Background: The society is rapidly changing in a demographic matter. As a result of this nurses are required to be equipped with the right skills and knowledge to approach a more diverse patient group. Hence, the health care is dependent on cultural competent nurses, without them the health care is vulnerable. Previous studies show that nurses are faced with great challenges when it comes to encounters with patients from different cultural backgrounds and that they lack the essential cultural knowledge which effects the quality and standard of care. This means high demands on the nursing curricula to integrate guidelines for cultural competence and educate future nurses in order to make them more prepared for their future profession. Aim: To explore nursing students experiences of practicing cultural competence in care of patients from diverse cultural backgrounds, a qualitative study in Gauteng province, South Africa.  Method: The chosen method was qualitative. Eight individual semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed with inspiration from Burnard’s (1996) four-step content analysis. Findings: The findings showed the main-category: beneficial components in cultural competent care, with three sub-categories: positive attitudes and adapting of care, gaining knowledge from cultural encounters with patients and existing contextual insights of own culture and other cultures. The beneficial components included the positive attitudes of the participants and their ability to adapt the care around cultural challenges. Gaining knowledge from cultural encounters with patients and having existing contextual insights of own culture facilitated the encounters with patients. Findings also showed the main-category: barriers in providing a cultural competent care with three sub-categories: disrupted communication, limited levels of cultural knowledge and lack of trust. Disrupted communication was mostly due to the language barrier, a huge problem as important information was left out and the system of getting interpreters faulted. The limited levels of cultural knowledge were based on limited knowledge about different cultures. Lack of trust originated from patients’ strong cultural belief while disbelieving in the westernized health care which resulted in a non-trusting relationship between health care personnel and patients.  Conclusion: There were several barriers as well as facilitators, though the barriers were more dominating in character. Therefore, more education is needed so nursing students feel empowered and more secure when encountering patients from different cultures. Continuing education is also needed for registered nurses as well as prospective and further research is required in order to obtain the best resources for implementation of cultural competence.

The World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages (ACTFL, 2014) encourage teachers to help their students use the target language to “investigate, explain, and reflect” on the relationships between cultural products, practices, and perspectives. However, while most language instructors agree that language and culture should be connected, many fail to teach culture explicitly because they are so focused on the language components of their courses. Of those who do teach culture explicitly, many either teach only about the cultural products and not the perspectives, or they teach the culture in English because of its complexity. This project explores the use of e-portfolios for explicitly teaching culture in the target language across all three communicative modes. The project was implemented in a 4th semester university Spanish course in the fall of 2013. Students were required to view and interpret culturally authentic materials such as newspapers, proverbs, documentaries, news reports, and videos about pop culture. In addition, students interacted with native speakers both within and outside the United States using technology. Students were also asked to produce business plans, commentaries, community projects, ethnographic interviews, stories, and videos in the target language. The project evaluation revealed that when culture is explicitly taught in the target language, the following changes may occur: a positive attitudinal shift towards the target culture, a desire for learning the language beyond the classroom, an increase in autonomous learning, and an improvement in linguistic skills. Pedagogical implications and principles that might be applicable in foreign language instruction include the fact that technology appears to be one promising way to provide increased access to culture. In addition, scaffolding is found to be important to both students' experiences with culture and their interaction with technology. Also students may find the exploration of current social issues and problems very motivating and engaging. This has the potential to give students increased opportunities to think critically.

Prior research in the field of culture and language education depicts the close relation between language and culture. Furthermore, such research emphasises that in order to understand and to be able to use a language properly, one needs to acknowledge that language is culture. Today English is a global language and a tool for communication in working life, in studies and when travelling. Hence, to be able to communicate in English one needs to know the cultural codes in these specific settings. Moreover, language teaching has many dimensions and according to the curriculum, teachers have an obligation to raise cultural awareness amongst pupils as well as teach fundamental values. The purpose of this paper is therefore to investigate how secondary teachers and pupils view and work with culture and how these views can be connected to the curriculum and to the syllabus of English Lgr.11. Through interviews with secondary pupils we found that their view of culture to an extent connects to the cultural content of the curriculum for Swedish compulsory school, Lgr.11. Through teacher interviews, we additionally found that even if the teachers had a broad view of culture that was connected to the curriculum, they did not always manage to convey their cultural teaching to their pupils.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore professional social workers perceptionson cultural competence. Seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with professionalsocial workers from different municipalities in Sweden. The interviews were analyzed usingthematic analysis and social constructivism as a theoretical framework along with theoreticalconcepts such as; culturally sensitive social work and cultural competence, professional roleand cultural capital.The result of the study shows that professional social workers experience several factors inwhat affects cultural competence. Further the result shows that cultural competence can varydepending on the personal experiences and on cultural belonging. The professional socialworkers experienced a lack of prerequisites in acquiring cultural competence in the practicalsocial work but also in the social education.The professional social workers stated that the cultural competence was something that theindividual needed to acquire on their own initiative - either based on interaction withindividuals of cultural diversity or by their own studies.

