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Understanding Differences in Culture and Language
 An interview with Isaura Barrera, Ph.D., author of Skilled Dialogue: Strategies for Responding to Cultural Diversity in Early Childhood. From the May 2003 Early Childhood newsletter.Isaura Barrera, who has been working in early childhood special education for more than 25 years, has developed a model for interacting with others that helps practitioners better approach the challenges posed by cultural diversity and improve their relationships with families. The model is called Skilled Dialogue, and after providing training on Skilled Dialogue for more than a decade, Dr. Barrera has just published her book, "Skilled Dialogue: Strategies for Responding to Cultural Diversity in Early Childhood." We were able to speak with her about how Skilled Dialogue has helped her and the people with whom she works. Before we go on, two skills that Dr. Barrera discusses in her Q&A that are essential to using Skilled Dialogue are Anchored Understanding, the understanding of differences that is both experiential (stemming from personal interactions and hands-on experiences) and cognitive (others behaviors make as much sense as one's own) and 3rd Space (creatively reframing contradictions into paradoxes, to adopt a mindset that integrates the complimentary aspects of diverse values, behaviors, and beliefs into a new whole). These are the first two skills you'll need to understand when learning the strategies. Now, for the interview. Q: Skilled Dialogue seems to be not only a way of responding to cultural diversity in early childhood, but also a general way of dealing with differences or problems. Do you find yourself using this in your everyday life? Does it become automatic? A: Yes, I do find myself using Skilled Dialogue in many aspects of my life. Differences between people, whatever their source, arise for many of the same reasons, whether within or across cultural frameworks. There is a saying in Spanish, "Cada cabeza un mundo." The meaning, loosely translated, is that each mind is a world unto itself. In this sense, all interpersonal differences are culturally based, though they may not stem from culture as we typically think of it. As to the second half of your question, I'm not sure that the process of Skilled Dialogue ever becomes truly automatic. While applying the two skills of Anchored Understanding and 3rd Space does become somewhat easier with practice, every situation presents unique challenges, and it is risky to assume otherwise. For that reason, the particular strategies used in one situation may not be the ones that will be the most productive in another. In addition, 3rd Space options cannot be preplanned. They must emerge from authentic and collaborative interactions as they happen between those involved. Feedback from practitioners I have worked with indicates that the 3rd Space strategies, especially the strategy of withholding judgment and "staying with the tension" of dissonant perspectives, tend to not come as easily as those associated with Anchored Understanding. When these skills are achieved, though, the results can be amazing. My next project is to capture what the whole process of Skilled Dialogue looks like on videotape. Q: Creating 3rd Space is a great way to put the conflict out there without disrespecting others' beliefs or ways of life. After working with parents and practitioners in this way for a period of time, do you see them begin to mirror your ways? A: I have found that as I say things like, "There's always a third choice," and "Maybe there's a way that we can find the strengths of both our perspectives," I begin to hear this said back to me. People with whom I've worked report using 3rd Space with their children and their spouses. In fact, new learners of Skilled Dialogue often report using 3rd Space strategies at home before using them in their work. Practitioners in my classes who are parents report that their children also pick up on this idea, saying things like, "Mom, I know you always want to have a babysitter when I'm sick and have to stay home, but I don't want that. Is there a third choice?" While I have not worked extensively with parents outside of my classes, I think this would be a great area of research. Another area of research is teaching children how to understand and use Skilled Dialogue, especially the mindset of 3rd Space. My co-author Rob Corso is especially interested in this area. I would invite anyone out there who's interested in either area to contact me, directly or through our new website, http://www.skilleddialogue.com. Q: There must be a story behind the development of Skilled Dialogue. Can you share that with us? A: Do you want the short version or the long version? In one sense, the story behind my development of Skilled Dialogue starts in my childhood-that's the long version. Of course, I didn't have a name for it then. I grew up in what I now recognize as a geographic 3rd Space-the Texas-Mexico border. The tension between certain aspects of the cultures on each side of that border was often evident to me. The more immediate and formal development of Skilled Dialogue stemmed from two sources of intercultural tension that I encountered in my first years in New Mexico. The first source was my collaboration and friendship with a Canadian friend and colleague, Dianne Macpherson, who wrote the appendix on trauma for the book. Dianne and I encountered numerous unexpected cultural bumps. I wasn't like the "typical American" she was familiar with, and she wasn't like the "typical American" I was familiar with. The contrasts of our birth cultures (Mexican and Canadian) kept coming up, reflected in our diverse expectations, ways of interacting, and even our language. Though we both spoke English, we kept misunderstanding each other. Yet, we were both determined not to change! At the same time, I was experiencing unexpected intercultural tension in my university teaching. I had learned and used several approaches to teaching about culture and cultural competency before coming to the University of New Mexico. However, I was finding them less than successful in New Mexico's unique cultural contexts. To say that I received a mixed reaction is to put it mildly! What quickly became evident was that these approaches were closing minds, not opening them, and silencing perspectives rather than giving them voice. My search for an alternative approach really began then and has covered the past 13 years. I began researching existing literature, and I initiated pilot research into the behaviors exhibited by practitioners recognized for their ability to craft respectful and effective interactions across cultural parameters. Dr. Lucinda Kramer, currently at National University in California, was a valued partner in this research. The Skilled Dialogue model was finalized approximately 5 years ago after being field tested both with my students and with practitioners in Texas and California. Additional changes were made and specific teaching strategies and rubrics were developed during this time. These strategies and rubrics are the focus of my ongoing research. There are, of course, many more memories from the past 13 years than I could share in response to your question. Some are painful, others funny; many are rewarding, and a few are regretful. I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to all the colleagues and students who shared their time, opinions, and stories with me as I struggled to find a way in which, first of all, I myself could become more respectful, reciprocal, and responsive in my interactions with them.
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