MANAGING CONFLICTS AND BUILDING KEY COMPETENCESBarbara Lapornik ERASMUS + PROJECT “INVOLVE ME AND I LEARN” REYKJAVIK MEETING 14-18 SEPT 2015

PART ONE

ONE OF THE PILLARS OF EDUCATION POLICY IN EU:

THE EIGHT KEY COMPETENCES FOR LIFE-LONG LEARNING

( Recommendation of the European Parliament 2006/962/EC – and of the Council of 18th December – Official Journal L394 of 30.12.2006)

fundamental in a knowledge-based society ( Lisbon objective ).

1. Communication in the mother tongue

2. Communication in the foreign languages

3. Mathematical competence and basic competences in science and

technology

4. Digital competence

5. Learning to learn

6. Social and civic competences

7. Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship

8. Cultural awareness and expression.

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Social competence “refers to personal, interpersonal and intercultural competence

and all forms of behavior that equip individuals to participate in an effective and

constructive way in social and working life.

It is linked to personal and social well-being.

An understanding of codes of conduct and customs in the different

environments in which individuals operate is essential.”

Civic competence“ and particularly knowledge of social and political concepts and structures

(democracy, justice, equality, citizenship and civil rights),

equips individuals to engage in active and democratic participation.”

Recommendation of the European Parliament 2006/962/EC –and of the Council of 18th December – Official Journal L394 of 30.12.2006)

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So, INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE

Is about acquiring a cultural awareness and sensitivity

but also making it a permanent mental attitude and

behavioural practice!

This is what one of my students, Anna , wrote in a report:

“As young people we are particularly interested in this theme.

DIVERSITY units us.We think that through a greater sensibilitytowards cultural diversitywe foster our own sensibility towards the equal treatment of all people,first in our own homes and countries, then within the EU as well as the world.

From SMALL to LARGE CULTURE, from LOCAL to GLOBAL one

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Two different models of culture

From: G.Johnson, M.Rinvolucri,

Culture in our Classrooms,Delta Publishing ,2010

Geert Hofstede’s model

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From: G.Johnson, M.Rinvolucri,

Exercise from: Derek Utley,Intercultural Resourse

Pack, CUP, 2013

THOUGHTS:

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Exercise from:Derek Utley

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Exercise from:Derek Utley

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Exercise from:Derek Utley

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Exercise from:Derek Utley

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Exercise

from: G.Johnson,

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Fom:

D.M.Stringer, P.A.Cassiday,

52 Activities for improving

Cross-Cultural

Communication,

Intercultural Press, 2009

Think of all possible

scenarios:

e.g.

A man and a woman are

standingat a darker

street corner. She is

leaning againstthe wall.

He is talking to her,

she is looking

the other way.

etc.

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From: Jane Arnold,Seeds of Confidence,

Hebling, 2009

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From: Jane Arnold,

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PART II: CONFLICTS, CONFLICTS AND MORE CONFLICTS

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1: Conflict resolution techniques

Some basic thoughts (from: Daniel Dana, Conflict resolution, McGrawHill, NY, 2003

Conflict : when it becomes personal, emotionally upsetting, it affects performance, feelings, thoughts, perceptions, actionsEstimated time for conflicts in the working places: up to 42% of the employees’ time

YET conflict is a resolvable, manageable and preventable processBUT it is necessary to reframe our instinct reflexes: the distancing wrong reflex FLIGHT or the coercion wrong reflex FIGHTNO!! INSTEAD: THINK

Feelings: in every conflict parties’ perceptions of their adversary’sintentions are distorted.

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WHAT IS NECESSARY IS AN ATTITUDE CHANGE :- from: ME AGAINST YOU to US AGAINST THE PROBLEM

CENTRAL QUESTION: WHAT IS THERE FOR ME?

BE AWARE OF THE RETAILATORY CIRCLE: TRIGGER leads to: PERCEPTION OF THREAT (cognition) that leads to: ANGER ( EMOTION) that leads to ACTING OUT (BEHAVIOUR) that leads to REPETITION

NEED TO MAKE A DEAL WHICH IS:BALANCED,BEHAVIOURALLY SPECIFIC (who is to do what,when, how, how long),WRITTEN!!

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HOW TO MEDIATE:

SOME BASIC RULES for both the negotiators and self- mediators:

• keep the essential process of mediation• support conciliatory gestures – they must be reciprocal, so an

exchange of conciliatory gestures• patiently wait for the breakthrough ( also called attitude change)• accentuate the positive, ignore the negative• shift from: win-lose or lose - win, or lose-lose, to WIN - WIN

approach and the opportunity to save all the parties’ faces• record it- fix it- write it down• come out with a deal: specific, What is there for me – tested,

written

FOR NEGOTIATORS:

• To hear each person’s side of the conflict• To define specifically the problem to be solved• To give the information about the meeting

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SELF MEDIATORS:

• Find a time and place to talk – neutral place• If denied, ask again• Express appreciation• Express optimism• State the issue• Express the invitation: We cannot not negotiate• plus : points from 1 – 7•

TEAM CONFLICT

• Each member takes turn to propose solutions• Select one third of the total number of ideas• Come out with an ACTION PLAN, which must be confirmed

by all the members

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Three kinds of ISSUES:

1. SUBSTANTIVE: involving objective self - interest2. EMOTIONAL: with underlying psychological needs3. PSEUDO-SUBSTANTIVE: where emotional issues are disguised as

substantive issues( People feel at risk in areas of power, approval, inclusion, justice, identity. These are distortive lens: “ We wage war to acquire, preserve and protect our state of psychological well being.”)

For conflict

resolution techniques

Experts suggest differentstrategies, among which:

• Identifying the reason of

conflict:

personal, cultural,

behavioural, situational

• Becoming more flexible

• Understanding different

views

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• Focusing on common interests

• Using different communication styles

• Sharing solutions

• Lessening problems

• HOW CAN WE PRACTICE THESE?

BY Roleplays!

Enact. Observe, Discuss, Comment

(at home, at school, with friends..)

- What was the problem?

- Why couldn’t they solve it?

-What could have been done better?

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From John Corbett, Intercultural language Activities,

Cambridge, 2010 Reykjavik 2015

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Exercisefrom: Arnold

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Exercise from:Johnson

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From: Johnson,…Exercise from:Johnson

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From: Stringer.

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From Stringer.

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From Stringer.

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From Stringer.

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From Stringer.

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Conflict resolution games:

From: Mary Scannell,The Big Book of Conflict Resolution Games,McGraw Hill. NY, 2010

FROM: Scannel,

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From Scannel,::

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Bibliography:

Jane Arnold,Seeds of Confidence, Hebling, 2009

John Corbett, Intercultural Language Activities,

Cambridge, CUP, 2010

Daniel Dana, Conflict resolution, McGraw Hill, NY, 2003

G.Johnson, M.Rinvolucri, Culture in our Classrooms, Delta

Publishing ,2010

Mary Scannell, The Big Book of Conflict Resolution Games,

McGraw Hill. NY, 2010

D.M.Stringer, P.A.Cassiday, 52 Activities for improving

Cross-Cultural Communication, Intercultural Press, 2009

Derek Utley, Intercultural ResoursePack, CUP, 2013

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Barbara Lapornik

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