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NATASHA SANTHANA

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Salina Tan Pei Yee

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Article 6 - Siti Faizun Aida binti Mohd Yasin 

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Article 6 - Siti Faizun Aida binti Mohd Yasin 

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Teachers are arguably the most important members of our society. They give children purpose, set them up for success as citizens of our world, and inspire in them a drive to do well and succeed in life. The children of today are the leaders of tomorrow, and teachers are that critical point that makes a child ready for their future. Why are teachers important? Let's count the ways...

Photo by Nicole Honeywill on Unsplash

Why Teachers Are Important in Society

Reasons Why Teachers Matter

Children carry what they are taught at a young age throughout the rest of their lives. They will use what they have learned to influence society. Everyone knows that today's youth will become tomorrow's leaders, and teachers have access to educate the youth in their most impressionable years - whether that is in teaching preschool, teaching extracurriculars, sports or traditional classes.

Teachers have the ability to shape leaders of the future in the best way for society to build positive and inspired future generations and therefore design society, both on a local and global scale. In reality, teachers have the most important job in the world. Those who have an impact on the children of society have the power to change lives. Not just for those children themselves, but for the lives of all.

How Teachers Bring Change in a Student's Life

Great teachers have the ability to change lives for the better.

Teachers can act as a support system that is lacking elsewhere in students' lives. They can be a role model and an inspiration to go further and to dream bigger. They hold students accountable for their successes and failures and good teachers won't let their talented students get away with not living up to their full potential.

Teachers of all walks of life and subjects have the ability to shape opinions and help form ideas about society, life and personal goals. Teachers can also expand students' limits and push their creativity.

Teaching is a tough job, but it is one where you can make the most impact in another person's life. If you're thinking of becoming a teacher, here are even more reasons why you should invest in a teaching career.

Role Models

Teachers are the ultimate role models for students. The fact that students come into contact with many different types of teachers in their academic career means that more likely than not, there will be a teacher that speaks to them.

The teacher-student connection is invaluable for some students, who may otherwise not have that stability. Teachers will stay positive for their students even when things can seem grim. A great teacher always has compassion for their students, understanding of their students' personal lives, and appreciation for their academic goals and achievements. Teachers are role models for children to be positive, always try harder, and reach for the stars.

They Provide the Power of Education

Knowledge and education are the basis for all things that can be accomplished in life. Teachers provide the power of education to today's youth, thereby giving them the possibility for a better future.

Teachers simplify the complex, and make abstract concepts accessible to students. Teachers also expose children to ideas and topics that they might otherwise not have come into contact with. They can expand on interests and push their students to do better.

Teachers don't accept failure, and therefore, students are more likely to succeed. Teachers know when to push students, when to give a gentle nudge in the right direction, and when to let students figure it out on their own. But they won't let a student give up.

Guidance

Teacher provide guidance to students of all types.Teachers are able to see each child's strengths and weaknesses and can provide assistance and guidance to either get them up to speed or push them higher.

They will help to reveal student's best skills and teach valuable life skills as well, such as communication, compassion, presentation, organization, following directions, and more.

They are also a source of inspiration and motivation. Teachers inspire students to do well, and motivate them to work hard and keep their academic goals on track.

Dedication

One of the most important parts of teaching is having dedication. Teachers not only listen, but also coach and mentor their students. They are able to help shape academic goals and are dedicated to getting their students to achieve them. Teachers have patience for their students and are understanding when a concept isn't taking.

Teachers do what they do because they want to help others. They are not teaching for recognition or a paycheck but because they have a passion for youth and education. Teachers typically believe in the power of education and the importance of providing children with good role models and are teaching because of that belief. They are dedicated to the cause.

Finally, teachers' dedication is shown by their 'round-the-clock work habits. Teachers don't stop working when the school bell rings. They are grading papers, making lessons, and communicating with parents after school and on weekends. Most teachers arrive earlier than school starts to set up their day and provide extra assistance to struggling students.

