Some organizations treat multicultural communications as an afterthought, while many more see it as an essential component of all their efforts. For example, a bilingual product guide may provide less information in the secondary language. A candidate for public office may publish a Latino voter’s guide several weeks after the English one. Public school systems, on the other hand, are proactive in identifying the various languages students and their families speak. Schools make all communications multilingual and provide special teaching materials for students who may not be proficient in the dominant language. Organizations and governments in the United States are adapting holiday schedules, and adding flexibility to leave policies and work hours to accommodate cultural and religious holidays other than the traditional Christian ones celebrated for many years. This Discussion focuses on the actions and choices the subject organizations made.
To prepare:
From your Weekly News Review, select a situation or product that required multicultural communications.
Discuss:
In a Discussion post, write a response to the following questions:
To prepare:
From your Weekly News Review, select a situation or product that required multicultural communications.
Discuss:
In a Discussion post, write a response to the following questions:
- What special considerations do you believe the organization had to take into account in this situation?
- How would you make sure to avoid stereotyping or personal prejudices in this or a similar situation?
- What would you change if you had to deal with this situation or product in a culture different from your own? Be as specific as possible.
