- Links to the Australian Curriculum: intercultural understanding

GENERAL CAPABILITIES: Intercultural Understanding
In the Australian Curriculum, students develop intercultural understanding as they learn to value their own cultures, languages and beliefs, and those of others. They come to understand how personal, group and national identities are shaped, and the variable and changing nature of culture. The capability involves students in learning about and engaging with diverse cultures in ways that recognise commonalities and differences, create connections with others and cultivate mutual respect.
Intercultural understanding is an essential part of living with others in the diverse world of the twenty-first century. It assists young people to become responsible local and global citizens, equipped through their education for living and working together in an interconnected world.
Intercultural understanding encourages students to make connections between their own worlds and the worlds of others, to build on shared interests and commonalities, and to negotiate or mediate difference. It develops students’ abilities to communicate and empathise with others and to analyse intercultural experiences critically. It offers opportunities for them to consider their own beliefs and attitudes in a new light, and so gain insight into themselves and others. Intercultural understanding stimulates students’ interest in the lives of others. It cultivates values and dispositions such as curiosity, care, empathy, reciprocity, respect and responsibility, open-mindedness and critical awareness, and supports new and positive intercultural behaviours.
The Intercultural understanding learning continuum is organised into 3 interrelated elements
In developing and acting with intercultural understanding, students:
Ø investigate culture and cultural identity
Ø explore and compare cultural knowledge, beliefs and practices
Ø develop respect for cultural diversity
Ø communicate across cultures
Ø consider and develop multiple perspectives
Ø empathise with others.
Ø reflect on intercultural experiences
Ø challenge stereotypes and prejudices
Ø mediate cultural difference.
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/GeneralCapabilities/Pdf/Intercultural-understanding
In the Australian Curriculum, students develop intercultural understanding as they learn to value their own cultures, languages and beliefs, and those of others. They come to understand how personal, group and national identities are shaped, and the variable and changing nature of culture. The capability involves students in learning about and engaging with diverse cultures in ways that recognise commonalities and differences, create connections with others and cultivate mutual respect.
Intercultural understanding is an essential part of living with others in the diverse world of the twenty-first century. It assists young people to become responsible local and global citizens, equipped through their education for living and working together in an interconnected world.
Intercultural understanding encourages students to make connections between their own worlds and the worlds of others, to build on shared interests and commonalities, and to negotiate or mediate difference. It develops students’ abilities to communicate and empathise with others and to analyse intercultural experiences critically. It offers opportunities for them to consider their own beliefs and attitudes in a new light, and so gain insight into themselves and others. Intercultural understanding stimulates students’ interest in the lives of others. It cultivates values and dispositions such as curiosity, care, empathy, reciprocity, respect and responsibility, open-mindedness and critical awareness, and supports new and positive intercultural behaviours.
The Intercultural understanding learning continuum is organised into 3 interrelated elements
In developing and acting with intercultural understanding, students:
Ø investigate culture and cultural identity
Ø explore and compare cultural knowledge, beliefs and practices
Ø develop respect for cultural diversity
Ø communicate across cultures
Ø consider and develop multiple perspectives
Ø empathise with others.
Ø reflect on intercultural experiences
Ø challenge stereotypes and prejudices
Ø mediate cultural difference.
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/GeneralCapabilities/Pdf/Intercultural-understanding