Reflect on own ways of communicating in Vietnamese and English, recognising that intercultural communication involves shared responsibility for meaning-making
Elaborations
comparing appropriate ways of communicating in Vietnamese and non-Vietnamese contexts, for example, using different forms of address such as addressing a teacher by their first name in Vietnamese but by their family name in English (Thầy Tùng/Mr Nguyen), or different ways of showing politeness, and discussing why each way is appropriate in the right context, and how they enhance intercultural communication
reflecting on own language choices and communicative gestures in different cultural contexts, considering how ways of behaving and communicating might be perceived by people from different backgrounds, and making necessary adjustments to establish, maintain and improve relationships with immediate contacts such as family, teacher and peers, for example, addressing extended family members by their order within the family rather than by their name (chú ba, cô hai, bác tư versus ‘Uncle John’, ‘Aunty Lucy’)
discussing reasons for different interpretations of meaning in intercultural exchanges, for example, knowing that to avoid offence Vietnamese people may give an indirect answer to a question or request whereas Australians prefer to say what they really think or mean
exploring the reciprocal nature of intercultural communication, the two-way process of noticing and responding to differences in perceptions, understandings and behaviours, for example, degrees of formality and politeness, and use of personal space and physical contact
identifying moments of embarrassment or communication breakdown in own intercultural interactions, exploring reasons for these and suggesting adjustments to language and/or behaviours that could be made to enhance mutual understanding
discussing elements of successful intercultural communication, for example, flexibility, attitudes to privacy or different levels of directness in discussions, and awareness of differences in cultural values and religious practices (such as filial piety, respect for elderly people and education)
