Cultural Diversity in Communication

My communication seems to be primarily based upon the similarities I have with others. Nevertheless, there are some times when I feel that my communication suffers when communicating with people from cultures others than my own. I have discovered that even if my interest are the same as someone from another culture, they way in which those interest were supported and manifested differ from that of my own. For example, I love to sing and received the gift of singing from God, thus I utilized this gift in church, singing in choirs and on the praise team. Consequently, there are people from other cultures that sing also, but may not categorize their singing as a gift and may not sing for God or at church for that matter. This one example may seem shallow, but this class has enabled me to become proactive, preparing for effective communication between the children and families I will be servicing daily. Below, I have listed some strategies from effective communication, across cultural barriers: *”When something about a family’s practices really bother you, try to look at what they are doing through their eyes instead of your own” (Gonzales-Mena, 2010, p. 37). *”Try to withhold judgment long enough to gain a deeper understanding than first impressions allow” (Gonzales-Mena, 2010, p. 37). *”Don’t assume that doing things for children will make them grow up helpless and forever dependent” (Gonzales-Mena, 2010, p. 37). These important guidelines have given me the ability to reflect upon my own behaviors regarding culture and communication. I am utilizing these criteria presently as I go about my day to day activities, in hopes to train my mind to become more conscious communicator in the future. Gonzalez-Mena, J. (2010). 50 strategies for communicating and working with diverse families. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.