Understanding Cultures and Languages

1. Step Two: Create plans suited to the needs of the student.

1.1. Who: The students who are in need of assistance, and the teacher.

1.2. What: Differentiated plans that might best suit the student’s personality, based on observation and interaction.

1.3. Where: Classroom, school yard, or homework.

1.4. When: When the teacher has collected enough information on the student to make informed decisions.

1.5. Why: To best help the student by targeting their strengths, weaknesses, and needs.

1.6. How: Using a multitude of activities to engage the student in as many ways as possible. Using visuals, audial, and kinesthetic stimulation.

2. Step One: Observe and identify specific challenges that students face

2.1. Who: Students who might have difficulties with cultural adaptation and their peers.

2.2. What: Understand difficulties that the student faces, both academically and socially.

2.3. Where: In the classroom, cafeteria, or social areas. Where possible, consult parents.

2.4. When: As soon as students are introduced to the setting.

2.5. Why: To best help the student by targeting their strengths, weaknesses, and needs.

2.6. How: Interact with the student and learn as much as possible, observe how their peers treat them and how they interact with their peers, see how they react to certain exercises and activities in the classroom.

3. Step Three: create assignments that build teamwork

3.1. Who: The student, their peers, and the teacher

3.1.1. Dependencies

3.1.2. Milestones

3.2. What: Assignments that require students to work in teams to find solutions. These assignments should focus on academic achievement, but the achievement should be the result of successful cooperation of the student team.

3.2.1. Schedule

3.2.2. Budget

3.3. Where: School or home setting.

3.3.1. KPI's

3.4. When: As a first step to better integrating the student.

3.5. Why: By working with a single partner, students won’t feel as much pressure to fit in with too many people at once. It will also better ensure work is shared, as opposed to a team member taking control and letting others do little.

3.6. How: Pair new students with a student who will be suited to help them through the process.

4. Step Four: Plan activities that encourage social interaction amongst classmates

4.1. Who: The student, the class, the teacher.

4.2. What: Games that involve group-thinking, and games that involve light competition.

4.3. Where: The classroom or school grounds.

4.4. When: Once the student has started to feel comfortable with one or more of his peers, and the teacher.

4.5. Why: To get the student bonding with the class as a whole; to foster an enjoyable environment where the students are more likely to feel less formal and more social around each other. To give the student a chance to showcase their talents and abilities to the class community.

4.6. How: Games that involve team problem-solving and team competition.

5. Step Five: Have students share their biographies

5.1. Who: The students and their classmates

5.2. What: An activity that allows the student to reflect, but also allows them to share information with their peers.

5.3. Where: The classroom.

5.4. When: Once the students have had a chance to bond, and the new student feels more comfortable around his peers.

5.5. Why: If this step is done later rather than sooner, it will ensure that the new student is more at ease with his peers, and is more willing to share information. This will also provoke more support and interest from his peers.

5.6. How: Facilitate as many classroom bonding activities and dynamics as possible. Create an atmosphere where new students feel as though they are already part of a new group and new culture, and that they are accepted and liked.