See the examples of the activity below. Then choose two examples and decide, in which context the person-first or identity-first language is more inclusive. Afterwards, share your observation with your colleagues and discuss their arguments.

-  In this place you will meet many people experiencing homelessness. 

- In this place you will meet many homeless people. 

- This is a course designed for persons who have migrated before. 

-  This is a course designed for migrants. 

- I work with blind people. 

- I work with people who are blind. 

-  This restaurant offers cheap meal for poor people. 

- This restaurant offers cheap meal for people with less income. 

- We give services to rural persons. 

- We give services to persons coming from rural areas

If you want to practice inclusive communication, it is helpful to establish some principles for yourself. Of course, those principles should be in line with the context of your communication. There are several aspects, which you may consider. For example: using clear language, asking for feedback, active listening, non-verbal communication, accessible language, identity-first or person-first language.

Activity one: Future work context

Think about the workplace of your future job or, if you already have a job, about your current workplace. Describe a situation, in which you experience direct communication with others (colleagues, clients, users, etc.). Identify three communication principles, which could create a more inclusive atmosphere at this moment. Then record a short video in which you explain those principles to your (future) colleagues. Watch this video with others and gather feedback. If you are satisfied with your video, upload it to the eLearning platform.

Activity two: Team communication principles

Within a team, decide for at least two inclusive communication principles, which you would like to apply to your teamwork.

Set one group goal for your next team meeting or group project.

Cultural Diversity and Intercultural Communication have many different definitions, because there are different concepts of what culture is. Let’s simply say that we are dealing with people who use specific systems of values and beliefs, and who rely on specific communication styles to interact with each other.  

Are you aware of your own cultural background and communication style?

Maybe not. So, let’s start with your experience. 

This is a reflective exercise; please think about it on your own. Write down your answers to the following questions, then upload your answers to the e-learning platform. Maximum 250 words (approx. half a page). 

1. Describe a situation in which you experienced intercultural misunderstandings. How did you feel in this situation? What did you do to manage the situation?

2. In your own words, give a definition of what is “intercultural communication”.

We have prepared three different case studies for you to further explore the intercultural dimensions of Hofstede applied to different big companies. 

You have now studied Hofstede's cultural dimensions. What are your thoughts on his theory?

There have been many criticisms of this theory. Can you think of reasons why others have criticized it?

1. Read the dialogue attached with another student in distributed roles. Do you think this is an example of high or low context communication? Think about your own communication style. How would you communicate in the same situation?

2. Read through the dialogue once again and discuss the implicit meaning of what is said with your colleague. After each sentence, note the implicit messages, as in the example below.

3. Compare your notes of hidden meanings with the one of other groups. Discuss differences.

Review the key elements of Deardorff’s model:

Scenario Reflection

Read each scenario attached carefully. For each, answer the reflection questions to explore how you would apply Deardorff’s model components.

Instruction: Take the phrases in the instruction part and convert them into plain language.

Example: 

"Utilize your cognitive resources efficiently."

---> Use your mind well! Don't waste any time or energy!

Sentences: 

"Implement a systematic approach to problem-solving."

"Engage in metacognitive strategies to enhance learning outcomes."

"Participate actively in collaborative educational activities."

"Apply critical thinking skills to analyze information."

"Develop a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter."

"Employ mnemonic devices to facilitate memory retention."

"Adopt a growth mindset to foster academic resilience."

"Optimize your study habits to maximize academic performance."

"Identify and rectify cognitive biases that may influence judgment."

"Engage in reflective practice to enhance personal development."

"Leverage technological tools to augment learning experiences."

"Establish clear objectives to guide educational endeavors."

"Navigate complex concepts with analytical precision."

Lila suggests that you should think about the roles, which you need in a team before starting to work as a team. The following assignment can be done individually or in a team of students.

• Think about any task, which you had to work on in a team (at your university, at a company, in a student association, etc.) and identify five relevant roles for accomplishing this team-task successfully. List those five roles and explain their contributions to the team. Roles can be: leader, timekeeper, facilitator, presenter, researcher, risk manager, content creator, creative leader, specialist, humorist, good-vibes-carer, quality checker...

• How would you organize the reflection about those roles in your team? Explain aspects  such as frequency, setting, participants, method, etc.

• Which questions would you ask your team members in order to reflect those roles? List at least three questions and explain, why you would ask those questions. 

Lila explains several important aspects, which have to be considered when we want to develop an inclusive team Charta.

As a team, take notes about these aspects and write down at least five more aspects, which your team considers as important. Additionally you can think back to aspects of the other units. 

Don’t use AI tools this time! Just think and discuss all of it. 

If you feel comfortable with English, check the “Inclusive Communication Manual”, produced by the Erasmus Student Network (ESN). 

In a team, select the most important aspects and create your own inclusive team Charta.

Present your team Charta in class and explain the process, which led to this result.