Intercultural Education and Multilingualism in the Kita

Sensitive and prejudice-aware

Intercultural competence includes cultural sensitivity (sensitivity to cultural differences and cultural influences) and engaging with prejudice (everyone has prejudices – what matters is to become aware of them and work on them).

Cultural sensitivity

Cultural sensitivity is sensitivity and attentiveness to cultural differences and cultural influences – the awareness that people are shaped by culture (including oneself, Module 2) and that cultural influences affect experience, behaviour, values and habits. Being culturally sensitive means being sensitive and attentive to such cultural differences and influences, taking them into account and dealing with them respectfully – without judging, condemning or stereotyping too quickly. Cultural sensitivity helps you to understand better the behaviour, values and habits of people from other cultures (aware of their cultural influences), to meet them respectfully and without judgement, and to avoid or clarify misunderstandings that can arise from cultural differences. Balance matters here: be culturally sensitive to cultural differences and influences, but at the same time see the individual child and the individual family (do not reduce them to "their culture" or stereotype them, Module 8). Cultural sensitivity is thus an important ability within intercultural competence – the attentive, respectful, non-judgemental consideration of cultural differences and influences.

Figure (Module 4): What cultural sensitivity involves. Source: own illustration (AI-assisted).

Dealing with prejudice

An important and often uncomfortable aspect is dealing with prejudice. A fundamental point: Every person has prejudices – including oneself. Prejudices (preconceived, often sweeping, judgemental opinions about groups of people) are human and widespread; nobody is completely free of them. Having prejudices is therefore not a sign of being "bad" – but it is important to become aware of them and to deal with them. The harmful way of dealing with them would be to deny your own prejudices, or to let them operate unreflected and shape your own behaviour and your encounters with people (which can lead to devaluation, exclusion and discrimination). The good, prejudice-aware way is to become aware of your own prejudices, reflect on them and work on them – to recognise their effect and consciously counteract them, so that they do not (unconsciously) shape your encounters with people and your work. This prejudice-aware stance (see also the separate course on anti-bias education) is important for intercultural competence and for appreciative engagement with diversity. It requires honest self-reflection (Which prejudices do I have? How do they affect me?) and conscious work on them (counteracting them, opening up to other perspectives, seeing people as individuals).

Figure (Module 4): Two ways of dealing with prejudice. Source: own illustration (AI-assisted).

Going deeper: Prejudice awareness and reducing discrimination

Engaging with prejudice is important for reducing discrimination and exclusion – and therefore for the wellbeing and participation of all children. Prejudices are often at the root of discrimination and exclusion: when people are guided (unconsciously or consciously) by prejudices against certain groups (by origin, culture, language, skin colour, religion and so on), this can lead to the devaluation, disadvantage, exclusion and discrimination of those people. Children, too, can be affected by discrimination and exclusion (through the prejudices of adults or other children), and children can already develop or adopt prejudices themselves. The prejudice-aware stance and anti-bias education (vorurteilsbewusste Bildung; see the separate course on anti-bias education) start here: they aim to counteract prejudice, discrimination and exclusion and to promote an appreciative, fair, non-discriminatory approach to diversity. This works on several levels. On the level of practitioners: reflect on and work on your own prejudices (so that they do not shape your work and your encounters with the children and families), cultivate a conscious, appreciative, non-discriminatory approach to all children and families, and work for fairness and against disadvantage. On the level of the children: sensitise the children to diversity and encourage an appreciative, prejudice-aware approach to difference (Module 11, see also the separate course on inclusion), take up and work on prejudice and exclusion among the children, and protect all children from discrimination and exclusion. If a child is discriminated against (by other children, parents or staff), act at once: protect the child, inform the management and use the Kita's complaints procedure; if there are substantial indications that the child's wellbeing is at risk, the child protection procedure under Section 8a of Book VIII of the German Social Code (SGB VIII) applies. On the level of the setting: create an appreciative, non-discriminatory, fair culture in which all children and families are welcome and valued. Reducing prejudice and discrimination is thus an important concern of intercultural (and inclusive, anti-bias) education – it serves the wellbeing, participation, belonging and fairness for all children. A child who is affected by prejudice, discrimination or exclusion (because of their origin, culture, language, skin colour and so on) often suffers from it, and their participation, self-worth and sense of belonging can be impaired. The prejudice-aware stance and education, which counteract prejudice and discrimination and promote an appreciative, fair, non-discriminatory approach to diversity, therefore protect and strengthen children and make equal participation, appreciation and belonging possible for them. They are thus an important, fundamental part of intercultural and inclusive education and a contribution to a fair, appreciative, non-discriminatory community in which all children are welcome and experience equal participation and appreciation – regardless of origin, culture, language and other characteristics.

Figure (Module 4): Reducing prejudice and discrimination on three levels. Source: own illustration (AI-assisted).