By learning about and engaging with diverse cultures, students can create connections and develop mutual respect. Fostering essential qualities for global citizenship, intercultural understanding encourages students to express empathy, demonstrate respect and take responsibility.

1. Unit 15
Intercultural Understanding

2. Overview
Topics
● Challenges to intercultural understanding
● Bridging the gap between cultural insiders and outsiders
Unit Learning Objectives
● Identify the challenges to intercultural understanding, such as
stereotypes, ethnocentrism, and cultural misunderstandings.
● Distinguish the role of empathy, active listening, and dialogue in
bridging the gap between cultural insiders and outsiders.

3. In this unit (to accompany the SAPIENS podcast S6E8), students will learn how crucial
intercultural understanding is to the globalized world. Knowing that culture impacts people's
speech, actions, and thoughts, students will evaluate how understanding these differences is
the initial step to gaining intercultural competence. The class will explore challenges to
intercultural understanding and learn how empathy, active listening, and dialogue play a role
in effective intercultural communication.
Introduction

4. Challenges to Intercultural Understanding
Stereotypes
Beliefs held about a group of people based on a particular characteristic
Ethnocentrism
A belief that one's own country, nationality, or ethnicity is superior to
others
Cultural misunderstandings
When people speak the same language, but the messages being sent and
received are understood differently

5. Bridging the Gap Between Cultural Insiders and Outsiders
Empathy
Attempting to understand another cultural perspective
Active listening
A communication skill that helps facilitate mutual understanding that can help
to expel fears and negate misunderstandings
Dialogue
An exchange of views between or among people of different cultural groups
characterized by respectfulness and a goal of deeper understanding

6. ● Think about the challenges that prevent intercultural understanding.
● Think about how those challenges can be overcome.
Let's put this all together!
Wrap-Up