Reader Response draft 2 (Why students need a global awareness and understanding of other cultures)

In Picardo article (2012), he states that it is essential for students to have a strong sense of global awareness and better understanding of other cultures. He believes that by understanding and interacting with other people from another culture, opportunities that were once unknown to us are now open. He claim that students are more likely to haven been overseas by the age of 16 and with the help of the internet, they are able to gather as much information as they can. However, he suggest that students are still require to be “guided through the process of discovery so that a deeper understanding of their own place in the world is developed.” To do that, he tells us about some method his school is using such as “The history trip to Berlin, the French exchange, the cultural visit to Andalucía, pen pal writing schemes and foreign language assistants.” He agrees that due to globalisation, there are new methods to bring the world into the classrooms. Examples are social networks, video conferencing, google maps and many more. He also mention that both Britain and the EU, “through the Comenius and eTwinning programmes, are supportive regarding international partnerships between schools. He find that students from the foreign exchange programme became more knowledgeable and capable in decision making. The students also acquire new life long skills that they can pass on to people. He adds that the foreign exchange benefit the teachers as well due to the collaboration of practices, knowledge and expertise, together with programmes for teacher training and professional development. Hence, this is why he believes that it is beneficial to cultivate global awareness and better understanding of other culture in students.

I personally agree with Picardo that it is important for students to have a "deeper global awareness and understanding of other cultures." I feel that one of the best way for students to cultivate their global awareness and understanding of other culture is through school because students spend most of them time in school as if is their second home. Most school in Singapore provide student exchange program resulting in several benefit ranging from educational, personal and future benefits. In the next few paragraph, I will talk about these benefits as well as my personal experience.

 Educationally, students are able to experience a new culture and maybe even learn a new language. Picado states that “It is estimated that between half and three quarters of the world’s population is bilingual to some degree.” By picking up a new language, one would gain insight into another culture. Hence, being expose to a new way of life due to the many difference such as festivals, family tradition, cuisine, dressing and beliefs. This is a great opportunity for students to see the world from a different angle.

Aside from offering educational opportunities for students, students are able to enrich themselves during the exchange. Being expose into an unknown world, they will face many difficulties in their everyday life which they have never experienced before.  Being away from their family force students to step out of their comfort zone and become independent. This often improve their self-confidence and self-esteem and bring out the best in them. these are the perks of going for an overseas exchange.

Lastly, in the long run, due to our highly globalized world, the student exchange program provide a stepping stone into socializing with other parts of the world. Employers are in favour of people with experience and knowledge of another language and culture. This is further supported by Picardo. He states that "According to the Association of Graduate Recruiters companies cannot find enough applicants with the requisite skills to operate in an international market place, indicating that greater efforts by schools in fostering global awareness and international collaboration are needed to best prepare our students "

In conclusion, I agre that it is important for students to have global awareness and better understanding of other cultures. The student exchange program is one of the many program which can provide students the opportunity for going overseas to study and the benefit of it is a life changing one.


References

Jose Picardo. (2012) Why students need a global awareness and understanding of other culture. Retrieved from: http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2012/sep/25/students-global-awareness-other-cultures