# data[].attributes.body
The expo will be held over a weekend in Kings Park and will feature a range of information stalls and workshops. The expo is a community event so our demographic will be inclusive of all ages.

# data[].attributes.body
Effectively utilising social media is extremely important for promoting an event, and this will be a particular focus of my unpaid advertising.

Using social media you can target advertising, for example by promoting the event on a community Facebook page, or targeting ads to people from a certain location. To ensure I make the most out of social media I will be following the guidelines in the article below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
There's so much to do when it comes to event planning - sometimes the last thing we think about is how to actually get people to show up and enjoy the very thing we've been working on!

We think event promotion should be fun, though, so we've created this list of simple ways to promote your event using the social media networks you already have. We've also included some customizable Canva templates within the article so you don't have to worry about designing promotional materials from scratch.

Not sure how to use this article?

Click here to learn how Canva users all over the world are solving their real-world problems with the help of these articles.

01. Create an event on Facebook and promote it on your business page

This may seem obvious but it's for a good reason. Facebook events are ubiquitous, and people see them, interact with them, and, most importantly, get event information from them every day.

Promoting the event on your business Facebook page gives you a double whammy- followers who land on your business page for other reasons will learn about your event, and followers who are invited to your Facebook event can invite their friends!

Take Gabby Bernstein for example. She's currently promoting her live masterclass on her professional Page through her cover image. It's the biggest thing on the page and everyone who lands there will see it. It includes the essential information about the event, and takes advantage of the call-to-action button to get people to register!

Take advantage of this editable Canva template to create a cover image for your event and try it for yourself!

02. Use Facebook ads to promote the event

This method requires a small investment, but it can be worth it to help you reach a larger audience who you may not have connected with yet.

Facebook ads can target specific a demographic so you can be sure to reach your target audience, which will likely give you a higher conversion rate (i.e. more of the right people clicking and signing up)!

Using a professional-looking image is crucial, as there is so much other visual stimulation on Facebook. Since you'll be using the ads to connect with new potential customers, you want the best first impression.

Try using a customizable template like this one to help your event shine.

03. Post a short video with highlights from similar previous events

People can't get enough of videos these days, which you can use to your advantage. Show your customers what they can expect from an event hosted by you by creating a video of highlights from last year's event. Then, post the video on your YouTube channel and on your Facebook page to share it with your friends and followers.

Click-worthy videos always have an attention-grabbing thumbnail that entices people to press play, so make sure yours stands out in a good way. Use a template like the one below to create a beautiful video thumbnail.

04. Design a geofilter to use on Snapchat

Snapchat is a booming social media network and it's not just for teens. Tons of businesses are using it to communicate with customers, show them behind-the-scenes preparations, and have one-on-one interactions that create personal connections.

There's a certain exclusivity about geofilters that make them desirable. Users can only use the filter if they're in a certain place at a certain time... and that could be your event. People snapping geofiltered videos and photos of the event to their friends generates buzz, which can be especially useful if your event happens on a regular basis.

Reebok is one example of a company that used a geofilter for their event, but anyone can easily purchase a geofilter through Snapchat's website.

When you're finished designing, make sure to download your filter with a transparent background using your Canva for Work account. Now, go get creative!

05. Tweet visual testimonials about previous events/workshops

In today's society, people often value the opinions of other customers more than a claim directly from a business. To capitalize on this, you can use stellar testimonials from your previous attendees to show potential customers the value of your event and gain their trust.

Using Twitter and other social media networks helps the positive message reach as many eyes as possible, which is exactly what you want.

Elysium Technologies used this strategy to promote their classes, and it's super simple to create testimonal images like this.

Create an image that stands out by using a bold font on a bright background and feature your source by name. She will likely be happy to retweet the image to her followers, who trust her opinion, and will therefore likely trust you.

06. Post behind-the-scenes images on Snapchat and Instagram about event preparations

Posting an attention-grabbing behind-the-scenes photo on Instagram will make followers feel like they're in on the action and will help get them super excited for the event. I personally love this technique because it appeals to my snoopy side, and makes me feel like I'm in on a big secret. Who doesn't love being in on something?

Gallery Poulsen recently employed this technique on Instagram to promote the opening of their new exhibit. Sneak peeks of the paintings get visitors excited about the event, and will also help them remember that it's coming up soon so they can add it to their calendars.

This is so easy for anyone to do. Simply snap a photo of your event preparations and share it with your followers!

07. Create shareable, social-media-ready images for your website

For some of us, our main interactions with customers come from a blog or website. However, that doesn't mean social media can't be of help.

Use plug-ins on your website to make it easy for excited attendees to share images with information about the event on their social media networks.

There are plenty of plug-ins that prompt visitors to share or pin an image as their mouse hovers over it, and this call-to-action will often lead to a reader sharing the image and spreading the word.

You'll want to design a beautiful and informational image that your readers will be proud to pin, so use bright colors and sleek graphics (like in the example below) that will inspire them to share the love.

08. If it's a repeat event, share photos of attendees having fun at last year's event

People want to see what they're signing up for, and a great way to do this is to show them images from a previous event! Add your company's logo and the event name to the image and tweet the photo to encourage new participants to participate.

Autism Speaks did an excellent job of using this strategy to encourage followers to sign up for a walk whose proceeds benefit the organization.

Try it yourself! Create a Tweetable image like the one below by using last year's photos to show followers what they could be a part of.

09. Create an event hashtag

Hashtags are a great way for people to follow along with a certain event through a simple search on their social media networks. Hashtags can be used on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, so your participants can follow you wherever they hang out in the cyberworld.

Share an image with the official hashtag for your event so attendees can follow along with event updates. Make sure to pick a unique and memorable hashtag and encourage followers to tag their own relevant images to create a community before the event even starts.

Engage with people who use your hashtag and take the time to tell them how happy you are they'll be attending your event. This personal connection is a priceless asset, as many people love to get special attention from companies they follow.

Using a template like the one below, you can create an image with the essential information and encourage followers to use your hashtag to connect.

10. Host a contest or giveaway for a free event registration

If there is one universal truth, it's that people love free things. Especially free things that are extremely valuable, like a registration for a highly sought-after event.

Host a contest on Instagram or Facebook for the person who has the most likes or shares on a repost of your event image. Or, let the fates decide and host a giveaway for a randomly selected person who shares your image and tags a friend.

Promotions like these can be extremely successful at cultivating interest in an event and have the potential to reach a large audience.

Design an enticing image like the one below to encourage followers to participate. By asking them to comment you get them invested in the event, so they are more likely to register afterwards, even if they don't win.

11. Create an infographic that will pique your audience's interest in what the event has to offer

Bite sized information is essential on social media networks, and infographics are a genius way to condense facts into one easily-digestible piece of art.

