ABSTRACT

This article describes how elementary-aged children engaged in a world cultures unit showed positive development related to intercultural competence as exhibited through connected global education aims. Twenty-five third graders participated in the integrated social studies and literacy curriculum for 11 weeks. Prior to the intervention, students had little knowledge of or experience with other cultures, resulting in distorted, stereotypical conceptions. Subsequent to experiencing the curriculum, many students exhibited positive development in intercultural competence as demonstrated through global education aims, ranging from an understanding of internal culture to nascent open-mindedness and a resistance to stereotyping. The findings demonstrate that young children are capable of engaging with complex ideas surrounding cultures and can achieve aims for intercultural competence—albeit to varying degrees—if engaged in a theoretically based, developmentally appropriate curriculum.

摘要

本文介绍了参与世界文化事业的小学年龄儿童如何通过相互联系的全球教育目标展现出与跨文化能力有关的积极发展。25名三年级学生参加了11周的综合社会研究和识字课程。在进行干预之前，学生对其他文化几乎没有知识或经验，因此产生了扭曲的定型观念。体验课程之后，许多学生在跨文化能力方面表现出积极的发展，这是通过全球教育目标证明的，从对内部文化的理解到新生的开放思想和对陈规定型观念的抵制。