WHEN YOU CROSS CULTURES - World Evangelical Alliance

112 WHEN YOU CROSS CULTURES
PRE-FIELD ORIENTATION CURRICULUM
A pre-field orientation programme should include the following for its
curriculum:
1 Cultural Awareness
The candidate must be alerted to the implications of cross-cultural living
and of ministering in a different culture. He needs to be motivated to learn the
culture of the country. He will be given information on the country but further
details are usually covered through on-field aspects of orientation.
Cultural awareness includes learning about CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
and how these affect lifestyle and relationships. The chapters on Cross-Cultural
Stress and the Prevention of Stress cover these aspects. Cultural differences
will affect the worker in areas such as personal privacy, adjustments to efficiency
and concepts of time, money and amenities and environment and health.
CULTURAL LEARNING is possible and cultural identification is
necessary. But the cross-cultural worker needs to learn how to sensitively and
realistically adjust over a period of time.
In ministering to another culture, learning about CONTEXTUALISATION
is essential. Part One of this book covers this important subject, giving practical
suggestions on CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION.
To summarise, cultural awareness includes:
Cultural Differences
Cross-Cultural Stress
Cultural Learning
Contextualisation
Cross-Cultural Communication
2 Language Learning Techniques
Language learning is essential in most cross-cultural situations. Learning
a language can be expedited by proper techniques. The subject of language
aptitude was discussed in chapter 13. Should a candidate be proceeding to a
field with a difficult language, it is advisable for the candidate to sit for a language
aptitude test.
Some fields have followed the LAMP (Language Acquisition Made
Practical) method of learning described in chapter 13. There are also effective
traditional methods of classroom learning.