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Understand this general capability

Intercultural Understanding

Introduction

Intercultural understanding encompasses the behaviours and dispositions that students need to understand what happens and what to do when cultures intersect.

 

Through learning to value their own cultural perspectives and practices and those of others, young people are supported to become responsible local and global citizens. They are equipped for living and working in an interconnected world. 

 

Intercultural understanding involves students developing the knowledge and skills needed to reflect on culture and cultural diversity, engage with cultural and linguistic diversity, and navigate intercultural contexts.

Structure

The Intercultural Understanding learning continuum is organised into 3 elements, as shown in Figure 1: 

  • Reflecting on culture and cultural diversity
  • Engaging with cultural and linguistic diversity 
  • Navigating intercultural contexts. 
 
Figure 1: Intercultural Understanding elements 

Reflecting on culture and cultural diversity

 

This element is organised into 3 sub-elements:

  • Reflect on the relationship between cultures and identities – students discuss their own cultural identities and draw connections with those of others. They transition from familiar to less familiar contexts, and explore cultural continuity and change. They examine how people experience intercultural contexts differently.
  • Examine cultural perspectives and world views – students analyse how these are shaped, preserved or transmitted over time and place.
  • Explore the influence of cultures on interactions – students reflect on how their cultural identities relate to others and how others’ cultural identities relate to them.

Engaging with cultural and linguistic diversity

 

This element is organised into 3 sub-elements:

  • Communicate responsively – students learn to tailor their communication in a range of contexts, demonstrating sensitivity and respect for cultural and linguistic diversity. They use their understanding of this diversity to keep communication open, flexible and focused on constructive processes and outcomes.
  • Develop multiple perspectives – students build self-awareness of their own perspectives towards issues and sharpen their skills in perspective-taking. They consider representation and acknowledge that multiple perspectives exist for any given issue. They learn that perspectives influence how people interpret and interact with the world around them.
  • Develop empathy – students reflect on their thoughts and feelings when taking on a range of perspectives. They learn to mediate perspectives to pursue inclusive and equitable outcomes.

Navigating intercultural contexts

 

This element is organised into 3 sub-elements:

  • Consider responses to intercultural experiences – students understand their own and others’ responses to intercultural experiences and reflect on how these responses are shaped, and influence individuals and their relationships. They learn to propose alternative responses to improve communication outcomes.
  • Respond to biases, stereotypes, prejudices and discrimination – students examine their origin, respectfully challenging prejudicial and discriminatory behaviour, and propose action to promote the wellbeing of people while valuing their cultural identities.
  • Adapt in intercultural exchanges – students apply their learning in a range of interactions, using their understanding of culture and cultural diversity, and skills in perspective-taking and empathy.
Key connections

General capabilities support and deepen student engagement with learning area content and are best developed within the context of learning areas.

Through English, students develop intercultural understanding as they study texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts. They learn that the English language has been influenced by different cultural groups, languages, speakers and writers. Students engage with the oral narrative traditions and contemporary literature of First Nations Australians, wide-ranging Australian literature, and world literature including texts from and about Asia. They explore cultural perspectives and world views from the past and present. Students interpret and analyse authors’ ideas and points of view represented in traditional and contemporary texts in a range of media. They learn to appreciate issues of intercultural meaning and sensitivity. 

In Humanities and Social Sciences, students develop intercultural understanding as they learn about the diversity of the world’s places and peoples, and people’s lives, cultural practices, values, beliefs and ways of knowing. They learn the importance of understanding their own and others’ histories, recognising the significance of the histories and cultures of First Nations Australians, and the contributions of Australian migrants. They demonstrate respect for cultural diversity and the human rights of all people. 

 

Students learn of Australia’s economic and political relationships with other countries and the role of intercultural understanding for the present and future. As they investigate the interconnections between people and the significance that places hold, they learn how various cultural identities, including their own, are shaped. They reflect on their own intercultural experiences and explore how people interact across cultural boundaries, considering how factors such as group membership, traditions, customs, and religious and cultural practices impact on civic life. 

Health and Physical Education informs students that cultural beliefs and perspectives may affect how some people make food and health choices, or how they are able to participate in physical activities. Students examine stereotypical representations of cultural groups and the impact these can have on an individual’s health, wellbeing and sense of belonging. In doing so, students understand how culture shapes personal and social perspectives and interactions. Students also understand what is valued in terms of health and physical activity within their families, social groups and institutions, and within other cultures in the broader community. They explore how this affects the development of their self-identity. 

The Intercultural Understanding capability is core to Languages. In learning a second or additional language, students develop an appreciation of languages, cultures and beliefs including their own. Students learn about the strong interrelationships between languages and cultures and how these shape identity. They develop and apply intercultural understanding to value and respect diverse ways of communicating, thinking and behaving. They recognise how these are reflected in social and cultural practices, and language use. Students develop connections with communities and cultures, become aware of similarities and differences, and cultivate mutual respect. The Intercultural Understanding capability assists students to navigate and reflect on language use, perspectives and behaviours. 

The Technologies learning area gives students opportunities to consider how diverse communities use technologies, including their impact and potential to transform people’s lives. It enables students to explore ways that people use technologies to interact with one another when cultures intersect. Students can investigate how cultures, identity and traditions influence the design of products, services and environments. They have opportunities to design solutions to challenges at local, national, regional and global levels. This may involve reflecting on culture and cultural diversity, engaging with cultural and linguistic diversity and navigating intercultural contexts. Students apply their understanding of the influence of cultures on interactions when working or collaborating with others, and when creating solutions to needs, opportunities and problems.

Students develop intercultural understanding as they consider the influence and impact of cultural identities and traditions on the practices and thinking of artists and audiences. As artists, students develop empathy by exploring their own cultural identities and those of others, learning to appreciate the diversity of cultures and contexts in which artists and audiences live. As audiences, students engage with arts works from diverse cultural sources, and are able to consider accepted roles, images, objects, sounds, beliefs and practices in new ways. They take opportunities to use their arts practice to respond to biases, stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination.  

Downloads

General capabilities documents and glossaries are available on the downloads page.

General capability downloads