Once you've got their attention with the infographic, they're likely to want more when they reach the end. That's where you reel them in and tell them how they can find out more by attending your event.

This technique works because it gives your followers something of value and makes them more likely to trust that your event will be worth their time.

Infographics can be labor intensive, so we've created some easy-to-edit templates that are a breeze to tweak, like the one below.

12. Feature relevant quotes from guest speakers that will be attending your event

Guest speakers are a crucial addition to many types of events, from conferences, to classes, to sporting events, and more. If you have guest speakers coming to your event, though, it's possible that your audience doesn't know who this person is or what they're about.

Show your audience exactly what they can expect to learn from your event by featuring an interesting quote from the guest speaker on a shareable image, like The Art Institute did for its virtual open house.

People love quotes and they especially love sharing quotes. Pin beautiful images on Pinterest to attract attendees who like what they see. It's easy to get creative if you start with a template like this one!

13. Create individual images featuring each guest speaker

Having multiple images to promote your event is never a bad idea. Variety keeps things interesting, and with guest speakers, it's easy to create images featuring each person to share with your networks.

Be sure to include the key event info on the image or in the post, and don't forget to feature the achievements of your guest speaker to really shine the spotlight on him, like in the example below. Plus, it's free publicity if your guest speaker decides to share the image with his audience, too!

14. Offer a discount to early bird registrants

If your event has a price tag, it could be a great reward to loyal followers to offer an early bird registration discount. Your customers will feel valued and they'll also feel like they got a great deal, and you'll have guaranteed participants to calm your nerves about no one showing up.

Create a digital voucher like the Institute of Bankers Pakistan did to share the discount information with Facebook and Twitter followers.

You can offer the registration at a lower price before a certain date, or create a promo code for a percentage off that's valid for a certain time period. Don't forget to include final date to take advantage of the offer to encourage followers to use the promo ASAP.

15. Create a poll on Facebook to engage with followers

You want your event to be wildly successful, so you need to make sure it's just what your participants are looking for. Why not make them feel directly involved in the planning process by creating a poll on Facebook?

You can ask about what they'd be interested in seeing at the event or their goals for the event to help you shape the content. Or, as in the example below, you can ask about a topic relevant to the event content to get them interested in what they can gain by attending.

16. Host a live video session on Facebook or Snapchat

Live and interactive videos are quickly gaining popularity, as users love having direct interactions with the trainers, business coaches, bloggers and other "famous" people they follow.

During a live video session on Facebook, users can post comments with questions for you to answer live before your event. You could also host a Snapchat story Q&A session to encourage participants to snap you back and ask you questions or hesitations they may have about the event.

Promote your live session using an image to catch followers' attention so they know when and where they can find you.

Creating an image like the one below will definitely stand out to your facebook fans, and encouraging them to interact with you on various social media platforms hugely increases their trust in you and your event.

17. Share your event info with your Tumblr followers

Although Tumblr may not be the largest social network, according to , more than 50% of the Tumblr community is made up of users under the age of 35, which is a demographic widely-known to be highly engaged on social media.

Tumblr user are active and collaborative, which is great for anyone with lots of followers who is promoting an event. By using a beautiful image and some simple text, you can hype your event and encourage followers to reblog it to their audience who could be potential participants.

Never underestimate the power of simplicity. Essential information is all that's needed on the image if you include a link to your event's registration page or Facebook page. Try it yourself by using a template like this one.

18. Share a checklist or goal setting printable with your network

If you're hosting a workshop or retreat, it's likely that there will be some sort of goal setting or brainstorming session.

By creating a printable worksheet to share with attendees prior to the event, you get them invested in the event before it even happens, and increase the perceived value of the workshop by providing something tangible and reusable to the participants.

You could even entice followers to sign up by offering this printable as a free gift for registering.

Bizuza offers this free printable, which serves as great inspiration for a variety of worksheet styles. Start with a blank A4 page on Canva and let the creative juices flow.

19. Share teaser slides from event presentations

If you're holding a conference or class of some sort, it's likely there will be visual presentations involved. Using visuals during a lecture or speech helps people hone in on the key information and gives them something concrete to take note of.

If your conference requires registration fees, it's a good idea to give potential participants a teaser of the great information that awaits them at your event. Use Facebook or Twitter to share a slide or two with some juicy bits of information to convince them that your event is exactly where they need to be.

Try one of our many customizable templates, each with multiple page layouts to suit all of your presentation needs.

20. Share visual results of last year's post-event survey

If your event participants filled out a satisfaction survey at your last event, why not make those results public? Assuming the numbers paint your event in a good light, you should show them off!

Create a visual of the survey results that pops (like the one below) and boast a little about the success of your event! It will inspire confidence in potential new participants and will no doubt spur them to attend the next one!

Now it's your turn!

Creating promotional materials for your event to use on a variety of social media outlets is easy and fun using our templates, and honestly, you'll get a huge rush seeing your designs shared publicly.

Don't be shy- happy designing!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
20 Simple Ways to Promote Your Event Using Social Media

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
There's so much to do when it comes to event planning - sometimes the last thing we think about is how to actually get people to show up and enjoy the very thing we've been working on!

# data[].attributes.body
As this is a multicultural event, it is important that all communications are mindful to use inclusive language, and to ensure that language or images do not alienate, exclude, or target specific groups.

# data[].attributes.body
Current design might need iteration as it might be perceived as too dry or not bold or eyecatching enough.
Design does lead the viewers eye top left bottom right and are designed to be small, minimalistic and unobstrusive and achieves goal.

# data[].attributes.body
Overall, I preferred the circular designs creating unity and promoting a harmonious atmosphere, however the imagery of a plant growing, especially this sapling was very compelling.

I decided to combine these 2 motifs with the organic structure of a growing sapling combined with a circle behind symbolising this harmony between cultures and the growth that can occur during the event.

# data[].attributes.headline
Why is Culture so important in our communities

# data[].attributes.subject
Why is Culture so important in our communities

# data[].attributes.body
This Website highlights how to understand people's cultures, promote engagement with others, and build strong, diverse communities.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Learn how to understand people's cultures, promote engagement with others, and build strong, diverse communities.

What is culture?

Why is culture important?

Why is understanding culture important if we are community builders?

What kind of cultural community can you envision for yourself?

Helpful Tips to Start Building a Diverse Community

What is culture?

As community builders, understanding culture is our business. No matter where you live, you are working with and establishing relationships with people--people who all have cultures.

What is culture? Here is one viewpoint.

"Culture" refers to a group or community which shares common experiences that shape the way its members understand the world. It includes groups that we are born into, such as race, national origin, gender, class, or religion. It can also include a group we join or become part of. For example, it is possible to acquire a new culture by moving to a new country or region, by a change in our economic status, or by becoming disabled. When we think of culture this broadly we realize we all belong to many cultures at once.

Do you agree? How might this apply to you?

Why is culture important?

Culture is a strong part of people's lives. It influences their views, their values, their humor, their hopes, their loyalties, and their worries and fears. So when you are working with people and building relationships with them, it helps to have some perspective and understanding of their cultures.

But as we explore culture, it's also important to remember how much we have in common. People see the world very differently, but they know what it is like to wake up in the morning and look forward to the adventures that of the day. We are all human beings. We all love deeply, want to learn, have hopes and dreams, and have experienced pain and fear.

At the same time, we can't pretend our cultures and differences don't matter. We can't gloss over differences and pretend they don't exist, wishing we could all be alike, and we can't pretend that discrimination doesn't exist.

This chapter will give you practical information about how to understand culture, establish relationships with people from cultures different from your own, act as an ally against racism and other forms of discrimination, create organizations in which diverse groups can work together, overcome internalized oppression, and build strong and diverse communities.

This section is an introduction to understanding culture, and will focus on:

What culture is

The importance of understanding culture in community building

Envisioning your cultural community

How to get started in building communities that encourage diversity.

But first, it is important to remember that everyone has an important viewpoint and role to play when is comes to culture. You don't have to be an expert to build relationships with people different from yourself; you don't have to have a degree to learn to become sensitive to cultural issues; and you don't have to be a social worker to know how culture has affected your life.

Why is understanding culture important if we are community builders?

The world is becoming increasingly diverse and includes people of many religions, languages, economic groups, and other cultural groups.

It is becoming clear that in order to build communities that are successful at improving conditions and resolving problems, we need to understand and appreciate many cultures, establish relationships with people from cultures other than our own, and build strong alliances with different cultural groups. Additionally, we need to bring non-mainstream groups into the center of civic activity. Why?

In order to build communities that are powerful enough to attain significant change, we need large numbers of people working together. If cultural groups join forces, they will be more effective in reaching common goals, than if each group operates in isolation.

Each cultural groups has unique strengths and perspectives that the larger community can benefit from. We need a wide range of ideas, customs, and wisdom to solve problems and enrich community life. Bringing non-mainstream groups into the center of civic activity can provide fresh perspectives and shed new light on tough problems.

Understanding cultures will help us overcome and prevent racial and ethnic divisions. Racial and ethnic divisions result in misunderstandings, loss of opportunities, and sometimes violence. Racial and ethnic conflicts drain communities of financial and human resources; they distract cultural groups from resolving the key issues they have in common.

People from different cultures have to be included in decision-making processes in order for programs or policies to be effective. The people affected by a decision have to be involved in formulating solutions--it's a basic democratic principle. Without the input and support of all the groups involved, decision-making, implementation, and follow through are much less likely to occur.

An appreciation of cultural diversity goes hand-in-hand with a just and equitable society. For example, research has shown that when students' cultures are understood and appreciated by teachers, the students do better in school. Students feel more accepted, they feel part of the school community, they work harder to achieve, and they are more successful in school.

If we do not learn about the influences that cultural groups have had on our mainstream history and culture, we are all missing out on an accurate view of our society and our communities.

As you think about diversity, it may be helpful to envision the kind of cultural community you want to build. In order to set some goals related to building relationships between cultures, resolving differences, or building a diverse coalition, it helps to have a vision of the kind of cultural community you hope for.

What kind of cultural community do you envision?

Can you imagine the kind of cultural community you want to live or work in?

People have very different views of what a multicultural society or community should be like or could be like. In the past few decades there has been a lot of discussion about what it means to live and work together in a society that is diverse as ours. People struggle with different visions of a fair, equitable, moral, and harmonious society.

How will the world be unified as a cohesive whole, if people separate into many different cultural groups?

In order to be a part of that dream, must I assimilate?

Why does racism persist in places that are committed to equality and liberty?

How can I protect my children from the harmful influences in the larger culture? How can I instill my children with the moral values of my own religion or culture, but still expose them to a variety of views?

Are there structural problems in our government or economic system that serve to divide cultural groups? How can they be changed?

Should I put my community building and civic energies into my own cultural community, rather than the mainstream culture? Where can I have the biggest influence?

Can oppression be stopped by legislation, or does each person have to overcome their individual prejudice, or both?

Why do immigrants have to hold onto their own cultures and languages?

If my group is excluded, what can I do?

How do I protect my children from being targeted by racism or sexism other forms of discrimination if I live in a diverse society? Shall I send them to culturally or racially specific school, or a female-only school, or another appropriate school?

If each person overcame their own prejudices, would all the divisions disappear?

How do I overcome my prejudices?

Is prejudice a thing of the past?

Why can't we all just get along?

What do you think about these questions? Which issues do you struggle with? What other issues are important to you or your cultural group?
As you envision the kind of diverse community, you and your neighbors may want to consider these kinds of questions. These are some of the real and tough questions that people grapple with on a daily basis. These questions point to some of the tensions that arise as we try to build harmonious, active, and diverse communities in a country as a complex as ours. There are no easy answers; we are all learning as we go.

So, what kind of community do you envision for yourself? How will diversity be approached in your community? If you could have your ideal community right now what would it look like? If you can't have your ideal community right now, what will be the next steps you will take in building the kind of cultural community you want?

Here are some questions that may help you think about your community:

Who lives in your community right now?

What kinds of diversity already exists?

What kinds of relationships are established between cultural groups?

Are the different cultural groups well organized?

What kind of struggles between cultures exist?

What kind of struggles within cultural groups exist?

Are these struggles openly recognized and talked about?

Are there efforts to build alliances and coalitions between groups?

What issues do different cultural groups have in common?

These are some of the questions that can get you thinking about your how to build the kind of community you hope for. What other issues do you think are important to consider? What are your next steps?

So, you may ask, "How do we get started?" Here are some ideas that will help you set the stage for creating your vision of a diverse organization or community.

Helpful tips to start building a diverse community

In the book, Healing into Action, authors Cherie Brown and George Mazza list principles that, when put into practice, help create a favorable environment for building diverse communities. The following guidelines are taken from their principles:

Welcome everyone.

In order for people to commit to working on diversity, every person needs to feel that they will be included and important. Each person needs to feel welcomed in the effort to create a diverse community. And each person needs to know that their culture is important to others.

Guilt doesn't work in fostering diversity.

Blaming people as a way of motivating them is not effective. Shaming people for being in a privileged position only causes people to feel bad; it doesn't empower them to take action to change. People are more likely to change when they are appreciated and liked, not condemned or guilt-tripped.

Treating everyone the same may be unintentionally oppressive.

Although every person is unique, some of us have been mistreated or oppressed because we are a member of a particular group. If we ignore these present-day or historical differences, we may fail to understand the needs of those individuals. Often people are afraid that recognizing differences will divide people from each other. However, learning about cultural differences can actually bring people closer together, because it can reveal important parts of each others? lives. It can show us how much we have in common as human beings.

