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, providing students with the opportunity to experience academic learning within a different culture. However, students do not have to study abroad to experience an academic multicultural environment. College classrooms are filled with students from various ethnic backgrounds and geographic locations. Communication between various cultures does not have to be challenge. Students can overcome common communication barriers by applying a few simple guidelines.Communication styles
and behaviors vary among people of different cultures. There are many verbal and nonverbal cues that can be sources of miscommunication between to cultural groups. For example, when two people are talking, standing close together might be welcomed in one culture but considered an act of intrusion in another. The central thing to remember about multicultural communication is to respect the other individual's cultural practices and behaviors.One of the most important principles is to treat everyone individually. Do not make assumptions that everyone is the same as you are or that cultures that have similar backgrounds are the same. Do not rely on preconceived stereotypes when interacting with individuals from different cultures. Instead, use the time of interaction to ask earnest questions about cultural differences and misconceptions.
Be aware of the sources of miscommunication that can occur. As discussed earlier, both verbal and nonverbal behaviors can send messages, many times conflicting messages.
This can lead to miscommunication and misunderstanding. If you are unsure about your communication style, ask if it is offensive or discourteous. Then, inquire how to appropriately respond for future reference.
When dialoguing with someone from a different culture, seek common ground. Many times, conversations are rooted in differences rather than similarities. People from different cultures find it difficult to communicate in a positive way if the focus is on differences. Make an effort to maintain positive interaction and dialogue, concentrating on areas of interest.
Learn to accept others as they are. Refrain from judging behavior, beliefs, feelings, or experiences of others. You convictions are your own person with your own beliefs. It does not necessarily make them right, it just make them yours. Instead, acknowledge differences as valid, even if you personally disagree with what someone else thinks or feels.
Appropriate language is crucial for effective multicultural communication. Do not use provoking language like racial, ethnic, or gender slurs. Profane words should never be part of the conversation, as these can be extremely offensive in various cultural. Refrain from statements that begin with "You" - "You are not listening to me." This type of statement can feel like an attack, which might induce a defensive or hostile reaction. Instead, try to use less threatening statements that begin with "I" - "I feel that you are not listening to me."
Multicultural communication
is an important part of the academic world. The college campus is a community environment that thrives off of collective interaction between students and faculty. Both groups are representative of varying cultural backgrounds. Perhaps a psychology course can give insight into the ways in which people communicate. Learning how to effectively communicate with people of different cultural backgrounds can help a student build relationships, develop personal character traits, and prepare him or her for the global society we now live in. Students enrolled in colleges online will want to carefully adhere to the principles mentioned above since much of their communication will be done via email and chat rooms.View Article_Source
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