Developing your cultural competence

Culture plays a central role in learners learning and in teachers’ teaching (whether we are aware of it or not). As teachers, we have the responsibility to cater for all children in ways that acknowledge and enhance their cultures, languages and identities.

To do this effectively we must become increasingly culturally competent. Cultural competence is defined as “the ability of a person to effectively interact, work, and develop meaningful relationships with people of various cultural backgrounds” (de Guzman et al., 2016).

This webinar highlights some of the key attitudes and actions we must develop to be culturally competent. These include recognising the effects our own cultural beliefs and biases have on our teaching, learning about other cultures in deep and meaningful ways and being able to walk in the shoes of those from cultures different to our own.