People can take on tough issues more readily when the issues are presented with a spirit of hope.

We are bombarded daily with newspapers and TV reports of doom and gloom. People have a difficult time functioning at all when they feel there is no hope for change. When you present diversity issues you can say things like, "This is an excellent opportunity to build on the strengths that this organization has," or "There is no reason why we can't solve this problem together."

Building a team around us is the most effective way of creating institutional and community change around diversity issues.

You will be more effective if you have a group of people around you that works together closely. People often try to go it alone, but we can lose sight of our goals and then become discouraged when operating solo. It is important to take the time to develop strong relationships with a core of people, and then work together as a group.

Recognize and work with the diversity already present in what appear to be homogenous groups.

In working to combat racism and other forms of oppression many people become discouraged when they are unable to create a diverse group. Starting by recognizing differences in religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomics, parenting, and class backgrounds will help create a climate that welcomes differences; it will also lay the groundwork for becoming more inclusive.

In Summary

We've talked about what diversity is, why it is important, how to begin envisioning your ideal diverse community, and how to set up an environment that fosters diversity. This is only the beginning.

In working towards your diverse organization or community there is much more to do. In the next sections we will talk about how to become aware of your own culture, build relationships with from different cultures, become allies to people discriminated against, overcome internalized oppression, build multicultural organizations and coalitions, and other topics as well.

Each of us can build the kinds of communities we dream of. In our families, organizations, institutions, and neighborhoods, we can insist that we won't remain isolated from those who are different from ourselves. We can transform our neighborhoods, institutions, and governments into equitable, non-oppressive, and diverse communities.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Section 1. Understanding Culture and Diversity in Building Communities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn how to understand people's cultures, promote engagement with others, and build strong, diverse communities. What is culture? Why is culture important? Why is understanding culture important if we are community builders? What kind of cultural community can you envision for yourself? Helpful Tips to Start Building a Diverse Community As community builders, understanding culture is our business.

# data[].attributes.body
Complimentary hue couplets were used, meaning colours opposite on the colour wheel to represent the diversity in cultures and create a vibrant positive image of our expo.

In order to not overpower design however, lower value and less saturated colours were used as seen here with the top palette providing the best balance.

# data[].attributes.body
Pamphlets, small posters and promotion through social media and internet advertising seems to strike the best balance between cost, life cycle and amount of individuals reached in our promotional campaign.

Larger scale projects such as billboard advertising on buses or street corners are usually costly, and reach a fewer range of people, whilst pamphlets and visual internet media can be targeted to a wider and more specific audience as well as providing a cost effective and versatile solution.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
1. Press Advertising or Print Media:

Press advertising, i.e., advertising through newspapers, magazines, journals, etc. is commonly used by modem businessmen. It may be noted that advertising is an important source of finance for the press or print media. Because of advertisements, the subscribers get newspapers and periodicals at subsidized rates.
(a) Newspaper Advertising:
Newspaper reading is a common habit among the educated people. Besides daily newspapers, there are bi-weekly and weekly newspapers also. Newspapers reach almost every place and are read by all kinds of people.

Therefore, newspaper can be used as a medium of advertisement with great advantage. While selecting a newspaper for this purpose, an advertiser has to take into consideration the strength of circulation, the class of readers it serves, the geographical region over which it is popular and the cost of space.
Advertising through newspapers has the following merits:
(i) A newspaper has large circulation and a single advertisement in a newspaper can reach a large number of people.

(ii) Continuous advertisement is possible because newspaper is published daily. An advertiser can repeat his advertisement daily, weekly, or fortnightly.

(iii) Newspapers provide flexibility in advertising in the sense that advertisement campaign can be initiated and stopped quickly. One day's notice is sufficient for this purpose. Similarly, advertising message can be changed promptly whenever needed.
Newspaper advertising has the following limitations:
(i) The life of a newspaper advertisement is very short. Moreover, people devote only an insignificant part of their day's time in reading the newspaper. Thus, advertisements are likely to draw the reader's attention only casually.

(ii) Newspaper advertisement is successful only when the people to be communicated are educated.

(iii) The advertisements are in a print form. They are less effective as compared to film or audio-visual advertisements.
(b) Magazine Advertising: Magazine advertising is considered to be superior to newspaper advertising because of the following merits:
Magazines or periodicals are an excellent medium of advertisement when high quality of printing in colour is desired. Magazine advertisements can be directed towards a particular class of people. Thus, they avoid wasteful expenditure on advertising.
Magazine advertising has the following limitations:
Magazines are read more carefully and at greater leisure. Advertising through magazines is more effective. The life of the magazine advertisements is longer. Magazines are preserved for a long period of time and are read time and again. Since advertisement copy is presented in a coloured form, it creates a better image of the product advertised. Exact picture can be portrayed to enable the customer to identify the product at the point of purchase.

(i) Advertising through magazines is very costly.

(ii) The circulation of magazines is generally smaller as compared to the newspapers.

(iii) Magazine advertisements are to be prepared and sent for publication well in advance. It is not possible to make the last minute change in the advertisement copy.
(a) Poster Displays:
Outdoor advertising has gained wide popularity these days. Its purpose is to attract the attention of the people at busy roads and markets. It includes the use of poster displays, bill board displays and electric displays.
(b) Bill Board Displays:
Posters are fixed on walls of buildings, bridges, and other public places. It is also quite common to write slogans and other message about the products in bold letters on the walls to attract the attention of the people even from a long distance. That is why, it is also known as 'Mural Advertising'. Mural advertising is frequently used to advertise fans, fertilizers, tonics, beauty aids and other consumer items.
(c) Electrical Displays:
Painted or bill board displays involve the advertisements directly painted on the boards meant for this purpose. They are quite big in size and are fixed at outstanding locations like busy markets and crossings. They are also erected on tops of bridges and important buildings.
(d) Vehicular Displays:
Electrical display involves the use of electric lights or neon tubes to attract the attention of people, particularly during night. Generally, a short message is illuminated in tubes of different colours so that it is conspicuous and attractive. Electrical-displays are fixed at heavy traffic centres.
Outdoor advertising has the following merits:
It has become a fashion these days to use modes of public transport for advertising. The space outside and inside the buses, railway carriages and other vans may be hired by the businessmen to spread their messages. Vehicles give mobility to the message.

(i) Outdoor advertising is highly flexible and is a low cost medium.

(ii) It is very useful for advertising consumer products because posters, etc. can be displayed at various crowded centres.
Outdoor advertising is criticised on the following grounds:
(iii) Outdoor advertisement attracts attention quickly and requires very less time and effort on the part of the readers. A complete picture of the product can be shown through outdoor displays.

(i) It can't carry long messages as posters; hoardings, etc. are read by the people at a glance.

