Competence: The ability to understand, appreciate, and respond to language differences between individuals and communities.
Gender Competence: The ability to understand, appreciate, and respond to gender differences between individuals and communities.
Sexual Orientation Competence: The ability to understand, appreciate, and respond to differences in sexual orientation between individuals and communities.
Ability/Disability Competence: The ability to understand, appreciate, and respond to differences in physical or mental abilities or disabilities.
Age Competence: The ability to understand, appreciate, and respond to differences in age and generational differences.
Religious or Faith-Based Competence: The ability to understand, appreciate, and respond to different religious or faith-based beliefs and practices.
Socioeconomic Competence: The ability to understand, appreciate, and respond to differences in socioeconomic status between individuals and communities.
National or Regional Competence: The ability to understand, appreciate, and respond to different national or regional cultures and identities.
- "Intercultural or cross-cultural education are terms used for the training to achieve cultural competence."
- "Effective intercultural communication relates to behaviors that culminate with the accomplishment of the desired goals of the interaction and all parties involved in the situation."
- "Appropriate intercultural communication includes behaviors that suit the expectations of a specific culture, the characteristics of the situation, and the level of the relationship between the parties involved in the situation."