Working With Diverse Audiences Notes

Diversity as a Core Human Element

• Diversity is inherent in the human experience, with each individual differing in numerous ways.

• Diversity encompasses more than just ethnicity, impacting family experiences and life approaches profoundly.

Ethnic Diversity

• Mindel, Habenstein, and Wright (1998) define an ethnic group by shared social and cultural heritage passed down through generations.

• In America, ethnic identity is shaped by race, religion, national origin, or a combination of these factors.

Diversity of Family Experience

• Family experience significantly influences an individual's perception of family and life.

• Factors impacting family experiences include abuse, parental issues (incompetence, mental illness), mobility, conflict, poverty, stress, family size/spacing, extended family proximity, social support, and belief systems.

• No direct formula exists linking early family experiences to adult functioning.

• Werner and Smith's research (1977, 1982, 1992, 2001) demonstrates that stressed children can flourish due to dispositional and environmental resources.

• Diverse experiences combined with individual dispositions and resources lead to varied outcomes.

Multiple Intelligences and Learning Styles

• Silver, Strong, and Perini (2000) emphasize the importance of addressing multiple intelligences and learning styles in education.

• They utilize Howard Gardner’s eight multiple intelligences and Jungian learning styles akin to Myers-Briggs classifications.

The Challenge of Diversity

• Addressing diversity is complex, involving differences in ethnicity, family experience, gender, learning styles, and multiple intelligences.

• No single formula exists for creating educational recommendations due to the myriad of factors involved.

• Learners must take responsibility for their learning.

Sensitizing to Differences

• Familiarity with cultural proclivities is valuable.

• Native American Families:

  • Extended family inclusion.

  • Communal family economy.

  • Lower educational attainment.

  • Reverence for nature and ancestors.

  • Strong interdependence and family loyalty (John, 1998).

• African American Families:

  • Higher likelihood of operating without marriage.

  • Woman-headed households.

  • Consanguineous relationships.

  • Poverty and low-paying employment.

  • Limited education (McAdoo, 1998).

• Hispanic Families:

  • Strong religious beliefs.

  • Emphasis on cooperation, interdependence, and family loyalty.

  • Strong extended family relationships (Mindel et al., 1998).

Limits of Generalizations

• Recognize the limitations of generalizations, considering differences within ethnic groups.

• Examples:

  • Mexican Americans vs. Puerto Ricans vs. Cuban Americans.

  • Cuban Americans: Differences between first-wave immigrants (wealthy, educated) and later immigrants (Suarez, 1998).

  • Native Americans: Diverse tribes with different linguistic and cultural heritages (Hildreth & Sugawara, 1993).

Diversity of Learning Styles Among Ethnic Groups

• African Americans: Movement, humor, emotion, imagery, holistic and oral approaches.

• Asian Americans: High motivation, intuition, self-discipline, concentration, respect/conformity, problem-solving.

• Hispanic/Latino Preferences: Cooperative learning, interdependence, affection, intuition, tradition.

• Native Americans: Cooperation, holistic orientation, harmony, visual/symbolic methods, storytelling.

Dangers of Generalizations

• Generalizations can mask individual variations within a group.

• Variation within groups is often greater than variation between groups.

• Humans tend to generalize based on limited experiences (Heider, 1958).

• History is filled with the consequences of "us-them" thinking.

• Reducing a group to a few descriptors hinders appreciation of diversity.

• Descriptions that lead to prejudice are counterproductive; descriptions that promote humility and appreciation prepare for mutual learning.

Ethnicity and Values

• Each person brings unique experiences and sensitivities.

• Family Life Education (FLE) involves personal and value-laden subjects.

• Be prepared to understand the worldview and logic of those served.

• McDermott (2001) identifies values showing considerable variation:

  • Individual vs. Community as primary unit.

  • Competition vs. Cooperation.

  • Communication standards.

  • Action vs. Reflection orientation.

  • Time orientation.

  • Work ethic.

  • Family structure.

Value Variations

• Individual vs. Community:

  • North American culture values the individual.

  • Many cultures value couples, families, or communities.

• Competition vs. Cooperation:

  • American culture values winning.

  • Many value cooperation and teamwork.

  • Be aware that participants may be sensitive to the well-being of others.

  • Competitive teaching techniques may raise anxiety.

• Communication Standards:

  • Some participants may be reluctant due to limited English.

  • Some may be uncomfortable with self-disclosure.

  • Direct questions may be perceived as harsh.

  • Honor participants’ communication preferences.

• Action vs. Reflection Orientation:

  • Dominant culture values action and efficiency.

  • Some cultures value reflection over action.

  • Consider the audience's action orientation when selecting program content and methods.

• Time Orientation:

  • Some cultures honor the past, history, and ancestors.

  • American ethos focuses on the future, optimism, and foresight.

  • Honor each perspective through stories and examples.

• Work Ethic:

  • Dominant culture values hard work.

  • Avoid assuming hard work guarantees success.

  • Poverty is not a sign of laziness, and success is not always due to hard work.

• Family Structure:

  • Americans value autonomous households.

  • Many cultures value extended family households.

  • Avoid imposing personal meaning on different living configurations.

Processes to Discover and Honor Diversity

• An awareness of values can sensitize educators.

• No single assessment can pigeonhole individuals.

• No single method is effective for a specific group.

Skilled Dialogue

• Barrera and Corso (2003) developed skilled dialogue for early and special education, applicable to FLE (Barrera & Kramer, 2012).

