CLAD Cross-Cultural Communication and Family Engagement 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Edward Hall's concept of 'proxemics' refers to:
- The study of how language syntax varies across cultures
- Cultural differences in the use of personal space during communication (Correct answer)
- The proximity of a school to the community it serves
- The relationship between word choice and social status
Correct answer: Cultural differences in the use of personal space during communication
Proxemics examines how different cultures define comfortable physical distance during social interactions, which varies significantly across cultural groups.
Question 2: A teacher of Mexican-American students notices that many families do not attend back-to-school night. Before concluding that families are disengaged, the teacher should consider that:
- Mexican-American families generally do not value education
- Cultural concepts like respeto may lead families to defer to teachers as experts, trusting them without needing to attend (Correct answer)
- The students must be informing families not to come
- Evening events require state-mandated transportation that is rarely provided
Correct answer: Cultural concepts like respeto may lead families to defer to teachers as experts, trusting them without needing to attend
The cultural value of respeto (respect for authority) can lead families to trust schools implicitly, which may be misread as lack of involvement rather than a form of deference.
Question 3: Which of the following is an example of cultural discontinuity between home and school?
- A student who reads at home in English and at school in Spanish
- A student raised to listen and observe before speaking who is penalized for not participating in whole-class discussions (Correct answer)
- A student who excels in math but struggles in reading
- A student whose parents attended college in their home country
Correct answer: A student raised to listen and observe before speaking who is penalized for not participating in whole-class discussions
Cultural discontinuity occurs when the interactional norms valued at home differ from those rewarded at school, placing culturally different students at a disadvantage.
Question 4: The term 'funds of knowledge' in the context of culturally responsive education refers to:
- Financial resources that families contribute to school fundraisers
- The academic knowledge students acquire through standardized curriculum
- The bodies of knowledge and skills that households develop through cultural and economic practices (Correct answer)
- Grants available to schools for purchasing multicultural library books
Correct answer: The bodies of knowledge and skills that households develop through cultural and economic practices
Coined by Moll and colleagues, funds of knowledge refers to the practical knowledge, skills, and expertise embedded in students' households and communities that can be leveraged in instruction.
Question 5: When communicating with families from cultures where disagreeing with a teacher is seen as inappropriate, educators should:
- Accept all non-verbal agreement as full endorsement of proposed plans
- Create low-stakes ways for families to provide feedback privately, such as written surveys or follow-up calls (Correct answer)
- Avoid consulting these families since they will always agree regardless
- Limit communication to one-way school-to-home notices
Correct answer: Create low-stakes ways for families to provide feedback privately, such as written surveys or follow-up calls
Private channels reduce the social pressure to agree publicly, enabling families to share genuine concerns without violating cultural norms of deference.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes the concept of 'cultural brokering' in a school context?
- Selling culturally diverse textbooks to school districts
- A bilingual or bicultural individual who bridges cultural differences between schools and families to improve communication (Correct answer)
- Negotiating contracts with community organizations for after-school programs
- Translating standardized test instructions into multiple languages
Correct answer: A bilingual or bicultural individual who bridges cultural differences between schools and families to improve communication
Cultural brokers use their bicultural knowledge to mediate misunderstandings and help families and schools communicate across cultural differences.
CLAD Cross-Cultural Communication and Family Engagement 2
Edward Hall's concept of 'proxemics' refers to: