Talking about cultural difference is an important part of intercultural education. At the same time, the topic of cultural difference must be treated with care in order to avoid reinforcing stereotypes or overgeneralizing. This workshop will explore different approaches to talking about cultural difference in educational contexts. It will introduce a theoretical framework—Being, Seeing & Doing—to help educators choose the best approach to doing so. This framework is based on the Developmental Model of Linguaculture Learning (DMLL). The DMLL is based on dynamic skill theory and describes 4 levels of intercultural understanding.

The workshop will begin with an overview of challenges facing educators in discussing cultural difference, such as stereotyping or overgeneralizing. Common approaches to describing cultural difference will be examined, such as Hofstede’s dimensions of culture, Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner’s cultural onion, and the World Values Survey. Advantages and disadvantages of these approaches will be discussed. It will be argued that care must be taken in how cultural difference is presented to learners.

Following this, the Being, Doing and Seeing framework will be introduced. There will be a brief explanation of its theoretical background and the Developmental Model of Linguaculture Learning. The Being Doing and Seeing framework distinguishes between three approaches to discussing cultural difference: essentialist (culture as being—identity and essential qualities); behaviorist (culture as doing—shared behaviors or values); seeing (culture as a way of perceiving—how we make sense of things). It will be argued that educators need to understand the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Participants will have the opportunity to discuss their approach to talking about cultural difference and to experience activities designed with the Being, Doing and Seeing framework. The workshop will be participatory and there will be discussion of how this framework can be applied in different education and training contexts.