Teachers Play a Great Role in the Economic Development of the Country

Education is a fundamental aspect in the development of a country. If the youth of a society is educated, a future is born. Teachers provide the education that improves quality of life, therefore bringing so much to both individuals and society as a whole.

Teachers increase productivity and creativity of students and therefore, of future workers. When students are pushed to be creative and productive, they are more likely to be entrepreneurial and make technological advances, ultimately leading to economic development of a country.

The Most Important Characteristics of a Great Teacher

The following attributes make the difference between a good teacher and a truly great teacher who becomes an inspiration to their students.

1. Compassion: Compassion is important not only when dealing with the students but also other teachers, other school staff, and parents.

2. Passion for Learning and Children: Teaching can be incredibly stressful, so great teachers must have a deep passion to keep them going every day.

3. Understanding: Teachers need a deep understanding of where their students are coming from - their backgrounds, their struggles, and their abilities.

4. Patience: Patience is key. This is very true of teaching, and not just patience with the students! Teachers also need patience in dealing with the school system, bureaucracy, and parents as well.

5. Ability to Be a Role Model: Teachers must come into work every day knowing their students will soak up their actions like sponges. They must show how to be a good person not just by telling, but also by being.

6. Communication Across Generations and Cultures: Teachers need to be able to effectively communicate with students from multiple cultures and generations, as well as teaching staff and superiors with various backgrounds and from other generations.

7. Willingness to Put in the Effort: If a teacher doesn't care or doesn't make the effort, their students won't either. If a teacher shows students that they do truly care, they'll do the same.

How to Become a Teacher

All this positive talk about teachers have you thinking you're ready to become one? The following steps will take you there.

1. Get Experience

Before you start studying to become a teacher, be sure that you have the patience and temperament to work with children or teenagers for seven or more hours per day. If you still want to teach and make a difference but don't think the traditional route will work for you, consider teaching after-school classes, coaching, or adult teaching opportunities.

2. Pre-K, K-8, or High School

This decision is an important one because it will make a difference for what degree or certificate you will need. Hopefully by now, you have some idea of the age group or subject matter you would like to teach. If not, get some experience to find out. For high school teachers, you'll need to decide on a specialization during your studies.

All full-time teaching jobs, even preschool, require degrees nowadays. University of the People in collaboration with the International Baccalaureate (IB) offers a Master's Degree in Education that is 100% online, tuition-free, and US accredited. Any bachelor's degree is accepted as a prerequisite so you can start your dream of becoming a teacher, no matter your background.

4. Get a Teaching Certificate

While some independent schools do not require a teaching certificate, the vast majority do. Some graduate programs will concurrently graduate students with a degree and a certificate at the same time but others will not. In some cases, you will only need a teaching certificate and not a degree, such as with teaching English.

Conclusion

Why are teachers important? Teachers truly are the backbone of society. They are role models to children, offer guidance and dedication and give young people the power of education. Because of teachers, countries are able to further develop socially and economically. Next time you or your community achieve something great, take a moment to think of and be grateful for the teachers who made it possible.

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Why Are Teachers Important In Our Society? They Have Influence

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Teaching is one of the most important professions in today's world. Why are teachers important? Find out their influence on individuals and society.

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Get access to files anywhere through secure cloud storage and file backup for your photos, videos, files and more with Google Drive.

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Mohamad Faiz bin Mohamad Amin

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TRY TO CLICK ON + , THEN ADD THE AUDIO COMMENT

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Cultural Diversity

Montaigne said, "The most universal quality is diversity."[1] Given that diversity abounds, the project of understanding each other is both daunting and important. It is a journey never finished, because the process and the endpoints change constantly. The journey is bound up with communication and conflict, since misunderstandings and miscommunication can cause and escalate conflict. Effective communication is often the key to making progress in a conflict.

Progress through conflict is possible, and the route is twofold. First, self-knowledge and self-awareness are needed. Without these, our seemingly normal approaches to meaning-making and communication will never be clear enough that we can see them for what they are: a set of lenses that shape what we see, hear, say, understand, and interpret. Second, cultural fluency is needed, meaning familiarity with culture and the ability to act on that familiarity.[2] Cultural fluency means understanding what culture is, how it works, and the ways culture and communication are intertwined with conflicts.

