Resumen de "They have their own way, and you should respect that”: Investigating the outcomes of an elementary world cultures curriculum
This article describes how elementary-aged children engaged in a world cultures unit showed positive development related to intercultural competence as exhibited through connected global education aims. Twenty-five third graders participated in the integrated social studies and literacy curriculum for 11 weeks. Prior to the intervention, students had little knowledge of or experience with other cultures, resulting in distorted, stereotypical conceptions. Subsequent to experiencing the curriculum, many students exhibited positive development in intercultural competence as demonstrated through global education aims, ranging from an understanding of internal culture to nascent open-mindedness and a resistance to stereotyping. The findings demonstrate that young children are capable of engaging with complex ideas surrounding cultures and can achieve aims for intercultural competence—albeit to varying degrees—if engaged in a theoretically based, developmentally appropriate curriculum.