(ii) It has a low retention value because people don't devote special time to read the message.

(iii) It distracts the attention of the passers-by and may even cause accidents on busy roads.

Films are an important medium of advertisement. A business concern may get a short motion picture prepared, and distribute it to different cinema houses for displaying it before the commencement of the regular shows or during the period of intermission. Such films are accompanied by running commentary to explain the features, uses and superiority of the product.
The merits of film advertising are as under:
But film advertisement can be adopted only by the well-established firms. Since it involves high cost, small business firms can get cinema slides prepared for display in the cinema halls.

(i) Film advertisement is very effective since it combines spoken words and visual presentation of pictures,
The limitations of film advertising are as under:
(ii) It helps in selective advertisement. A trader can advertise his products in the areas from where he wants to attract the customers.

(i) It is usually ignored by people, who are busy in talking,

(ii) Its effectiveness is limited as only a few people are present in the hall before the start of the feature film and during the interval.
Radio advertising has the following merits:
Radio advertisements have gained greater popularity these days. Advertisements are broadcast from the transmitting stations of the commercial service of All India Radio and picked up by the receiving sets owned by the public. Radio advertisements are normally broadcast along-with popular programmes of music. Even the sponsored programmes of music, interviews and plays can also be broadcast over the radio.

(i) Radio advertisements carry an effective appeal and cover numerous listeners of different tastes,

(ii) Radio advertisements reach the illiterate people who cannot read the newspapers and magazines,

(iii) Radio provides selectivity to some extent because advertisements can be included in different programmes meant for different types of people,
The demerits of radio advertising are as under:
(iv) Radio advertisements are very much suitable for the promotion of mass scale consumer goods.

(i) Detailed message can't be transmitted over the radio. People may not remember the message,

(ii) It is non-visual. Thus, the usual impact of illustrating the product is not possible,

(iii) Sometimes, the message is not understood properly by the listeners.

Many people switch off their radio or transistor sets when it is the time for commercials or advertisements.

5. Television Advertising:
To be specific, the advantages of using T.V. as a medium of advertising are as follows:
Television is the fast growing medium of advertisement because of huge expansion of electronic media and cable network. It makes its appeal through both the eye and the ear. Products can be demonstrated as well as explained as in film advertisement. Advertising may take the form of short commercials and sponsored programmes.

(i) T.V. advertisement is very effective since it combines spoken words and visual presentation of the product.

(ii) It helps in selective advertisement. A trader can advertise his products in those areas from where he wants to attract the customers.

(iii) The message is conveyed to the prospective customers at their homes.

(iv) T.V. advertisements reach even the illiterate people.
T.V. as a medium of advertisement has the following drawbacks:
(v) T.V. has a very wide reach through satellites and so can be used for the promotion of consumer goods.

(i) It is a costly medium of advertisement. Small firms can't afford it.

(ii) It can cover only those who possess television sets.

(iii) It can be adopted only in the countries having transmission facilities.

(iv) Many people switch off their T.V. sets or don't watch the T.V. when advertisements are being telecast.

6. Direct Mail Advertising:

Direct mail is probably the most selective of all the advertising media. It is used to send the message directly to the selected people. For this purpose, the advertiser has to maintain a list which can be expanded or contracted by adding or removing names from the list. But a severe limitation is posed by the difficulty of getting and maintaining a good mailing list.

Advertisements that are sent by direct mail may be in the form of circular letters, leaflet folders, calendars, booklets and catalogues. Circular letters are sent to the prospective customers to inform them about the merits of the product and to create their interest in the product.
The merits of direct mail advertising are as under:
Booklets and catalogues contain the information about the products advertised. Information about the terms of sale and prices of different varieties of the product is given to the prospective customers through catalogues.

(i) Mail advertising has a personal appeal since it is addressed to a particular person.

(ii) It maintains secrecy in advertising. The competitors do not get the information about the advertised material.

(iii) It gives flexibility in advertising. The message can be changed whenever the need arises. The mailing list can also be revised whenever the need arises.

(iv) It gives an opportunity to the advertiser to provide detailed and illustrated information about the product to the prospects.
The demerits of direct mail advertising are given below:
(v) It is the most selective medium of advertisement. The advertiser saves money also by directing his advertisement to the selected people.

(i) The coverage of direct mail advertisement is limited.

(ii) It is not possible to get the names and addresses of all the prospects whom the advertisement material should be sent by mail.

(iii) Its effectiveness is doubtful as it does not create a mass appeal.

7. Internet Advertising:
The advantages of internet advertising are as follows:
It is the most recent advertising medium. It is an interactive medium and can deliver message" more effectively.

(i) It is not very expensive.

(ii) Dramatisation of message is possible.
The drawbacks of internet advertising are as follows:
(iii) It is an interactive media where two-way communication is possible.

(a) It has limited reach.

(b) Being a new medium, the users are very few in number.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
7 Advertisement Mediums for Advertising Your Products : (with Merits and Demerits)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
7 Advertisement Mediums for Advertising Your Products : (with Merits and Demerits)! 1. Press Advertising or Print Media: Press advertising, i.e., advertising through newspapers, magazines, journals, etc. is commonly used by modem businessmen. It may be noted that advertising is an important source of finance for the press or print media.

# data[].attributes.body
Inclusivity was central to our theme of this expo, so a rainbow palette was created to evoke the feeling that all races and people of diverse cultural backgrounds can be accepted and learn from each-others experiences and unique perspectives.

I think it would critically benefit the team to use this inclusive, multi-coloured imagery to enhance our campaign, and to utilise it in all aspects of design.

# data[].attributes.body
Here are a few examples of similar projects and organisations which inspired me in creating my logo designs.

Connectivity in the form of joining hands or interweaving shapes is a common representation of multiculturalism, as well as trees and nature for the symbols of prosperity, life and vitality. I decided to draw upon these elements in my final design.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Multicultural Council of Tasmania's vision is of a culturally and linguistically diverse and harmonious Tasmania that is just, fair and inclusive - where people with diverse backgrounds have the opportunity to participate in and contribute to Tasmanian society.

Our mission is to be a community based, member-driven organisation that empowers people from diverse and multicultural backgrounds to have a voice. We advocate and lobby for human rights, social justice, respect, equality and dignity for multicultural communities. We work to build an inclusive society by providing information and promoting cultures, languages and multicultural issues in the community and our members help to welcome new migrants and refugees to Tasmania.

Our values are of inclusiveness, respect, co-operation, integrity and accountability.