This may sound simple enough, but it actually requires significant, continuous effort. As Edward T. Hall writes in the introduction to his book, The Dance of Life,[3] for us to understand each other may mean, "reorganizing [our] thinking...and few people are willing to risk such a radical move." Communication theorists, anthropologists, and others have given us tools to develop awareness of our own lenses, and to facilitate the reorganization of thinking necessary to truly understand others whose starting points may differ from our own. Two of these tools are explored here.

Communication Tools for Understanding Culture

Additional insights into communication tools for understanding cultural differences are offered by Beyond Intractability project participants.

The tools we will examine here relate to communication and ways of seeing the self in relation to others. They are:

High-context and low-context communication, and

Individualist and communitarian conceptions of self and other.

Since all of these tools are used in the service of understanding culture, a working definition of culture is useful. Donal Carbaugh defines culture as "a system of expressive practices fraught with feelings, a system of symbols, premises, rules, forms, and the domains and dimensions of mutual meanings associated with these."[4] He also suggests culture is "a learned set of shared interpretations about beliefs, values, and norms, which affect the behaviors of a relatively large group of people."[5] In each of these definitions, culture is linked to communication and a wide range of human experience including feelings, identity, and meaning-making. Communication is the vehicle by which meanings are conveyed, identity is composed and reinforced, and feelings are expressed. As we communicate using different cultural habits and meaning systems, both conflict and harmony are possible outcomes of any interaction.

There is no comprehensive way to understand culture and its relationships to communication and conflict. The two tools outlined here give windows into how different groups of people make sense of their worlds. They are neither reliable guides to every member of a particular group nor are they fixed in nature, since culture is constantly evolving and changing as people within groups and the contexts around them change. These two sets of tools are the most frequently used classifications of cultures used by anthropologists and communication scholars. We begin with one of the most familiar sets of tools: high-context and low-context communication.

High-context and Low-context Communication refers to the degree to which speakers rely on factors other than explicit speech to convey their messages. This tool, developed by Edward T. Hall,[6] suggests that communication varies according to its degree of field dependence, and that it can be classified into two general categories -- high-context and low-context. Field dependence refers to the degree to which things outside the communication itself affect the meaning. For example, a request for a child to "shut the door" relies comparatively little on context, while a comment containing meaning other than what is on the surface relies largely on context for its meaning to be received. A high-context message of disagreement might be telegraphed to a spouse or a co-worker by the words chosen or the way they are spoken, even if no disagreement is explicitly voiced.

Hall says that every human being is confronted by far more sensory stimuli than can possibly be attended to. Cultures help by screening messages, shaping perceptions and interpretations according to a series of selective filters. In high-context settings, the screens are designed to let in implied meanings arising from the physical setting, relational cues, or shared understandings. In low-context settings, the screens direct attention more to the literal meanings of words and less to the context surrounding the words.

All of us engage in both high-context and low-context communication. There are times we "say what we mean, and mean what we say," leaving little to be "read in" to the explicit message. This is low-context communication. At other times, we may infer, imply, insinuate, or deliver with nonverbal cues messages that we want to have conveyed but do not speak. This is high-context communication. Most of the time, we are somewhere nearer the middle of the continuum, relying to some extent on context, but also on the literal meaning of words.

To understand this distinction between high-context and low-context communication, ask yourself these questions:

Do I tend to "let my words speak for themselves," or prefer to be less direct, relying on what is implied by my communication? (low-context communication)

Do I prefer indirect messages from others, and am I attuned to a whole range of verbal and nonverbal cues to help me understand the meaning of what is said? (high-context communication)

As will quickly become clear, most people can and do function at both ends of the high-context, low-context continuum. There are times when direct, clear communication is most appropriate, and times when it is preferable to communicate in layers of meaning to save face, spare feelings, or allow for diffuse interpretations. Most people rely on a whole range of verbal and nonverbal cues to understand the meaning of what is said. Even in the most direct, low-context setting, meanings will be conveyed that are not explicitly spoken.

