Cultural Competence Checklist
Personal Reflection
| Statement | Never | Somewhat / Sometimes / Occasionally | Mostly / Often / Fairly well | Always / Very well / Strongly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value diversity I view human difference as positive and cause for celebration. |
X | |||
| Know myself I have a clear sense of my own intersecting identities (e.g., ethnic, cultural, racial). |
X | |||
| Share my culture I am aware that in order to learn more about others I need to understand and be prepared to share my own culture. |
X | |||
| Be aware of areas of discomfort I am aware of my discomfort when I encounter differences in race, religion, sexual orientation, language, ability, ethnicity, etc. |
X | |||
| Check my assumptions I am aware of assumptions I hold about people of cultures and backgrounds different from my own. |
X | |||
| Challenge my stereotypes I am aware of my stereotypes as they arise and have developed personal strategies for reducing the harm they cause. |
X | |||
| Reflect on how my culture informs my judgment I am aware of how my cultural perspective influences my judgement about what are ‘appropriate’, ‘normal’, or ‘superior’ behaviors, values, and communication styles. |
X | |||
| Accept ambiguity I accept that in cross cultural situations there can be uncertainty and that uncertainty can make me anxious. It can also mean that I do not respond quickly and take the time needed to get more information. |
X | |||
| Be curious I take any opportunity to put myself in places where I can learn about difference and create relationships. |
X |
| Statement | Never | Somewhat / Sometimes / Occasionally | Mostly / Often / Fairly well | Always / Very well / Strongly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assess the limits of my knowledge I recognize that my knowledge of certain cultural groups is limited and am committed to creating opportunities to learn more. |
X | |||
| Ask questions I really listen to the answers and responses of others before responding or asking another question. |
X | |||
| Acknowledge the importance of difference I know that differences in culture, race, gender identity, ethnicity, ability, etc. are important parts of an individual’s identity(ies) which they value, and so do I. |
X | |||
| Know the historical experiences of marginalized groups I am knowledgeable about events in the United States’ past and present that demonstrate racism and exclusion towards different groups of people. |
X | |||
| Commit to life-long learning I recognize that one never “achieves” cultural competence; rather this is a commitment to learning across a lifetime. |
X | |||
| Know my limitations I continue to develop my capacity for assessing areas where there are gaps in my knowledge. |
X |
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2010). Cultural Competence Checklist: Personal reflection. http://www.asha.org/uploadedFiles/Cultural-Competence-Checklist-Personal-Reflection.pdf.
I understand how culture can affect child-rearing practices such as:
_1_ Discipline_1_ Dressing
_2_ Toileting
_1_ Feeding
_1_ Self-help skills
_2_ Expectations for the future
_2_ Communication
I understand the impact of culture on life activities, such as:
_1_ Education_1_ Family roles
_2_ Religion/faith-based practices
_1_ Gender roles
_2_ Alternative medicine
_3_ Customs or superstitions
_1_ Employment
_2_ Perception of time
_2_ Views of wellness
_1_ Views of disabilities
_1_ The value of Western medical treatment
I understand that families’ cultural norms may influence communication in many ways, including:
_1_ Eye contact_1_ Interpersonal space
_2_ Use of gestures
_3_ Comfort with silence
_1_ Turn-taking
_2_ Topics of conversation
_1_ Asking and responding to questions
_1_ Greetings
_1_ Interruptions
_3_ Use of humor
_1_ Decision-making roles
As someone wired for logic, coding, and mathematics, I rely heavily on syntax, predictable patterns, and clear variables. In the classroom, I naturally look for linear developmental milestones and concrete data. My biggest weakness—poetry—is rooted in my struggle to interpret metaphor and accept ambiguity. Looking at my responses, my discomfort with silence, nuanced humor, and non-linear communication stands out.
A significant gap in my knowledge is expecting families to communicate their needs to me directly and explicitly (like a well-written line of code). If a family uses high-context, indirect communication, or cultural metaphors to express a concern about their child, my assumption that "direct is best" might cause me to completely miss their message. I might perceive a conversational pause as a lack of engagement rather than a culturally appropriate sign of respect, causing me to rush to a "solution" and making the family feel unheard.
- Implement a "Pause Algorithm": During parent-teacher conferences and family check-ins, I will intentionally count to three in my head before responding to any statement. This will force me to create space for silence, allowing families who prefer indirect communication the time they need without me rushing in to "debug" the conversation.
- Code-Switching through Literature: I will incorporate diverse children's poetry and non-linear narrative stories into our classroom reading rotation once a week. Engaging with these texts alongside the children will force me out of my logical comfort zone and help me build my own tolerance for metaphor and cultural ambiguity.