We work with:

Our member organisations

Residents of Tasmania with a culturally and linguistically diverse background, including people with a refugee background, international students and migrants

All levels of government and agencies that provide services

The broader Tasmanian community and organisations that we partner with to achieve our goals.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Home Page - Multicultural Council of Tasmania

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Multicultural Council of Tasmania's vision is of a culturally and linguistically diverse and harmonious Tasmania that is just, fair and inclusive - where people with diverse backgrounds have the opportunity to participate in and contribute to Tasmanian society. Our mission is to be a community based, member-driven organisation that empowers people from diverse and multicultural backgrounds to have a voice.

# data[].attributes.body
As this is a multicultural expo, people of all ages, genders and ethnicites are encouraged to attend, and as such, diverse imagery and symbols of connectivity/unity should be used throughout the design language to promote a multicultural image.

Typography should also be clear, legible and readable, for accessibility to all ages and reading levels, and unobtrusive images with universal appeal should be utilised to target the widest range of individuals.

# data[].attributes.body
The short video is going to showcasing the whole community arts project. It will show why me and my team are doing this kind of program. It will also raise awareness about different cultures in our society.
This video by produced by Airbnb is a perfect example of the promotional video I am aiming for.

# data[].attributes.body
I feel it is essential to create strong and visually cohesive designs promoting our expo to fully engage with the public. Within the project I will be focusing on creating posters, brochures, logos and be in charge of overall aesthetic appeal and visual direction.

This means I can provide the team with support advertising and promoting the overall event, or specific stalls such as Halima's Cultural workshop, by creating pamphlets, banners, stall designs or typography templates to help aid the development and effective promotion of our expo.

I also aim to closely work with Alannah in creating supporting visuals for her stall, and with Jheneil in creating a promotional video to advertise the event and create an interest and awareness of our expo to the public.

# data[].attributes.body
I am going to be streaming 4 films total (2 for children and 2 for adults). There are going to be 2 separate screenings running at the same time and each movie would last around 1-2 hours.
Screening times are going to be posted around the event and will include a summary of the films that are going to be played and how long they go for.

# data[].attributes.body
Project role:  Graphic Designer and Content Promoter

Discipline: Creative Advertising and Graphic Design

# data[].attributes.body
My audience for my section are going to be everyone, from children to adults.
I am gonna be showing animation films to children that are dubbed English because they are not used to watching movies with subtitles yet.
For adults I am going to be streaming movies with subtitles because the film would seem more authentic this way.

# data[].attributes.body
My mission in this project is to get audience interested in foreign films because this way they will be able to fully expand their knowledge about different cultures just by simply watching a movie in their own time. I also want to raise awareness that there are other races in certain countries that are struggling to survive everyday. This is also a good way to remove stereotyping of cultures.

# data[].attributes.body
In order to be a true community event, all facets of the community must be involved in the planning of the event. In the lead up to the event I will liaise with the council to ensure that all planning needs are met. I will also meet with businesses to see if they would like to help in any way, by holding their own stall, or providing equipment or materials.

Before the event I will also communicate with local community members to see if there are any specific stalls or events they would like to see in the expo. This will increase a sense of community ownership for the project, and will make people more invested, and likely to come to the expo.

# data[].attributes.body
My contribution as a Visual Media Officer is to educate everyone attending about cultures from different countries through the visual media platform, and in my case, through films. Learning through visuals is a good way to attract audiences because most people prefer visuals rather than text when trying to learn something and this section of the program is perfect for that.
I am also gonna be producing a shot 30 second to a minute video that tells what our project is about and I am going to be working with the advertising team in publishing it to the public.

# data[].attributes.body
Project Role: Visual Media Officer
Discipline: Screen Arts

# data[].attributes.body
I will target my communications to many different aspects of the event, as everyone values different things more highly. For some, the multicultural aspect of the expo may be what incites them to visit, while others may be more persuaded by a specific stall or event which piques their interest.
By understanding the audience I am trying to reach, I can then target specific communication messages through specific means of communication, thus targeting different audiences.

# data[].attributes.body
All my communications will focus on the 8 lessons to promote diversity, as shown in the article below. Although the article is focussing on promoting diversity in public places, it is still relevant for publicising the event.
Some areas that I will be focussing on is finding the mix between promoting a 'cultural melting pot,' and creating safe pockets of related cultures. My communications will focus on celebrating the various differences which make cultures unique, however highlighting the community element of the expo.

By targeting the power of the neighbourhood I will create a sense of community between the individuals attending, without unintentionally excluding different cultures, or groups of people.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
By Courtney Knapp

The following lessons represent the findings of a major PPS research initiative, " Placemaking in a Pluralistic World: Using Public Spaces to Encourage and Celebrate Social Diversity," which was carried out during the summer of 2007. These key ideas can be used as practical steps for civic institutions as they begin thinking about engaging a wide range of cultural and socioeconomic groups through their public spaces and programming. The process of Placemaking is also an important dimension in bridging difference.

Lesson 1

Diverse social interaction is a goal of Placemaking, but so is creating safe spaces where groups can celebrate and seek out their cultural peers. Although some people argue that a "melting pot" is the highest form of multiculturalism, others maintain that fostering "safe" spaces where particular communities can come together and celebrate their unique culture is equally important in achieving diversity. Studies conclude that the most successful multicultural spaces are those that combine both elements: "The social interaction of diverse groups [in urban parks] can be maintained and enhanced by providing safe, spatially adequate territories for everyone within the larger space of the overall site," write Setha Low and co-authors in Rethinking Urban Parks: Public Space and Cultural Diversity.

Lesson 2

People must be represented through familiar cultural symbols in public spaces. When people do not see their values and preferences reflected in a place, they feel unwelcome. Placemaking puts a particular emphasis on engaging many different stakeholders, listening to their stories, and making recommendations reflective of their specific concerns and desires. No community group's history should be erased from the physical and cultural reality of a public space.

Lesson 3

Extensive and ongoing community participation is critical to the success of a multicultural place. Community-based planning is one method for tackling issues of underrepresentation of subcultural groups. On the one hand, it seeks to redress the monolithic and often top-down approach to politics and planning by bringing those historically excluded voices into the decision-making process. On the other hand, participatory planning is crucial because it is a mechanism for empowering communities to make planning and development decisions for themselves rather deferring to professional planners. The potential for the development of social capital through this process should not be underestimated. Placemakers know well that outreach requires more than simply advertising workshops and meetings. More proactive and context-specific strategies must be developed to gain resident input, especially when working with communities who have been historically excluded from the public process.

Lesson 4

Discrimination is real, and needs to be tackled by public space managers. We would like to believe that public spaces in our community are free from inter-cultural hostility and discrimination, yet studies reveal that many people do experience overt discrimination in public space, which discourages them from using parks, business districts, civic centers, and other places. Creating a positive, welcoming space through design and programming should be a top priority of planners and managers.

Lesson 5

Integrate many different types of uses-as well as elements that bring people together-into plans and designs. The most meaningful public space plans and programs strike a balance between official and vernacular uses, incorporating many different kinds of activities while simultaneously remaining flexible enough to accommodate values and preferences of different cultural groupings as they evolve over time.