The novelist Amy Tan describes the different starting points of English and Chinese this way: "I try to explain to my English-speaking friends that Chinese language is more strategic in manner, whereas English tends to be more direct; an American business executive may say, 'Let's make a deal,' and the Chinese manager may reply, 'Is your son interested in learning about your widget business?' Each to his or her own purpose, each with his or her own linguistic path."[7]

As people communicate, they move along a continuum between high context and low context. Depending on the kind of relationship, the situation, and the purpose of communication, they may be more or less explicit and direct. In close relationships, communication short-hand is often used, which makes communication opaque to outsiders but perfectly clear to the parties. With strangers, the same people may choose low-context communication.

Low- and high-context communication refers not only to individual communication strategies, but may be used to understand cultural groups. Generally, Western cultures tend to gravitate toward low-context starting points, while Eastern and Southern cultures tend to use high-context communication. Within these huge categories, there are important differences and many variations. Where high-context communication tends to be featured, it is useful to pay specific attention to nonverbal cues and the behavior of others who may know more of the unstated rules governing the communication. Where low-context communication is the norm, directness is likely to be expected in return.

It is less important to classify any communication as high or low context than it is to understand whether nonverbal or verbal cues are the most prominent. Without this understanding, those who tend to use high-context starting points may be looking for shades of meaning that are not present, and those who prefer low-context communication may miss important nuances of meaning.

The choice of high-context and low-context as labels has led to unfortunate misunderstandings, since there is an implied ranking in the adjectives. In fact, neither is better or worse than the other. They are simply different. Each has possible pitfalls for cross-cultural communicators. Generally, low-context communicators interacting with high-context communicators should be mindful that

nonverbal messages and gestures may be as important as what is said;

status and identity may be communicated nonverbally and require appropriate acknowledgement;

face-saving and tact may be important, and need to be balanced with the desire to communicate fully and frankly;

building a good relationship can contribute to effectiveness over time; and

indirect routes and creative thinking are important alternatives to problem-solving when blocks are encountered.

High-context communicators interacting with low-context communicators should be mindful that

things can be taken at face value rather than as representative of layers of meaning;

roles and functions may be decoupled from status and identity;

efficiency and effectiveness may be served by a sustained focus on tasks;

direct questions and observations are not necessarily meant to offend, but to clarify and advance shared goals; and

indirect cues may not be enough to get the other's attention.[8]

As communicators factor awareness of high-context and low-context communication into their relations, conflict may be lessened and even prevented.

Individualism and Communitarianism is the second dimension important to conflict and conflict resolution. In communitarian settings (sometimes called collectivist settings), children are taught that they are part of a circle of relations. This identity as a member of a group comes first, summed up in the South African idea of ubuntu: "I am because we are." In communitarian settings, members are rewarded for allegiance to group norms and values, interdependence, and cooperation. Wherever they go, their identity as a member of their group goes out in front. Identity is not isolated from others, but is determined with others according to group needs and views. When conflict arises, behavior and responses tend to be jointly chosen.

Individualist patterns involve ideas of the self as independent, self-directed, and autonomous. Many Western conflict-resolution approaches presuppose exactly this kind of person: someone able to make proposals, concessions, and maximize gains in their own self-interest. Children raised in this milieu are rewarded for initiative, personal achievement, and individual leadership. They may be just as close to their families as a child raised in a communitarian setting, but they draw the boundaries differently: in case of a conflict, they may feel more free to choose their individual preference. Duty, honor, and deference to authority are less prominent for those with individualist starting points than communitarian ones.

Individual and communitarian identities are two quite different ways of being in the world. They connect at some point, of course, since all groups are made up of individuals and all individuals find themselves in relationship with various groups. But the starting points are different. To discern the basic difference, ask yourself which is most in the foreground of your life, the welfare, development, security, prosperity, and well-being of yourself and others as individuals, or the shared heritage, ecological resources, traditional stories, and group accomplishments of your people? Generally, those who start with individualism as their beginning tend to be most comfortable with independence, personal achievement, and a competitive conflict style. Those who start with a communal orientation are more focused on social connections, service, and a cooperative conflict style.

