Presented as Part of the
Building Cultural Competence
Project by Literacy Minnesota's Volunteer Issues Committee
Advertisements do not reflect affiliation with this project
Building Cultural Competence: Tools & Overview
Find a Microsoft Word Version of "Building Cultural Comptetence: Tools & Overview," here.
According to a survey of volunteer coordinators throughout Minnesota, the Volunteer Issues Committee of Literacy Minnesota identified the topic of building cultural competence as a priority for 2005-2006. The areas of priority are addressed and explored in Literacy Minnesota’s Building Cultural Competence Project. A set of tools has been compiled to provide as a resource to volunteer coordinators (and others) in the field of adult literacy. The components of the project include the following:
Developing a Culturally Sensitive Learning Environment Assessment view
This assessment helps programs to assess their learning environment, looking at factors that make their environment either welcoming or inhibiting and acts as a checklist to assist in enhancing the learning environment.
Cultural Competence Self-Assessments
These tools help individuals to explore their own cultural influences and assess themselves in the area of cultural competence.
Includes:
- You As a Culturally Diverse Person view
- Values Clarification view
Cultural Dimensions in the Learning Environment view
This tool looks at how culture affects the teaching and learning process.
E-Mail Curriculum Tutor Tips
Monthly curriculum-related tutoring tips that related to cultural competence will be sent out to coordinators who are on the Minnesota Literacy Council’s tutoring tips e-mail list.
E-Mail Coordinator Tips
Monthly coordinator-related tips that are related to cultural competence will be sent out to coordinators who are on the Minnesota Literacy Council’s coordinator e-mail list. Tips will provide ideas to make programs inclusive of people from different backgrounds.
Educational Heritages Guides/Website
Educational heritages guides will be available for different countries that adult English language learners come from. These guides include:
- Country Reports with research-based information about the educational system of each country. view
- Oral History Project with learner stories and personal interviews of Minnesota learners, focusing on their experiences with education before coming to Minnesota.
- A list of cultural resources (includes websites and organizations). view
This information is available on Literacy Minnesota’s website ( www.literacyminnesota.org ), ABE program websites, as well as on this Wiki site.
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Why a Wiki Website?
This website is in "Wiki Format". It may be used in the same manner as any other website, but has some additional features. Anyone who was able to navigate the internet to find this page will be able to use it quite easily.
Wiki websites encourage the exchange of ideas among anyone around the world with access to the internet. By utilizing this unique ability of a Wiki, the Educational Heritage Project will have its base in research and interviews from Minesota (St. Paul and Minneapolis) with the potential of being strengthened by input from knowledgable people throughout the state, the country, and the world.
Due to the uniqueness of each learner's Educational Heritage, as well as the constant changes in global affairs, we are faced with the challenge of sharing relevant and accurate information. Therefore, we want to use a format that allows for user input and easy updates. This Wiki is designed with the hope that all learners, teachers, tutors, and practitioners may have a voice in this important conversation.
Currently, the number of people allowed full access to the editing process is limited. In the future, the website could be completely open for outside editing, but as yet this is undetermined. Those who wish to contribute may follow the Instructions for Contributors.
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What is an Educational Heritage?
An educational heritage is the set of norms, cultures, and attitudes about education that a learner brings with her to a classroom.
- Was the learner in a classroom segregated by gender?
- Is the learner more comfortable with traditional western classroom settings or circle learning models?
- Was the learner's education interupted by war or transitions to refugee camps?
Although these, and other questions, play an important role in the success of language acquisition and cultural integration for learners, they are often not considered due to the hectic schedule in many classrooms.
The Educational Heritage Project was created with the intention of answering some of these questions in a broad sense, and providing relevant information for teachers, tutors and practioners working with learners in achieving their literacy goals.
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Read Before Researching!
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Index of Countries & Cultures: Country Reports & Interviews
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Contribute to the Educational Heritage Project!
If you are interested in contributing research or conducting an interview for this project, please follow the Instructions for Contributors
Currently, the number of people allowed full access to the editing process of these pages is limited to committee members. In the future, the website could be completely open for outside editing without this screening process, but as yet this is undetermined.
To submit any questions, comments, edits, or other contributions, email Volunteer@theMLC.org . Your comments will be considered, and will be added to the site, pending approval of accuracy, relevancy, and professionalism.
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Resources
ABE (Adult Basic Education) Programs
Not-for-Profit Organizations
Online Resources
Other Online Resources (yet to be organized!)
- Anthropology Department at the Smithsonian Museum
- Asia Society, Asia.Org for info on asia
- BBC Country Profiles
- Catholic Charities-The Myths Surrounding Immigration
- Center for Cross-Cultural Health for background information on how culture influences health.
- Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence, University of Southern Maine, Preventing hate violence
- Chicano Latino Affairs Council (CLAC)
- Country Reports.Org, Somalia’s history in English (requires subscription)
- Cultural Detective for a values wheel.
- Cultural Orientation Resource Center
- Culture Grams (requires a subscription)
- Department of Homeland Security
- Greater Twin Cities United Way Cultural Dynamics learning opportunities
- Hiraan Online news and information about Somalia
- Hispanic Advocacy and Community Empowerment Through Research (HACER)
- Hmong-English Dictionary, Paul and Sheila Wellstone Elementary School
- International Institute of Minnesota
- U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Jewish Holocaust resources
- Tell Me Your Stories an oral history curriculum
- Minnesota Department of Education resources for English Language Learners
- Minnesota Department of Education resources for Special Education
- Minnesota Department of Health, Community Engagement, Multicultural Community Resources for tip sheets related to diversity and cultural competency
- Minnesota Literacy Council
- Multicultural Development Center
- Multicultural Pavilion, educational resources
- National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
- National Service Learning Clearinghouse
- Neighborhood House, Minnesota Community Campaign includes information about new Americans.
- New Minnesotans
- PBS Teacher Source: Concepts Across the Curriculum
- Retanet Resources for teaching about the Americas
- State Demographic Center
- Teaching Tolerance Magazine
- Tolerance.Org
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
- Wilder Foundation reports
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Contact Us
To submit questions, comments, edits, or other contributions, email Volunteer@theMLC.org . Your comments will be considered, and will be added to the site, pending approval of accuracy, relevancy, and professionalism.
Committee Members
- Megan Conley, Community Services Manager, Minnesota Literacy Council
- Basma Ibrahim DeVries, Ph.D., Intercultural Trainer and Assistant Professor, Communication Studies Department, Concordia University
- Gail Irish, Educator and ESL Trainer, Minnesota Literacy Council
- Glenice Jones, Volunteer Coordinator, Metro North ABE
- Amy Libman, Program Coordinator, Minnesota Internship Charter School
- Allison Runchey, Volunteer Outreach Coordinator, Minnesota Literacy Council
- Ruth Rodriguez, Volunteer Coordinator, Hubbs Center for Lifelong Learning
- Mala Ugargol, Volunteer with Hubbs Center for Lifelong Learning
- Kim Wortmann, Intern; student at Macalester College
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last edited
14 May 2008
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