Lesson 6

Locate public spaces in areas where they can serve multiple communities. Markets, playgrounds, and parks on sites where they will border different communities is a proven way to increase the social diversity of public places. But, as Setha Low and others maintain, good access and linkages are about much more than simply physical proximity. Addressing social issues such as affordability, cultural representation, safety, and understanding all play into whether or not people will choose to use the public space.

Lesson 7

Focus on neighborhoods. As a unit of planning, the neighborhood is the most important in terms of promoting social diversity and increasing social capital. It is conceptually broad enough to get individuals to think beyond themselves and their streets, but of a small enough scale to still support the notion of "neighborliness" and encourage collaboration between community planners and stakeholders.

Lesson 8

Program public spaces with educational and cultural activities that celebrate diverse cultures. Programs that offer educational experiences related to the history or the environment of a particular place have been shown to be effective in bringing people together. People want to learn, and when they come together to share the experience of knowledge, social divisions often dissolve. When spaces are programmed to celebrate diverse cultures and histories, there is an even greater impact. The power of learning and exploring should not be underemphasized.
Courtney Knapp was a Project for Public Spaces intern. She completed her Masters in Gender/Cultural Studies at Simmons College in 2006 as well as a Masters in Urban and Environment Policy and Planning at Tufts University.
8 Lessons to Promote Diversity in Public Places was last modified: by

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
8 Lessons to Promote Diversity in Public Places - Project for Public Spaces

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The following lessons represent the findings of a major PPS research initiative, " Placemaking in a Pluralistic World: Using Public Spaces to Encourage and Celebrate Social Diversity," which was carried out during the summer of 2007.

# data[].attributes.body
•The Cross- cultural approach - will educate those who aren’t familiar with other cultures.

•As well as challenge misconceptions, prejudice, and any other stereotypes held.

•This community engagement- will allow people to experience an insight into other peoples languages, traditions and values.

It allows people to experience different ways of life, for example other peoples languages, art, traditions and behaviours.

•When people learn about different ways of life, they can better understand different cultures.

# data[].attributes.body
I will be creating supporting visuals with help from Michal who will be contributing to the design of these.

I will also be working with Jessica to provide information for her advertising material.

# data[].attributes.body
Variety of cultural based activities.
Open discussion/ Respect exercise - strengthening  a community on respect.

Knowing the Community: Ethnicity Exercise- Share their beliefs and values.

Facilitating Dialogue - An open platform to discuss issues.

Multicultural awareness Session- Engage in Critical thinking, about media and the misrepresentation of minorities.

Bringing everyone together from all walks of life, to establish tolerance, respect and understanding. I feel is crucial with in our society.

# data[].attributes.body
As the media and public relations manager I will be overseeing the unpaid advertising surrounding the expo, and liaising with potential sponsors and businesses to make sure the expo runs smoothly. My role is in essence about communicating the work of everyone else to the public.

# data[].attributes.body
Project Role: Media and Public Relations Manager
Discipline: Mass Communications (Public Relations and Journalism)

# data[].attributes.body
The ABS 2011 census, highlights the figures of the Australian population. This reinforces the importance of initiating intercultural conversation and change.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
2011 Census reveals one in four Australians is born overseas

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
21 June 2012 | CO/59 Australia's multicultural landscape is as diverse as ever following the release of 2011 Census of Population and Housing data by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). New Census data has revealed that almost a quarter (24.6 per cent) of Australia's population was born overseas and 43.1 per cent of people have at least one overseas-born parent.

# data[].attributes.body
We live in a society in which different cultures coexist alongside each other. This cultural-blending allows for more tolerance, respect and the ability to work together to better our communities.

# data[].attributes.body
My role as a CALD officer
is to facilitate an information workshop for the community, with aims of increasing a cross cultural awareness and understanding. We live in a society in which different cultures coexist alongside each other. This cultural-blending allows for more tolerance, respect and the ability to work together to better our communities.
I will be working with the local community centers to find information affecting our diverse communities. This will serve as a guide for the workshop session, enabling a discussion on relevant issues.

# data[].attributes.body
Discipline : International Relations.
Project Role: CALD OFFICER.
( Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Officer.)

# data[].attributes.body
Aimed to Promote the Importance of Multiculturalism in our society. This expo also stands for creating a platform of togetherness and understanding.

# data[].attributes.body
Project Role: Multicultural Writing Workshop Coordinator
Discipline: Literary and Cultural Studies and Professional Writing and Publishing

# data[].attributes.body
My contribution will include organising and holding a writing workshop aimed at children.

This will involve conducting research with help from Halima, our CALD officer to verify information. The selection, recruitment and scheduling of the authors will be my responsibility. My selection will need to be correctly informed and researched. I will need to speak to and confirm times with other members of the team to ensure there are no overlaps of presentations with other workshops. The finances, advertising and privacy issues will be handled by other members of my team. I will utilise the local library in order to borrow culturally diverse children's books, the library will be appropriately acknowledged for their contribution.

# data[].attributes.body
I am aiming my workshop at children as it’s important that children are exposed to and are given opportunities develop their intercultural understandings at a young age. This can improve their appreciation and respect for others in their community. And children from diverse cultural backgrounds will feel more accepted and understood. These article details the positive effects of cross-cultural education in children.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As a languages teacher, it never ceases to astound me to think that the rasping, whistling and vibrating sounds emanating from our mouths and noses when you talk can be effortlessly decoded by our interlocutors as meaningful language, allowing us to communicate with one another in astonishing levels of complexity. Language is a defining feature of people.

In many western societies we might be tempted to assume that being able to speak and understand more than one language is the exception. However, it is estimated that between half and three quarters of the world's population is bilingual to some degree. That's more than four billion people who understand that with different languages come different ways to interpret the world.

Marcel Proust, the French novelist, observed that "the real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new lands but in seeing with new eyes". He realised that by working with other people we learn about their cultures and become able to explore new ideas and prospects. Options that would not have occurred to us before stand out as obvious if we understand how other people experience the world. This is why, I believe, it is so important for students to have a deeper global awareness and understanding of other cultures.

In my own experience, leaving my small town in southern Spain to explore Italy for two weeks during my sixth form opened up a whole new world. As I found myself immersed in a different culture, it struck me that Italians, previously perceived by myself as peculiar beings, were in fact the norm in their context and that I was the stranger. Students nowadays are more likely to have travelled abroad by age of 16 and have easy access to a world of information through the internet. However, they still need to be guided through the process of discovery so that a deeper understanding of their own place in the word is developed.