French anthropologist Raymonde Carroll, who is married to a North American, suggests that North Americans tend to see individual identities as existing outside all networks. This does not mean that social networks do not exist, or that they are unimportant, but that it is notionally possible to see the self apart from these. In the North American view, there is a sense that the self creates its own identity, as in the expression, a "self-made person." This view explains why it is unnecessary for North Americans to hide things about their past, such as humble origins. It also explains why the alcoholic brother of a president of the United States is seen as having no connection to the president's standing or ability. In a communitarian setting, identity is defined much more by the person's social network, and cannot be so easily separated.

One way to discern communitarian or individualist starting points is to listen to forms of greeting and address. Thomas Morning Owl, a member of the Confederated Umatilla Tribes in Oregon, reports that his response to the question 'Shinnamwa?' (Who are you?) would not be his name, but a description of his father, mother, and tribe, and the place they came from. Morning Owl reflects that individual identities are subsumed into the collective in his culture: "Who preceded you, is who you are."[9]

Members of communitarian cultures place less importance than individualists on relationships with outsiders, such as strangers or casual acquaintances. Boundaries around relationships tend to be less porous in communitarian contexts like Japan, where attention is focused on maintaining harmony and cohesion with the group. In the individualist setting of the United States, by contrast, "friendly" behavior is directed to members of in-groups and strangers alike. This difference can lead to misunderstandings across cultures, since the U.S. American behavior of friendliness to strangers may be seen as inappropriately familiar by those from communitarian settings, while U.S. Americans may find social networks in communitarian settings very difficult to penetrate.

No matter which starting point seems natural, it is important to keep the entire continuum in mind when trying to understand and address conflict. From each vantage point, it is useful to remember some things:

From an individualist starting point,

achievement involves individual goal-setting and action;

I am ultimately accountable to myself and must make decisions I can live with;

while I consult with others about choices, I am autonomous: a discrete circle; and

I believe in equality and consider everyone able to make their own personal choices.

From a communitarian starting point,

maintaining group harmony and cohesion is important, and my decisions should not disrupt that;

choices are made in consultation with family and authority figures and their input is weighted as heavily, or even more heavily, than mine. I am an overlapping circle amidst other overlapping circles;

my decisions reflect on my group and I am accountable to them as a member; and

I notice hierarchy and accept direction from those of higher status than myself.

With these differences in mind, it is important for individualists to recognize the web of relations encompassing the communitarian party to a conflict, and to act in recognition of those. Similarly, it is helpful for those from communitarian settings to remember that individualists value autonomy and initiative, and to act in ways that respect these preferences.

Combining Starting Points: High-Context/Low-Context and Individualism/Communitarianism

As with any set of starting points, neither of these starting points exists in isolation. High-context communication often corresponds with communitarian settings, just as low-context communication often occurs in individualist settings. This is not always true, but it is worth exploring because it is frequently the case. Where communitarianism is the preferred starting point, individual expression may be less important than group will. Indirect communication that draws heavily on nonverbal cues may be preferable in such a setting, because it allows for multiple meanings, saves face, leaves room for group input into decisions, and displays interdependence. In individualist settings, low-context communication may be preferable because it is direct, expresses individual desires and initiatives, displays independence, and clarifies the meaning intended by the speaker.

Nobel Peace Laureate Jimmy Carter understood the importance of high-context communication with his counterparts from Israel and Egypt in the historic Camp David peace negotiations. In one example, Carter reports that Prime Minister Begin was about to leave the negotiations after several days, discouraged at having reached an impasse. Carter met Begin at his accommodations and presented him with pictures of the three heads of state, inscribed with the names of each of Begin's grandchildren. Prime Minister Begin repeated the names of his grandchildren out loud as he paused to look at the pictures, seeming to reflect on the importance of the peace negotiations to the grandchildren's futures.

