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Intercultural Education
The aim of intercultural education is to:
- prepare children for life by imparting an understanding of the culture and history of different ethnic groups
- promote a better understanding of world beliefs and cultures
- encourage religious and social tolerance
- work against racism and racial disadvantage.
It can be challenging to take proper account of the intercultural dimension when developing learning resources and activities, but it is necessary to ensure that minority ethnic pupils can access and engage with them.
How is intercultural education relevant to museums?
- Intercultural education is obviously important if you are working in an area where there are large numbers of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds, but it is no less so if your area has relatively few such pupils.
- Nearly all secondary schools and most primary schools have at least some minority ethnic pupils, but in about two-thirds of all schools the proportion of minority ethnic pupils is less than 5%. A current Government priority is to encourage and support these schools in appreciating the significance and value of cultural and ethnic diversity.
- Museums often have culturally diverse objects in their collections, making them well suited to
an exploration of intercultural themes.
How to Take This Forward
- Look at the downloads and websites below for more information and ideas.
- Ensure that learning resources avoid racial stereotypes and, if possible, draw on positive examples from a range of cultures.
Downloads
Documents in a PDF format (Portable Document Format) will need Adobe to open. Adobe opens in a new window.
Museums, Libraries and Archives South East (MLA South East) case study Intta Africa (Word DOC, 496Kb. Powell Cotton Museum).
MLA South East Case Study Alien Nation on Tour (Word DOC, 478Kb. Pallant House Gallery).
MLA South East case study Science and Islam (Word DOC, 156Kb. Museum of the History of Science, Oxford University).
MLA South East How to Work With Your Communities: A Diversity Toolkit (PDF, 2.85Mb) a series of guidance sheets, useful information sources and case studies which are designed to provide practical advice and guidance on working with diverse communities.
Useful Websites
All the links below will open in a new window. Close that new window to return here.
Brighton Museum and Art Gallery for a Diwali Online Resource.A learning resource promoting awareness of this important Hindu festival and reflecting a long-standing partnership between Brighton Museum & Art Gallery and the Hindu Women's Group. Also ACCess Africa a general introduction to Africa and studying cultures other than our own.
Group for Education in Museums (GEM) to download JEM 7, for Multicultural education and the role of the museum, Moira Simpson.
Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) website pages about inclusion.
Department for Children, Schools and Families Standards site for good practice guide Aiming High: Understanding the Needs of Minority Ethnic Pupils in mainly white schools.
English Heritage website for pages about Inclusion and Diversity.
Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) Respect for all: valuing diversity and challenging racism through cross-curricular schemes of work.
Engaging refugees and asylum seekers - a best practice guide for museums and galleries This guide is designed to support museum and gallery staff wishing to reach out to asylum seekers and refugees. (National Museums Liverpool, Tyne and Wear Museums, Salford Museum and Art Gallery and Leicester City Museums Service).