Week 3 Blog

I do find that I communicate differently with people from different groups and cultures.  If is someone that I know well I am more comfortable and am more likely to use slang and tease and joke more.  Professionally, I communicate differently based on the audience.  In a large group of other early childhood professionals, I am more likely to use acronyms and jargon that I know others in the group will be familiar with.   I work at a bilingual preschool program. Several of the teachers and many of the parents speak Spanish.  I speak more slowly, use simpler words and listen very carefully.  We have a Spanish-speaking cook at the program where I work.  My Spanish is very limited and so I find that I must rely on lots of gestures to communicate effectively with her. 

The first strategy that I could use to help me communicate more effectively is to improve my listening skills.   When talking with Spanish speaking parents, I tend to be nervous about my limited ability to speak Spanish and so it is sometimes difficult to stay focused on listening.  I also tend to be very businesslike and so I have found that I need to stop, listen carefully and give all of my attention to the person who is speaking. 

The second strategy that I could use would be becoming more other-oriented.  As Bebee, Bebee & Redmond (2011) point out, “focusing on others rather than yourself… is an important way to enhance your interpersonal competence” (p. 111).  According to Bebee, et al. (2011), becoming other-oriented involves taking into account “the other person’s thoughts, values, background, and overall perspective” and to “put yourself into someone else’s place emotionally and consider what that person is feeling” (p. 112).  As Gonzalez-Mena (2010) reminds us, “it’s uncomfortable to begin questioning what we already know, but it’s important to do so when working in an early childhood setting that includes diverse families you don’t see eye to eye with” (p. 36). 

The third strategy that I can use is related to body language. Since taking this class, I have become much more aware of my body language.  I am careful to ensure that my body language is communicating my interest in what the other person is saying.  I turn towards the other person, am careful not cross my arms, nod, smile and watch carefully to use the amount of direct eye contact that the speaker is comfortable with. 

Reference:

Beebe, S. A., Beebe, S. J., & Redmond, M. V. (2011). Interpersonal communication: Relating to others (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Chapter 4, "Interpersonal Communication and Diversity: Adapting to Others" (pp. 85–114)


Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/bbcswebdav/institution/USW1/201420_02/MS_MECS/EDUC_6165/Week%203/Resources/Resources/embedded/beebe_ch4.pdf

Gonzalez-Mena, J. (2010). 50 strategies for communicating and working with diverse families. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

"Understanding and Appreciating Cultural Differences" (pp. 36–38)