Carter knew instinctively that no direct, low-context appeal would work to bring Prime Minister Begin back to the negotiating table. Perhaps low-context requests were already tried without success. Instead, Carter relied on a high-context reference to legacy, future generations, and the relations that Begin cared about. He invoked the communities each leader served by reminding Begin of his grandchildren. Through Carter's masterful, high-context appeal, negotiations resumed and peace was achieved between neighbors who had been in intractable conflict for many years.[10]

This example shows the importance of these two interrelated starting points, individualism/communitarianism and low/high context. While there are many exceptions to cultural patterns and all of us use different starting points depending on the context, noticing the intersections of ways of making meaning is often a useful window into conflict dynamics.

[1] Montaigne, 1580. Quoted in Tracy Novinger. Intercultural Communication. (Austin: University of Texas Press, 2001)

[2] This is closely related to the concept of framing.

[3] Edward T. Hall, The Dance of Life. The Other Dimension of Time (New York: Doubleday, 1983), 7.

[4] Donal Carbaugh, Intercultural Theory [on-line] Available from http://eco.ittralee.ie/personal/theories-III.php#1; Internet.

[5] Lustig, Myron and Jolene Koester. 1998. Intercultural Competence: Interpersonal Communication Across Cultures (3 rd Ed.). (Addison-Wesley Publishing, 1998), 30.

[6] Edward T. Hall, Beyond Culture. (New York: Anchor/Doubleday, 1971)

[7] Tan, Amy. "The Language of Discretion," in About Language ., E.H.Roberts and G. Turgeon, eds. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1992), 142.

[8] These points are taken from Michelle LeBaron, Bridging Cultural Conflicts: New Approaches for a Changing World (San Francisco: Jossey Bass, 2003)

[9] Quoted in Tracy Novinger, Intercultural Communication (Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 2001), 31.

[10] Jimmy Carter, Keeping Faith (New York: Bantam Books, 1982), 392, 399.

Use the following to cite this article:
LeBaron, Michelle. "Communication Tools for Understanding Cultural Differences." Beyond Intractability. Eds. Guy Burgess and Heidi Burgess. Conflict Information Consortium, University of Colorado, Boulder. Posted: June 2003 < http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/communication-tools>.

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Communication Tools for Understanding Cultural Differences

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By Michelle LeBaron June 2003 Cultural Diversity Montaigne said, "The most universal quality is diversity."[1] Given that diversity abounds, the project of understanding each other is both daunting and important. It is a journey never finished, because the process and the endpoints change constantly.

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What is a Communication Friendly Environment?

A Communication Friendly Environment is a space that encourages and promotes good communication. This approach focuses on the role of the environment in supporting speaking and listening skills, emotional well-being, physical development and general engagement. The environment in which a child learns can be an important factor in supporting their communication and language development.

Here are ten top tips in creating a Communication Friendly Environment

Layout

It is important to consider the layout of the area when creating a Communication Friendly space. The area should offer the opportunity for individual play and group play. Does it offer small cosy areas that children can use to escape others and think alone?

Lighting

Lighting is another important factor, as it can affect a child's mood and behaviour. Brightly lit rooms can be distracting for children and does not allow the child to feel cosy and calm, compared to allowing natural light in. Can your space offer darker areas of the room? Fairy lights inside dens or tents are a great way to alter lighting and create a soft lighting area for children to relax and reflect.

Space

Children need space to be able to communicate effectively with others. If they are too cramped or not given adequate space they can become frustrated and feel overwhelmed. It is similar for adults, we tend to feel much more comfortable communicating with a person if we are given some personal space. Does the environment offer children enough space?

Choice

Ensuring children are given choices to make independently fuels their communication skills. They feel in control of their play and are more likely to comment on what they are doing. Limiting the choices can support children further, as too many options may cause the children to get confused, overwhelmed and lose interest quickly. Resources should be offered in small quantities, but with lots of opportunity for choice. Offering two or three shells rather than a large box makes them look more appealing and manageable.

Noise Levels

Noise is a very important factor in creating a communication friendly environment. Children need to acquire sound attention and listening skills in order to communicate effectively. Environments where sound travels or creates an echo can be disrupting to a child's communication. Creating spaces where sound can be absorbed or children can access some quiet time is vital in supporting their communication development. Can you create a quiet area within your space?

