Intercultural Communication Tips

  • Learn to pronounce students’ names correctly.
  • Speak clearly & slowly and allow more think/response time.
  • Practice Active Listening and patience.
  • Avoid asking Yes/No questions
    • Yes might just be a polite term to confirm comprehension, have students rephrase main points.
  • Avoid asking, “Do you understand?”
    • Instead, have the student rephrase the main points or ask something like “What is your next step”, “What do you think”, or “What is your opinion?”.
  • When explaining difficult concepts, use examples & visuals.
  • Be mindful of cultural references or slang. If used, explain them.
  • Be accepting and respectful of different cultural values, and holidays ex. dietary restrictions or fasting.
  • Be aware that some international students have different limitations (ie they can’t work freely in the U.S., their families are far away, etc.).
  • Encourage students to share their experiences and perspectives in class.
  • Be considerate when you ask questions about a student’s experiences and aware of what might be perceived as tokenizing.
  • During a discussion, allow time for students to process and ask questions.  Silence is okay, some students may only speak when there is a pause in the conversation.