[pt] Esta pesquisa teve por objetivo investigar o potencial do ensino de língua estrangeira na promoção de uma educação intercultural. Examina diferentes propostas para uma educação intercultural, considerando tanto o pensamento educacional mais amplo como as propostas originadas da reflexão sobre ensino de língua estrangeira, em particular o trabalho de Kramsch, Byram e Guilherme. Segundo esses autores, a aprendizagem de línguas deveria possibilitar aos alunos o desenvolvimento de uma competência comunicativa intercultural e de uma consciência cultural crítica. A pesquisa de campo adotou uma abordagem qualitativa, escolhendo a entrevista semi-estruturada como sua ferramenta. Foram entrevistados quatorze professores de língua inglesa, atuando nos diferentes contextos educacionais da escola pública e da particular, bem como em cursos de idiomas. Os professores foram selecionados com base em sua formação e experiência no magistério. As entrevistas foram gravadas e transcritas. Posteriormente, foi realizada uma décima quinta entrevista, desta vez através de correio eletrônico, com a coordenadora pedagógica do Centro Interescolar de Línguas de Brasília. Esta entrevista teve o objetivo diferenciado de explorar um caso de sucesso no ensino de idiomas na rede pública. A pesquisa mostrou a preocupação dos professores com o ensino de cultura, com a valorização da língua e cultura materna dos alunos e com a necessidade de desenvolver neles uma reflexão crítica. No entanto, alguns dos aspectos de uma educação intercultural definidos por Guilherme (2003) tais como uma preocupação com uma ação transformativa não foram evidenciados. / [en] This study had the objective of investigating the potential of foreign language teaching in promoting an intercultural education. It examines different proposals for an intercultural education considering both educational thought as well as proposals originating from reflections on foreign language teaching, particularly those put forward by Kramsch, Byram and Guilherme. According to these authors, language learning should make it possible for learners to develop intercultural communicative competence and critical cultural awareness. The empirical research adopted a qualitative approach, selecting the semi-structured interview as its tool. Fourteen interviews were carried out with English language teachers working in the different educational contexts of both state and private schools as well as language institutes. The teachers were selected on the basis of their training and teaching experience. The interviews were recorded and transcribed. At a later stage, a fifteenth interview was carried out through e-mail with the pedagogic coordinator of the Centro Interescolar de Línguas in Brasília. This interview had as its especial objective to explore a successful example of teaching foreign languages in the state school context. The study revealed the teachers concern with the teaching of culture, with valuing the learners mother tongue and culture and with the need to help them develop critical reflection. However, some of the aspects of an intercultural education as defined by Guilherme (2003) such as a concern with transformative action did not become evident.

The Swedish society is becoming more and more multicultural. This means that the classrooms today consist of students from various backgrounds and cultures. According to the Swedish curriculum for primary school, it should be a social and cultural meeting place for children from various backgrounds and cultures, so that they can learn to live together in harmony through their education. Many researchers around the world come to the conclusion that children’s literature can be used to teach topics such as culture and cultural awareness and to create intercultural learning. Despite this agreement, however, children’s literature is not frequently used in the English classroom in grades 4-6 in Sweden. The purpose of this study is to examine how English children’s literature can be used in grades 4-6 to teach the ethical values reflected in the Swedish curriculum, especially those that concern integration. I will look at selection criteria for children’s literature with the purpose to teach some of the ethical values from the Swedish curriculum in the second-language classroom. Two primary sources serve as examples: Anthony Browne, Voices in the park, and Patricia Polacco, Chicken Sunday. Through a final discussion of methods, such as Aidan Chambers’ book talk, I show how these books may indeed be used to integrate teaching of the fundamental values with English as a school subject.

In an era marked by increasing diversity, intercultural learning becomes pivotal for fostering inclusive learning environments. This study focuses on leisure-time centers, which constitute a central part of school activities for students ranging from preschool to third grade in primary school. The research investigates how staff can promote intercultural understanding and respect among students. With an understanding of Sweden's multicultural society and the pivotal role of intercultural pedagogy within the teaching profession, this research aims to enhance comprehension of how intercultural learning is practiced within leisure-time centers and the challenges and opportunities encountered by staff.Exploring methods and practices for intercultural learning within leisure-time programs, the study employs a combination of interviews and surveys with staff members. It seeks to comprehend how cultural diversity can be utilized as a learning resource and how staff members can foster intercultural understanding and respect among students. The findings underscore the importance of cultivating inclusive environments that nurture cultural awareness, empathy, and respect within leisure-time centers. Implications for educators and policymakers are discussed, with an emphasis on integrating intercultural learning into educational frameworks to promote global citizenship and intercultural competence among young students. / I en tid präglad av ökad mångfald blir interkulturellt lärande avgörande för att skapa inkluderande lärmiljöer. Denna studie fokuserar på fritidshemmet, en central del av skolaktiviteterna för elever från förskoleklass upp till åk 3 i lågstadiet. Studien undersöker hur personalen kan främja interkulturell förståelse och respekt bland eleverna.Utifrån en förståelse av det mångkulturella svenska samhället och den centrala rollen av interkulturell pedagogik inom lärarprofessionen, syftar forskningen till att förbättra förståelsen för hur interkulturellt lärande praktiseras inom fritidshemmet och vilka utmaningar och möjligheter personalen står inför.Studien utforskar metoder och praxis för interkulturellt lärande inom fritidshemsprogram. Genom en kombination av intervjuer och enkäter med personal strävar den efter att förstå hur kulturell mångfald kan användas som en resurs för lärande och hur personalen kan främja interkulturell förståelse och respekt bland eleverna.Resultaten belyser vikten av att skapa inkluderande miljöer som främjar kulturell medvetenhet, empati och respekt i fritidshemmet. Implikationer för utbildare och beslutsfattare diskuteras, med tonvikt på att integrera interkulturellt lärande i utbildningsramar för att främja globalt medborgarskap och interkulturell kompetens hos unga elever.

