Intercultural Education and Intercultural Skills.

Overview & Synopsis

A number of terms have been used for the concept of intercultural education, such as transcultural, cross-cultural, global, and multicultural education. A recurrent theme in history and literature, intercultural communication has received scant attention as a subject worthy of teaching in its own right. Among the more notable books on intercultural education is "Intercultural Education in the American School" by William Vickery and Stewart Cole. Their contribution is notable for its position that intercultural education should permeate the whole of the American education system rather than be added to any one subject or sequential grouping of grades. Another is John Walsh's "Intercultural Education in the Community of Man," one of the first full treatments of the subject from a theoretical standpoint. A more recent addition to the literature is "Multicultural Education: A Cross Cultural Training Approach," edited by Margaret Pusch, which contains chapters on concepts and historical development as well as on curriculum and teaching strategies. Among the other contributors to the body of knowledge on intercultural education are articles written by educational professionals on the spread of telecommunication systems and films dealing with intercultural themes. However, to properly orient people toward intercultural education in the future, scholars must decide on the terminology to be used and must work more closely with educators. (HOD)