Visual Aids

Visual aids for a child who is finding communication difficult are vital. Communication in Print cards or widgets can allow a child who has limited communication skills to share their thoughts and feelings with others. These should be accessible to the child at all times and used in the routine to ensure the child fully understands what is happening. Is the child able to use these to communicate effectively with staff and children?

Visual distraction

Children can be easily distracted and lots of visual distraction can impact on their communication skills. Displays should be minimalistic with plain or neutral coloured backgrounds as this allows the children to focus on the work that is displayed. Hanging things from the ceiling should only be done in specific areas and there should be areas free from clutter. Children who are distracted by their surrounding will be unable to keep their attention or use their listening skills effectively.

Clear and Consistent Routines

Routines are a big part of offering a communication friendly environment as it allows the children to feel calm and in control.Visual routines are a great way to ensure the children are aware what will be happening next, enabling them to communicate freely and not be distracted by unannounced changes.

Adults Role

The adults plays a vital role in providing communication friendly spaces. The practitioners should offer the opportunity for communication but also know when to stand back and observe. Children need the chance to approach situations without the pressure of communication, they may wish to observe play before getting involved. Giving the child space to observe and think is just as important as communicating and using language.

Creating Opportunities

The environment should create opportunities for communication. Interactive areas are a great way for children to extend their play and use problem solving skills and work as a team to come to a solution. Children should also have the opportunity to direct their own play and create scenarios that they have experienced before. This type of play encourages good communication and language building skills.

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10 Ways To Create A Communication Friendly Environment

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The environment is an important factor is supporting communication and language. Here are 10 ways to create a communication friendly environment.

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" There are no constraints on the human mind; No walls around the human spirit; No barriers to our progress except those we ourselves erect." - RONALD REAGAN

In the context of globalization and free trade, business communication has to cut across different cultural identities. These invariably cause cultural barriers that have to be overcome. The relaxed and leisurely pace of the Easterners, the formal and official style of the Britishers, the casual and matter-of-fact nature of the Americans, the thorough nature of the Germans and the extreme courtesy and politeness of expression of the French are all cultural features. It is easy for an American to give his opinion even to his boss whereas decisions and opinions are seldom expressed in the presence of elders and seniors in the East. To overcome any cultural barrier to effective communication one has to possess an understanding of the culture of the receiver(s) / decoder. Even in body language, there are variations. If a Filipino smiles, they say he is angry. The loop formed by the tip of the thumb and index finger is a signal of agreement in North America but an obscenity in the Southern states.
What is culture?
Culture is defined by the shared manners, customs, beliefs, rituals, ceremonies, laws, ideas, thought patterns, arts, tools, social institutions, religious beliefs, myths and legends, knowledge, values, a concept of self, morals, ideals and accepted ways of behaving. We live, do things, think and act in varied ways. These practices are particular ways that give us an identity. These are our cultural ways and give us the cultural identity.
Cultural Barrier
The prime dynamics of culture are the mutual social perceptual set with coordinated, meaning and action, and cultural variance. The differences in communication recital and the diverse forms of communication can create diversity among various cultures. People who live in various cultures and historical epochs communicate differently and have different patterns of thought. A Cultural barrier in communication occurs mainly when communication happens between two different cultural backgrounds. We encounter cultural barriers in everyday life. In the age of globalization and digital media, the whole world is performing and participating on one platform. Here mutual understandings between communicators are very much important for the effective, fruitful process of communication. During his visit to the USA, India's first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru stated that

" If we seek to understand a people, we have to try to put ourselves, as far as we can, in that particular historical and cultural background. One has to recognize that whatever the future may hold, countries and people differ ... in their approach to life and their ways of living and thinking. In order to understand them, we have to understand their way of life and approach. If we wish to convince them, we have to use their language as far as we can, not language in the narrow sense of the word, but the language of the mind. That is one necessity."

