Teaching International Students: Intercultural Know-how

This course aims to sensitize lecturers to the issues involved when teaching international students. It focuses on the specific context of lecturers in Germany and considers communication challenges both from the perspective of Germans working with internationals as well as through the lens of internationals collaborating with Germans.
Particular focus is given to adapting communication style (from low to high context) in order to give feedback and commands in English without causing offence or embarrassment. Participants will also be offered practice in ‘reading between lines’, a skill necessary when communicating with a number of cultures (such as Britain, China, and Japan) where messages are sent implicitly, rather than explicitly (the opposite to the case in the USA and Scandinavia).
By the end of the course, participants will have a better understanding of the behaviour of international students and will be aware of strategies to smooth the integration of international students into the classroom.

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