• It challenges the idea that cultural competence primarily comes from cultural knowledge.

• Skilled dialogue includes respect, reciprocity, and responsiveness.

  • Respect: Acknowledge various perspectives as equally valid.

  • Reciprocity: Be ready to learn and teach, receive and give.

  • Responsiveness: Communicate respect and understanding.

• Subject matter expertise can hinder understanding.

• Avoid prescribing solutions before understanding individuals.

Example of Skilled Dialogue

• Betsy visits Karen, a single mother from Puerto Rico, and Karen leaves Betsy alone with her child Maya.

• Instead of insisting Karen participate, use skilled dialogue.

• Respect: Believe people do things for reasons that make sense to them.

• Recognize Karen's reluctance is not indifference but possibly inadequacy or a need for a break.

• Reciprocity: Acknowledge Karen’s valuable experience and perceptions.

• Ask questions to understand: "How would you feel about hanging around while I work with Maya? I would like you to tell me what things I am doing that you think might be helpful to her."

• Responsiveness: Show humility and openness.

• Listen, observe, and ask questions.

• Seek to understand and communicate that understanding.

Anchored Understanding of Diversity

• Skilled dialogue leads to anchored understanding—specific knowledge and appreciation of someone different.

• It comes from personal relationships, not textbooks.

Third Space

• Enter "3rd Space" by integrating the best of both viewpoints.

• Shift from dualistic perceptions and integrate diverse values and beliefs.

• Set aside personal agendas until understanding the other's world.

Group FLE Examples

• Parenting Classes for Parents of Teens in Trouble with the Law:

  • Address reservations about a college professor relating to angry, working parents.

  • Start with a question to energize participants: "Is parenting hard or easy?"

  • Share personal stories and struggles.

  • Respond with empathy and compassion.

• Half-Day Personal Development Workshop on an Indian Reservation:

  • Avoid metaphors that may be misinterpreted (e.g., apple metaphor).

  • Use metaphors representing human connection to the earth.

  • Check assumptions with the target audience.

Programming for Diversity

• Challenges: (1) Create materials that respect diversity; (2) Target materials for homogeneous groups.

• Guidelines (Myers-Walls, 2000):

  • Know Your Audience:

    • FLE audiences vary on dozens of dimensions (age, income, marital/parental status).

    • Understand audiences in their surroundings using an ecological systems perspective (Bronfenbrenner, 1979).

    • Be sensitive to life history and construction of meaning.

    • Recognize multiple and intersecting ways individuals vary.

    • Consider cultural context variations (population-environmental context, views of children, interpersonal relationships).

  • Know Yourself:

    • Identify personal characteristics and sociocultural groups.

    • Identify overlaps and differences with audiences.

    • Evaluate knowledge gaps and work to reduce them.

    • Assess attitudes and values (Myers-Walls, 2000).

    • View diversity as an opportunity, not a problem.

  • Explore Your Limits:

    • Know personal, ethical, and empirical boundaries.

    • Avoid arguing against a group’s cultural values; instead, suggest better techniques consistent with their values.

  • Evaluate Program Material for Diversity (Myers-Walls, 2000):

    • Are the goals and objectives appropriate for all individuals and groups?

    • Is the content applicable to the audience?

    • How inclusive and adaptable is it for heterogeneous/homogeneous groups?

    • Examine source materials for breadth and inclusiveness (e.g., diversity of respondents in research).

  • Be Sensitive:

    • Individualize based on needs rather than a uniform approach (Schorr, 1988, 1997).

    • Offer sessions in small groups or one-on-one time.

Conclusion

• Effectively meeting the needs of diverse audiences requires sensitivity to cultural differences, learning styles, contexts, and values.

• Essential skills: Skilled dialogue, knowing the audience/self, knowing limits, evaluating materials.

• Important characteristics: Empathy, compassion, and flexibility.

Here are some responses based on the provided notes:

• Formulating good discussion questions and directing group discussion: The notes emphasize the importance of understanding your audience and being sensitive to their backgrounds, values, and experiences. When formulating discussion questions, consider the cultural context and potential interpretations. Use open-ended questions that encourage participants to share their perspectives and stories. When directing the discussion, be responsive to participants' communication preferences, and create a safe and respectful environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts.

• Improving the use of personal narratives or stories: The notes highlight the value of sharing personal stories to build connection and demonstrate empathy. When using personal narratives, be mindful of your audience and the potential for misinterpretation. Share stories that are relevant to the topic and that illustrate key concepts. Be open and honest about your own struggles and challenges, but avoid oversharing or focusing solely on your own experiences. Be prepared to respond with empathy and compassion to participants who share their own stories.

• Why family life educators need to be sensitive to differences between individuals and families: Family Life Education (FLE) deals with personal and value-laden subjects. The notes emphasize that each person brings unique experiences and sensitivities. To effectively serve diverse audiences, educators must understand the worldviews and logic of those they serve and be aware of variations in values (e.g., individual vs. community, competition vs. cooperation, communication standards, action vs. reflection orientation, time orientation, work ethic, family structure).

• What is meant by skilled dialogue? Skilled dialogue, as developed by Barrera and Corso (2003), challenges the idea that cultural competence primarily comes from cultural knowledge. It emphasizes respect, reciprocity, and responsiveness. Respect involves acknowledging various perspectives as equally valid. Reciprocity means being ready to learn and teach, receive and give. Responsiveness involves communicating respect and understanding. An important principle facilitating skilled dialogue is setting aside personal agendas until understanding the other's world, fostering humility and openness.