Part 1: Reading

Understanding a different culture

 

You’re living in a vibrant multicultural country, so it’s great that you want to understand cultures other than your own. There are a few ways to do this, but the most important is to remember that we’re all just people who are trying to do the best we can.

 

This can help if:

 

Exercise 1: why is it important as a social worker to understand different cultures




 

 

Exercise 2 : answer the questions about the text

Example questions: What do social workers do?

Answer: Help people in need

 

1. What is the most important to remember when talking about different cultures?

2. What can help to understand different cultures?

3. Why is it important to understand different cultures according to you?

 

What is ‘cultural awareness’?

Cultural awareness, or cultural sensitivity, is being aware that cultural differences and similarities exist, while not judging people based on that. A non-judgemental mindset lets you observe cultural differences without labelling them as ‘good’ or ‘bad’, or ‘right or wrong’.

This doesn’t mean that you have to be an expert in other cultures. It just means being willing to be open-minded and to ask questions to get more information, rather than having a knee-jerk reaction to anything you don’t agree with.

 

Exercise 3:  True or false questions about the text

Example question: Social workers work with people?

Answer:True

 

1. Cultural awareness is cultural sensitivity                                                                  True/False

2.Cultural sensitivity, is being aware that cultural differences                                       True/False

3. Non-judgemental mindset does is not important in understanding different cultures True/False

4. Be open-minded means that you have to be an expert in other cultures                    True/False

 

Exercise 4: Read the text again and highlight difficult words. Look up the meaning of the words.

 

Words

Meaning in context

Example question

Culture 

Answer: The ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society.

1

 

 

2

 

 

3

   

 

 

Write below questions about the exercises. Make sure to bring the questions to class!