BEYOND WORDS : EFFECTIVE USE OF CULTURAL MEDIATORS, www.puentesculturales,com INTERPRETERS & TRANSLATORS SUSAN M. MOORE, December 9, CLINICAL PROFESSOR , UCB 2013 CLARA PÉREZ-MÉNDEZ and PUENTES CULTURALES April 11, 2014 THE CONTENTS OF THIS WORKSHOP WERE DEVELOPED PARTLY UNDER A GRANT FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. HOWEVER, THOSE CONTENTS DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE POLICY OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND YOU SHOULD NOT ASSUME ENDORSEMENT BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES Participants will discuss and reflect on how to prepare cultural mediators, interpreters, translators, parent- school liaisons and other support personnel to: ¡ Fulfill roles and responsibilities on the Child Find team and other functions ¡ Build positive relationships with families ¡ Gather authentic information from families for teams to plan assessments ¡ Improve your team’s interaction skills and CM, I and T’s enhance their function as a team member ¡ improve reliability and validity of assessments and quality of supports for families.
AGENDA: DAY 1 AM ¡ Introductions ¡ Listening to Family Perspectives through Cultural Mediators: Video ¡ Team-Based Discussion …Large Group Share ¡ Cultural Mediators and Interpreters and Translators: Varied Roles and Responsibilities Qualifications Understand cultural perspectives as more than just language differences : Cultural Differences & Dilemmas “Walk About” What are you doing now? … Challenges to address in your setting? ¡ Discussion and Goal Setting ¡ LUNCH
AGENDA DAY 1 PM Preparing your cultural mediator to become a team member: ¡ Gathering & Sharing Information with Families: What does your team want to know? ¡ How will your CM collect information (e.g. interview, phone contacts, home visits, etc.) ¡ Your CM as Interpreter/Translator: PREPARATION IS KEY! Briefing, Assessment, Debriefing ¡ Styles of Interpretation: Models in Vivo! ¡ Interview Activity: Role Play ¡ Confidentiality…Code of Ethics ¡ Increase your network of potential CM’s in your community: Mapping Your Community ¡ “Next Steps” ¡ Evaluation
CULTURAL CONTINUIT Y “ It’s about listening and walking in the shoes of another” Take the risk ! Exchange shoes with the person next to you. Can you walk in their shoes? Can you understand who they are? Are they the same size? Are they the same style? Does this person beside you have big or small feet? What do you understand better about who this person is? What they value? Does this tell you anything? Do the following exercise and exchange stories…What does this tell you about this person next to you?
CULTURAL CONTINUITY § The nature of culture… the nature of family § Think about your family of origin. What were some of their beliefs or “messages” about: § early care and education? …concept of family?… “newcomers?”…differences/diversity? …people with differing abilities? § Share with a neighbor and tell your story and listen to theirs. ¡ What did you hear about culture…values…
WHAT IS CULTURE? “ Everyone has a culture, but often individuals are not aware of the behaviors, habits, and customs that are culturally based ” Hall, 1976 Each of us brings our own culture, values beliefs and experiences to each relationship we build with families…our background and experiences affect everything we do…they provide us a “ cultural lens ” through which we view how we ourselves raise our children, how we organize our household, how we talk and use language, how we view disability…we need to enlarge our cultural lens to “ wide angle ” to understand other ’ s experiences, values, and beliefs and how these influence each and every family.
THE NATURE OF CULTURE Culture is not static: it is dynamic and ever-changing Culture, language, ethnicity, and race are not the only determinants of one ’ s values, beliefs, and behaviors In describing any culture or cultural practice, within group differences are as great as across group differences ….sometimes greater. Dimensions of culture and ethnicity are typically frames in terms of differences in relation to another group…the majority/mainstream culture Everyone is the product of one or more cultures and everyone has a culture Lynch & Hanson,2004
SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES What do you know about cross cultural perspectives about education, life ways, disability? Do you know what questions to ask? To a :African American, Anglo European American, Asian, Hispanic Latino, Hmong, Indigenous American Nations, Korean, Somali What do you need to know? How will you find out??
MOVING BEYOND STEREOTYPES All families, in fact, vary greatly in the degree in which their beliefs and practices are representative of a particular culture, language group, religious group, or country of origin. ” Eva Thorpe, 1997
STAGES OF CULTURAL COMPETENCE Cultural Awareness involves a providers sensitivity to his or her personal beliefs, values and biases and how they might influence perceptions of a family. Cultural knowledge involves providers seeking information and knowledge of a family ’ s cultural world view and expectations. Cultural skills involve the provider ’ s ability to intervene in a manner that is culturally sensitive and relevant Sue, Ivey & Peterson, 1996
¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ADDITIVE ATTITUDES ¡ A sea change is needed so “ each and every child and family that comes with a rich cultural legacy can be understood, respected, and celebrated. ” G Gay, 2002 Impact: The Pérez family from Mexico celebrates and lives “ la familia ” which translates into family traditions, speaking their native language in their home, learning English as a second language, and maintaining connections with family that respect the “ elders ” and four generations of living relatives.
SUBTRACTIVE ATTITUDES Often, preserving home language and culture is not a choice given subtractive attitudes towards families who do not speak English fluently or who do not adopt the life ways of the majority of English speaking families in the community. Impact: The Wei family gives up its heritage language and traditions in order to avoid discrimination visited upon the parents while they were growing up. These parents were punished for speaking their language of heritage in public schools and do not want the same experience for their children.
ASSIMILATION, ACCULTURATION & MARGINALIZATION…CONTINUUM OF CULTURAL IDENTIFICATION ¡ Assimilation is when identified groups give up their culture and adopt the mainstream values and beliefs of the mainstream culture “ mainstreamers ” … ¡ Assimilation can be forced ( e.g. American government & American Indians), or a reaction to fear of discrimination and prejudice for many immigrant populations, or a choice by those wanting to adopt the life ways of the majority culture.
MARGINALIZATION ¡ Culturally marginal individuals are those individuals who essentially follow their own way and do not identify with any particular cultural group. In some instances rejecting their culture of heritage but not accepting the vales life ways of the mainstream, and thus are considered marginalized from society.
DANGER OF ASSUMPTIONS ¡ “ Cultural assumptions are beliefs which are so completely accepted within the group that they do not need to be stated, questioned, or defended (Chen, et al, 1998). ¡ CAVEAT ! However, there is danger in assuming that because a family has certain cultural beliefs in common that they can be stereotyped in terms of adhering to all beliefs and patterns associated with their culture
WHAT DO CULTURAL MEDIATORS SAY ABOUT FAMILIES’ CULTURE? We have invited several representatives who we call “cultural mediators” from cultures different from the mainstream to share their stories with us so we might better understand perspectives from each and every family we might work with in Child Find. Let’s listen and be open to similarities and differences that can inform our practice.”
DISCUSSION POINTS ¡ After listening to these “cultural mediators”, what do you want your cultural mediators to know and be able to do? ¡ How can CMs enhance your understanding of family perspectives? ¡ How can your cultural mediator build a family’s trust with your team? ¡ What guidelines and principles apply in your school district?
PRINCIPLES TO CONSIDER ¡ Value cultural and language differences as potential strengths ¡ Respect all parents and actively seek their participation ¡ Ensure that there are culturally competent screening and evaluation practices as well as consistent communication with families ¡ Continue to learn about cultures and support cultural competence among your team members
WHY CULTURAL MEDIATORS? ¡ What’s in a name? ¡ Roles & Responsibilities? ¡ Qualifications & Characteristics ¡ What can they do for your team and families you serve?
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