This collection of training materials describes an educational philosophy for elementary level instruction called cooperative pluralism. This approach complements and strengthens traditional multicultural educational approaches while blending them with cooperative learning and democratic education. The following materials are included: (1) brief…

Some failure types that occur in cross-cultural interactions are described, mainly from the point of view of Finns and Finland and from primarily anecdotal and "folk theoretical" data. Material from such sources as newspapers, joke collections, proverbs, and student experiences are used as the basis of the discussion. Non-grammatical…

A small study to investigate cultural instruction in Finnish schools is reported. Twelve randomly selected teachers of English were interviewed concerning their attitudes about the importance of cultural studies, how they implement cultural studies, and problems in presenting cultural instruction in the classroom. The interviews suggest that the…

This paper proposes teaching strategies that promote positive interactions and scholastic success among Native American students. It is written from the perspective of a non-Native educator who has taught on reservations and at a federal boarding school. While the strategies are geared to the teaching of Native students, the underlying principles…

Cultural differences are very much a part of international trade and global competition and companies which are currently in, or would like to engage in, international trade must be willing to adapt to foreign cultures with a firm understanding of national and individual environmental factors. Successful intercultural communication includes an…

This paper presents elements of the computer graphics environment including information on: Lotus 1-2-3; Apple Macintosh; Desktop Publishing; Object-Oriented Programming; and Microsoft's Windows 3. A brief scenario illustrates the use of the minimization principle in presenting a new product to a group of international financiers. A taxonomy of…

A discussion of the teaching and learning of English as an international language (EIL) makes two proposals. First, the teaching of EIL in Japan should not lead to premature replacement of native English with Japanese English as a model or goal of English education. The change should be in the direction of nurturing communicative competence, and…

The concept of technology transfer (the application of knowledge) and E. M. Rogers and D. K. Bhowmik's (1970) heterophily-homophily distinction is used to help better understand and offer ways to deal with the negative reactions of undergraduates toward foreign teaching assistants (TAs) in U.S. universities. While it is important for foreign TAs…

The influence of discourse and pragmatic transfer in cross-cultural encounters has received little consideration in studies on the construct validity of performance tests. With the current emphasis on direct assessment of speaking proficiency following the protocol of the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI), the potential importance of cross-cultural…

This paper is a summary of an awareness session on the nationally validated programs of the Respecting Ethnic and Cultural Heritage (REACH) Center for Global and Multicultural Education. The REACH curricula are designed to be infused into the K-12 programs of U.S. schools. The learner outcomes of the curricula are positive self concepts,…

Facing an increasingly heterogeneous society, teachers need to be communicators. Most of human communication is nonverbal, but nonverbal behaviors are largely culture-bound. Teachers' sensitivity and understanding of students' nonverbal behaviors and their competence in sending correct nonverbal messages can make a difference in classroom…

This guide contains kindergarten through high school level lessons designed to help educate and sensitize students to cultural differences, while encouraging them to see how Americans are alike. Each lesson, some of which can be completed at home, features both affective and cognitive learning activities. The lessons, which have an…

A series of strategies and techniques for helping elementary and secondary students develop a multicultural outlook within the school environment are outlined. It is argued that because of the culture-specific knowledge individuals possess, we draw inferences that influence the way we perceive other people and interpret their actions, resulting in…

A microethnographic study and intervention were conducted in a mixed-age preschool classroom with 3- to-5-year-old native speakers of English, Khmer, and Spanish. All were learning English and had native-language support. In the study's first phase, the language of five children was audiotaped during play time. In the second phase, the whole…

A method of teaching public speaking adapted from the Toastmasters International program is presented for use in foreign language classes. Instructions need only to be translated into the target language and presented to students for immediate classroom use. The instructions address the structure of the speech class, writing and delivering the…