1. Working cross-culturally
with GPRs
TMT Supervisors Conference, 2013
hunguyen250369@gmail.com
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2. Helping GPRs:
➡cope in the cross-cultural space
➡receive feedback
➡participate in SGL
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3. Safe
culturally
White, 2009
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4. learning &
teaching styles
assessment
roles &
expectations
Gap
CultureLEARNING
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5. Helping GPRs cope
in the intercultural
environment
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6. “It’s my body” - part 1
Watch and discuss:
➡What feedback would you provide this GPR?
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7. Individualism Collectivism
Individualism
Independence, self-sufficient
self-directed
freedom
rights
inter-dependence, dependence
consensus, harmony
obligations
responsibilities
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8. Power Distance
Low PD High PD
status is earned
informal - first name basis
participate in decision making
express disagreement directly
direct communication
individuals find solutions
status is conferred
formal - titles and honorifics
defer decision making
express disagreement indirectly
indirect communication
individuals seeks solutions from supervisors
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9. Uncertainty Avoidance
Low UA High UA
there are exceptions to rules and protocols
take initiative depending on context
readily modify decisions
mistakes are learning opportunities
seek and accepts rules and
protocols
decisions are binding
mistakes are personal short comings
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10. Masculinity
Feminine Masculine
process is important
roles overlap
holistic approach
teams work collaboratively
relationships are cultivated
task and outcome focused
roles are well defined
teams structures are respected
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11. “It’s my body” - part 1
Watch and diagnose:
➡Which cultural framework is the GPR relying on?
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12. “It’s my body” - part 2.
Knowing why people behave a certain
way help us modify our behaviour to
meet expectations. These expectations
can be culturally based.
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13. Helping GPRs receive
feedback
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14. FunctionASSESSMENT
Feedback
Giving Receiving
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15. Feedback
Giving
✓ Timely
✓ Expected
✓ Specific
✓ Honest and direct
✓ Descriptive
✓ Relevant
✓ Right level
✓ Focused
✓ Informative
✓ Balanced
✓ Actionable
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16. Feedback
Receiving
Help them:
๏ be explicit of the kind of feedback they want
๏ be aware of their reaction emotionally and
intellectually
๏ actively listen
๏ seek clarification
๏ summarise what they are hearing
๏ reflect and evaluate the information provided
๏ explore possible actions for change
๏ embrace feedback
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17. ➡What problems have you observed in
GPRs when they receive feedback?
➡What are the underlying reasons for
these problems do you think?
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18. • Teachers are experts (what they tell
me is correct; any feedback they choose
to provide is good; disagreeing will cause
teacher and myself to loose face; I should
not probe teacher too much b/c that
would demonstrate that I have not
understood and suggests teacher is not a
good teacher)
• Teacher can identify my problems
(they would tell me what problems I
have; they should choose the kind of
feedback I need)
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19. • Teacher is able to help me solve my
problems (not doing so means they are
not good teachers; they are not experts;
they are hiding somethings; they are
obstructing my learning; they don’t care
about my progress)
• I should listen carefully (asking for
clarification is disrespectful; teacher may
think I was not listening and I would loose
face)
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20. Helping GPRs participate
in small group learning
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21. ➡What are possible underlying reasons for non-
participation?
➡What strategies can you sue to improve
participation in SGL?
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22. • inexperience in participation based learning
(learning style)
• fears - making a mistake, using incorrect English,
being embarrassed, appearing foolish, wasting
other’s time, appearing arrogant (face, group
harmony, respect for others and teacher)
• not understand instructions (language, jargon,
colloquialism, idioms)
• fast paced interaction or activity (language,
process confusion)
Why GPRs don’t participate
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23. • lack of time to think, process information
(language panic, communication skills)
• uncertain when and how to interject (politeness,
face)
• lack background knowledge (Australian, rural,
historical context)
• mismatch b/w roles and expectations of the
learner and the teacher (culture of learning)
Why GPRs don’t participate
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24. • prefer to memorize the information first (as this
leads to in-depth understanding)
• don’t understand requirements (analysis and
critical thinking comes later not first - deductive vs
inductive learning)
Why GPRs don’t participate
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25. Strategies
Eliciting responses:
‣ pose - pause - pounce (invite)
‣ if a GPR asks a question refer to the group for an
answer
‣ think - pair - share; think - pair - square
‣ smaller group work with a reporter
Ladyshewsky, 1996; Ballard and Clancy, 1997;
Ryan 2000; Carroll and Ryan, 200525

26. Strategies
Organisation:
‣ prepare the class - objectives, rationale, explain
key concepts, assume no background knowledge,
class guidelines
‣ give pre-reading materials
‣ increase time in small group activities
‣ don’t talk and write at the same time
‣ provide clear handouts
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27. Strategies
Organisation:
‣ use the whiteboard
‣ vary participation activities
‣ allow more time to respond
‣ summarise key points at end of each section
‣ allow participants to side-talk
‣ allow participants to audio and video record
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28. Strategies
Teacher language:
‣ start with simple language, gradually increase
complexity when explaining terms
‣ paraphrase terms
‣ use repetition
‣ short sentences
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29. Strategies
Teacher language:
‣ use pauses
‣ define jargon, spell our abbreviations/acronyms,
explain idioms/colloquialisms
‣ check understanding, do quiz, demonstrate skill
‣ avoid humour (based on background cultural
knowledge; relies on intonation/stress patterns)
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30. Strategies
Learner language:
‣ let GPRs use their own words
‣ avoid overtly correcting their language - instead
rephrase, clarify
‣ if you don’t understand - ask question to clarify
(avoid “I don’t understand” as they may not know
how to improve the communication)
‣ allow more time
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31. Strategies
Signposting:
‣ verbal markers eg this is important, in conclusion
‣ implicit markers eg loudness, word stress, repetition,
alternative words/phrases
‣ link ideas eg first of all...next...then; a few examples of
this are...
‣ signal transition to a new idea eg now we will
move to the next part of the procedure...
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32. Helping GPRs:
➡cope in the cross-cultural space
➡receive feedback
➡participate in SGL
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