An Introduction to Cultural Proficiency

Courageous Conversations

What is Cultural Proficiency?

Created by Terry Cross

A model for dealing with differences

The values and behavior of individuals and the policies and practices of organizations that enable them to work effectively in a variety of cultural settings

A Definition of Culture

The beliefs, values, customs and traditions shared by a people

Cultures can be tied to race, ethnicity, social class, gender, geography, language, ability, occupation, organization, and nationality

Most people belong to more than one cultural group

Most people identify most strongly with one or two cultures

Dominant Culture

Dominant Culture is one whose values, language, and ways of behaving are imposed on a subordinate culture or cultures through economic or political power.

This may be achieved through legal or political suppression of other sets of values and patterns of behaviour, or by monopolizing the media of communication.

(Dictionary of Sociology, Oxford Reference

Online)

•Take a few minutes to identify the cultural groups that shape and inform your worldview and daily interactions.

•What cultural groups do you belong to that may be perceived as a problem to others?

What are your cultures?

The Cultural Proficiency Continuum

Use the continuum to describe language, situations, or events.

Cultural Proficiency

Cultural Competence

Cultural Pre-Competence

Cultural Blindness

Cultural Incapacity

Cultural Destruction

Cultural Destruction

See the difference, stomp it out; the elimination of people’s cultures

Holocaust during WWII in EuropeBureau of Indian Affair Schools in the early

20th century

Cultural Incapacity

See the difference, make it wrong; belief in the superiority of one’s culture and behavior that disempowers another’s culture

Jim Crow laws in the American South during the 20th century

Tokenism – hiring one or two individuals of minority groups to prove that the organization is open and inclusive

Cultural Blindness

See the difference, act like you don’t; acting as if the cultural differences that you see do not matter, or not recognizing that there are differences among and between cultures

Assuming all Asian cultures are alikeTeaching that Abraham Lincoln is a hero to

all African AmericansBelief that we are living in a post-racism

world

Cultural Pre-competence

See the difference, respond inadequately; awareness of the limitation of one’s skills or an organization’s practices when interacting with other cultural groups

Serving soul food meal during Black History month to demonstrate cultural proficiency

Dismissing as overly sensitive someone who complains about culturally inappropriate comments

Cultural Competence

See difference, understand the difference that difference makes

Uses these principles to guide individual and/or community interactions with other cultural groups:

Assessing cultureValuing diversityManaging the dynamics of differenceAdapting to diversityInstitutionalized cultural knowledge

Cultural Proficiency

See the difference and respond positively and affirmingly

Someone who has the capacity to teach and learn about differences in ways that acknowledge and honor all the people in the groups they represent

• Think of situations you have observed, conversations you have heard, or experiences you have had in your professional experience.

• Where would you plot those examples on the continuum?

Examples along the Continuum

Plot your Examples

Destructiveness

Incapacity

Blindness

Pre-Competence

Competence

Proficiency

Upward Spiral Conversation

Downward Spiral Conversation

On Your Notecard

Answer the following question:

Where would you place your library/OLA/or your work as a professional on the Cultural Proficiency Continuum, and why?

References

This presentation draws upon the following resources, in particular, the power point presentation, Introduction to Cultural Proficiency, listed below.

"dominant culture."  A Dictionary of Sociology. John Scott and Gordon Marshall. Oxford University Press 2009. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press.  Clatsop Community College.  10 April 2009  <http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t88.e634>

Lindsey, Randall B.,Kikanza Nuri Robins, and Raymond D. Terrell. Cultural Proficiency: A Manual for School Leaders. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press, Inc., 2003.

Robins, Kikanza Nuri . Introduction to Cultural Proficiency. 2008. 10 April 2009. 10 May 2006 <http://www.masc.org/images/Intro_to_Cult_Prof%5B1%5D.ppt>.