This is why fostering global awareness and international collaboration in our classrooms are so beneficial to our students. Schools understand this and have traditionally encouraged the need to put learning into context. The history trip to Berlin, the French exchange, the cultural visit to Andalucía, pen pal writing schemes and foreign language assistants who bring a little bit of abroad into our classrooms are just a few of the many examples of contextualised learning that we provide our students. At my school we have three foreign language assistants and hold four foreign exchanges each year - in addition to a range of cultural trips abroad.

The moment in which a cohort of year 8 pupils land in Seville and realise that Spanish has a life beyond the textbook, the year 7s visiting Normandy and noticing that people behave and react in familiar ways but the small differences are what really matters. The awkward dinner conversations of foreign exchange students with their German host families, the sudden realisation that Dubai is such a long way away on so many different levels. These are character building experiences that bring out the best and worst in all of us and from which we learn so much.

However, in today's increasingly interconnected and globalised world, tradition is being supplemented by new and exciting ways to bring the world into our classrooms. Modern means of communication such as social networks and video conferencing can ensure that our students experience foreign cultures with unprecedented ease.

Class Twitter accounts link students in real time across the face of the planet with projects devised around common academic subjects and cross-cultural understanding. Skype allows us to converse face-to-face with people from other countries, allowing us to knock down classroom walls and hear it direct from the source. Google Maps lets our pupils take a walk down the streets of every major town and city in the world, allowing them to sight-see and get a sense of other cultures from the comfort of their own classroom. And blogs provide geographically distant schools with the means to partner together so that their pupils can interact in a safe virtual environment, contributing a valuable international dimension to peer assessment.

Both Britain - through the British Council - and the EU - through the Comenius and eTwinning programmes - are actively encouraging international partnerships between schools. These projects also promote the sharing of their resources so that, not only students, but also teachers can benefit from the exchange of practices, knowledge and expertise, with welcome positive implications for teacher training and professional development.

Global awareness and international collaboration during the formative years results in more rounded individuals, encouraging our pupils to see things from different perspectives and helping them to make informed decisions, acquiring transferable skills that will be useful to them and will remain with them for life. According to the Association of Graduate Recruiters companies cannot find enough applicants with the requisite skills to operate in an international market place, indicating that greater efforts by schools in fostering global awareness and international collaboration are needed to best prepare our students - and ourselves - for life in the 21st century.

José Picardo is head of modern foreign languages at Nottingham High School. He is also a languages and educational technology consultant and can be found on Twitter @josepicardo.

This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional. Sign up to the Guardian Teacher Network to get access to more than 100,000 pages of teaching resources and join our growing community. Looking for your next role? See our Guardian jobs for schools site for thousands of the latest teaching, leadership and support jobs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why students need a global awareness and understanding of other cultures

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
From trips to Normandy beaches to language blogs, José Picardo explores the growing importance of offering students international experiences

# data[].attributes.headline
Example of a similar project: African American Author's Expo and Multicultural Book Fair

# data[].attributes.subject
Example of a similar project: African American Author's Expo and Multicultural Book Fair

# data[].attributes.body
Morgan State University in Maryland USA  is holding their eighth annual book fair. This expo of empowerment showcases authors and their pieces from different cultural backgrounds, predominantly African American.
http://aaaexpo.ning.com/

# data[].attributes.body
Our cultural experiences and values shape the way we see ourselves and others. Children's cultural experiences will therefore have a huge effect on the rest of their lives. When children begin to develop respect and awareness of others, it is important that they are aware and are taught to respect other cultures and their values. In our globalised world it is especially important for children to develop this respect.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As Australia becomes increasingly multicultural it's important our schools are aware of the diversity of social and cultural norms children bring to school. Shutterstock

The first few years of school are tough for any child. Moving from the relatively unstructured activities of preschool to the formal requirements of school is a big step. Children require high levels of social and emotional support and understanding from the school environment.

This becomes even more complex when we consider the increasing rates of multiculturalism and diversity among children in Australian schools. At least half a million children attend school in Australia and almost 15% of this number are bilingual children from a diverse socio-cultural background.

Not only do schools have to be aware of the cultural and social variations in how children communicate with adults and peers, they also need to be prepared to understand the emotional and social challenges of children from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds.

Cultural diversity and children's socio-emotional development

Research shows children's development is highly influenced by social and cultural practices. My research has focused on understanding culturally specific as well as universal aspects of children's social and cognitive development. It has led to some intriguing findings.

It has shown that children from disparate cultural and social backgrounds perform differently in cognitive tasks - for instance, their understanding of how knowledge is gained. It also shows parents encourage children to communicate with others in different ways depending on their cultural background and social diversity.

Shutterstock

For example, in Eastern cultures parents often encourage their children to be silent unless they are directly spoken to, not to argue with adults and not to speak their minds. This is in contrast to most Western cultures where such attributes may often be regarded as exhibiting shyness and not so highly valued. Similarly, research on Aboriginal and Torres Islander families shows that parental and social values significantly differ not only from Western families, but also within different Aboriginal communities.

Findings on developmental differences for children from different European countries, such as the UK, France, Sweden and Italy, also show, for instance, that children gain social and cognitive knowledge within different timeframes depending on where they come from. Yet, in a multicultural country such as Australia, all of these children go to school together.

So what can teachers do?

These results are intriguing. They make us think, if we prepare our children with different cultural values and socialisation practices, what happens when they enter school, a time of rapid change in social expectations for children?

Reports show that teachers consider children's ability to regulate their emotions effectively to be even more important than their skills using pen and pencil upon entry to school. Despite this, teachers often say that they do not feel well enough trained to deal with children's emotional needs. Most of their training has focused on particular school tasks that children must perform.

Teachers' lack of confidence in dealing with children's emotional needs can be even more dramatic when considering the cultural differences among children. If teachers and schools are unaware of and unprepared for accepting and understanding socio-cultural diversity, children's behaviour can easily be misunderstood. Consequently, it can become an emotional and social burden.

A good example is the issue of " closing the gap" in Australia, which has been discussed for over 50 years now. Yet research still shows that children from Aboriginal and Torres Islander backgrounds feel isolated, not understood and not valued at schools. While education systems are trying hard to enrich the experience of schooling for all children, there is a long way to go.

It is important that policy makers, educators, teachers and parents pay more attention to the diversity in children's social and emotional development. We need to more rigorously integrate research, specifically investigations of the development of socially and culturally diverse children (including Aboriginal and Torres islander children) in teachers' pre-service education and in education policies in Australia.

In the meantime, it is important for teachers to acknowledge this lack of training and try to avoid making conclusions based on their knowledge or assumptions of how children should perform, especially children from diverse social and cultural backgrounds and during early years. It would be helpful to keep in mind that what we don't value much in one culture might be crucial in another.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Diversity in the classroom means children develop differently

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The first few years of school are tough for any child. Moving from the relatively unstructured activities of preschool to the formal requirements of school is a big step. Children require high levels of social and emotional support and understanding from the school environment.