You + Me = Us
Key Element: Cultural Understanding
Year 10
Cultural Understanding as a Key Element within the curriculum aims to equip pupils with the knowledge, understanding, values and skills they will need in order to make informed and responsible decisions as contributors to both local and global culture.
Pupils should have the opportunity to develop an awareness of, and sensitivity towards, the values, beliefs, customs and traditions of other peoples. Cultural Understanding within the curriculum gives them opportunities to recognise the richness and diversity of cultural influences in contemporary society. This will, in turn, allow them to examine their own values and attitudes and to appreciate the similarities and diversity between peoples everywhere.
Why is cultural understanding important within the curriculum?
Global issues are inherent in pupils’ lives in a way that they never were for previous generations. Our everyday experiences now include the wider world, thanks to new media such as the Internet and interactive television, modern communications and also enhanced opportunities for travel and trade. As a result of globalisation, our society is much more fluid, meaning that, at a local and global level, our communities are being enhanced by peoples, cultures, languages, religions, art, technologies, music and literature originating from many diverse parts of the world. This provides a wonderful range of positive opportunities to broaden pupils’ horizons and understanding.
Likewise, economies around the world are more than ever interdependent on both trade with, and investment from, other countries. The importance of education in helping young people recognise their roles and responsibilities as members of this global community is becoming increasingly apparent. Linguistic and cultural abilities are at the forefront of an ever-shrinking and rapidly changing world, with its flexible economy and complex nature. Just as no single superpower can dominate without censure from others, citizens must now begin to see their responsibilities and must learn to move comfortably from one cultural environment to the next. Therefore pupils must gain skills which go beyond a purely receptive understanding of culture. In a world which is constantly changing and in which, one might argue, culture never remains static, pupils should have the opportunity to master skills in culturally appropriate communication and behaviour for the intended culture. They should be given opportunities to experience different cultures first-hand and meet representatives of other cultures.