Syftet med studien är att beskriva förskollärares förståelse av interkulturell pedagogik på monokulturella förskolor. Detta utifrån barns rätt till att utveckla förståelse för styrkorna som finns i det mångkulturella samhället som Sverige idag är. Det är en kvalitativ studie som bygger på semistrukturerade intervjuer med åtta förskollärare. Vi har använt fenomenografisk ansats som utgångspunkt för att synliggöra förskollärares beskrivningar, tolkningar och uppfattningar, av arbete med interkulturell pedagogik på monokulturella förskolor. Fenomenografin låg även som grund i analysarbetet där de centrala begreppen utfallsrum, variation, uppfatta och andra ordningens kategori användes som stöd. Resultatet presenteras genom utfallsrummen; förståelse av interkulturell pedagogik och beskrivningar av arbete med interkulturell pedagogik. I resultatet synliggörs en kunskapslucka, där en osäkerhet kring fenomenet interkulturell pedagogik dominerar. Däremot visar det på att förskollärare har en nyfikenhet och vilja att utveckla mer kunskap och förståelse kring fenomenet. Det synliggörs genom en efterfrågan av tydliga riktlinjer, metoder och material samt kollegialt samarbete. Slutsatsen av studien är att en kulturell medvetenhet, nyfikenhet och vilja finns. Dock utgår flertalet från att det behövs en mångkulturell utgångspunkt i barngruppen, för att möjliggöra interkulturell pedagogik på monokulturella förskolor. / The purpose of the study is to describe preschool teachers' understanding ofintercultural pedagogy in monocultural preschools. This is based on children'sright to develop an understanding of the strengths that exist in the multiculturalsociety that Sweden is today. This is a qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews with eight preschool teachers. We have used aphenomenographic approach as a starting point to highlight preschool teachers'descriptions, interpretations and perceptions of working with interculturalpedagogy in monocultural preschools. The phenomenography also formed thebasis of the analysis work, where the central concepts of outcome space,variation, perceive and second-order category were used as support.The results are presented through the outcome spaces; understanding ofintercultural pedagogy and descriptions of work with intercultural pedagogy.The results reveal a knowledge gap, where uncertainty about the phenomenonof intercultural pedagogy dominates. On the other hand, it shows that preschoolteachers are curious and want to develop more knowledge and understandingof the phenomenon. This is made visible through a demand for clearguidelines, methods and materials as well as collegial cooperation. Theconclusion of the study is that there is cultural awareness, curiosity andwillingness. However, most of them assume that there is a need for amulticultural starting point in the group of children, to enable interculturalpedagogy in monocultural preschools.

The purpose of this study was to identify salient factors contributing to the overrepresentation of African Americans in the child welfare system. This study seeks to examine whether or not public child welfare workers are biased in their assessments of African Americans, and if years of experience influence their judgment. By understanding some of the salient factors that contribute to these disproportionate numbers, Child Welfare Services can begin to revamp their programs and services to ensure that they are more culturally sensitive and equitable.

Text in Afrikaans / The research was directed at setting up guidelines for the counsellor dealing with the adolescent in a multicultural environment. The supposition of the study was that the adolescent in a multicultural environment should be treated by the counsellor with cultural empathy, understanding and insight. This process should be free from stereotyping and prejudice. Guidelines were set up using a combination of Gestalt philosophical principles, existing literature and semi-structured interviews with cultural therapy experts. For the purpose of this study Thomas and Rothman's intervention research model was applied. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain information on the adolescent in therapy, which was combined with information found in literature in order to set up guidelines for counsellors. The researcher concludes that the counsellor dealing with the adolescent in a multicultural environment, has to possess sufficient cultural knowledge, cultural efficiency and cultural empathy to achieve a successful theurapeutic outcome. Guidelines for the counsellor who works with adolescents in a multicultural environment were set up successfully to bridge the current lack of knowledge in the field. / Social Work / M. Diac (Play Therapy)