Importance of cross-cultural communication

Cross-cultural and Intercultural communication is very important in the contemporary world. The increase in multinational companies and firms, globalization, improved international relations, and the internet culture are the seeding agents for this demand. In a heterogeneous cultural workforce and the community, it is vital to bring a homogeneous work culture and result. To achieve these communication managers or advocators of every business and nation has to understand various cultural barriers of their team and find a solution to sustain and develop.
Sources of Cultural Barriers
Language (Semantic): Language is considered as the most crucial barrier in cross-cultural communication. Since verbal communication is important in every context, the understandings of the meaning of words are also important. The language barrier occurs not only because of differences in language but also in the forms of a variety of dialects. The examples are of Chinese and Russian language where different dialects are used in several parts of the country. If one communicator is not aware of the exact meaning, it will create misunderstanding and lead to a conflict of ideas.

Cultural norms and values: Each culture hold its own values, meaning and norms different from another. This difference is caused because of truth, belief and judgment through which they acquired knowledge about society and culture. For example, in eastern countries like India, Pakistan, Srilanka the meaning of physical proximity is different from that in western countries. In western culture, people share physical proximity or closeness only with the persons whom they know. This is the reason we can find a calm and quiet environment in public transportation in western countries. On contradictory, we can find a huge, crowded environment in Indian suburban and metro rail transports.

Stereotypes: Stereotypes are any negative image or preconceived notions on a particular community and identity. These are created through mass media and their content agenda. For example,the status of transgender is considered in the different level of standard in various cultures. Same like the role and respect for women also varies from culture to culture. In social psychological viewpoint, positive stereotypes are also considered as the cultural barrier. It is representation of a particular group of people or culture in a positive way. This may be different from reality. The positive stereotypes create frames of reference in the mind of people in cultural context. For example, it is considered as people in Italy are having a great interest in art. This might be true in some sense since Italy was gone through various art movements. But if a foreigner visits Italy and interact the Italians with that mindset, he may find it difficult to encounter the reality.

Values and Beliefs: The differences in values and beliefs in cultures also create a barrier in communication. The difference in the level of acceptability in cultures is an example. The reasons behind these are influenced by religion, political environment or epistemology. Rokeach in his book "The Nature of Human Values "(1979) defines the value as 'a type of belief that is centrally located within one's total belief system'. Values tell us about people's behaviour. Values may be explicit (stated overtly in a value judgement) or implicitly (inferred from nonverbal behaviour), and they may be individually held or seen as a part of a cultural pattern or system. Every country has numerous religions practised by its people. so the differences in their values and beliefs are also an example of cultural barriers.

Body language and gestures: Body language and gestures are another elements of the cultural barrier. It is impossible to communicate without body language and gestures. It provides meaning and justification for communication. In conservative societies like Arab and African countries, greeting opposite gender by shaking hands or hugging is considered as ill-manner or even moral crime. But in the western world it is common practice to shake hands while we meet people.
Overcoming Cultural Barrier
It is important to avoid or overcome any kind of barrier for any successful and effective communication. Especially in context of cross-cultural communication, it is important to avoid all types of cultural barriers. It will create tension between different cultural contexts. The reasons for wars between two countries, business revelry are may be due to cultural barriers between communications. The following are the points which we need to keep in mind to avoid cultural barriers in communication:

1. Avoid frame of reference

2. Use mutual language and signs

3. Ask questions when in doubt

4. Provide space for mutual respect

5. Open to new ideas

6. Accepting and adapting the different culture

7. Understand the context of communication

8. Avoid Stereotyped notions

9. Promote positive reception of cultural divergences

10. Learn about other cultures and their norms

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"There are no constraints on the human mind; No walls around the human spirit; No barriers to our progress except those we ourselves erect." - RONALD REAGAN In the context of globalization and free trade, business communication has to cut across different cultural identities. These invariably cause cultural barriers that have to be overcome.

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Why Is It Important for Teachers to Have Good Communication Skills?

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Why Is It Important for Teachers to Have Good Communication Skills?. The art of communication involves listening and speaking as well as reading and writing. Teachers need to be highly skilled in all these areas to excel in their profession. Proficient communicators receive information, understand a…

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