Teaching Tools, Strategies, and Resources, continued

Case 1, continued:
Faculty Dynamics Associated with Advancing Cultural and Linguistic Competence

Attend to adaptive challenges.

According to Heifitz (2002) “Adaptive challenges require people to learn new ways, change behavior, achieve new understandings, see the world through new filters…” http://www.growth-strategies.com/subpages/articles/073.html. When applied to this case study, it is important to be able to address the adaptive challenges that some faculty may be experiencing.

Use the developmental nature of cultural competence to your advantage. Faculty are used to seeing themselves as experts in specific content areas which may not be the case with cultural and linguistic competence. You can use the cultural competence framework to your advantage in this situation. Share that cultural competence is a developmental process and that no one is expected to acquire instant expertise. Rather, a culturally competent department or program establishes structures to support faculty and students learning over time.

Offer a safe refuge for authentic discussions.

You may encounter an adaptive challenge where there is clear bias. People are often reticent to discuss issues associated with stereotyping, bias, prejudice and other ‘ISMs’. Race, ethnicity, culture, class sexual orientation and identity, and religious affiliations/beliefs often evoke such deep emotions that people cannot even engage in or have a civil discussion.

There are few opportunities and forums to share perspectives in a safe and authentic manner. Identifying approaches to confront attitudinal barriers in an open, honest, and supportive manner, and charting a course for change remain among the most difficult, yet necessary paths to advance and sustain cultural and linguistic competence The NCCC recommends that training programs adopt such practices to begin the hard work of confronting the undercurrents and engendering an environment of trust and respect.