5.3 Develop appropriate intervention(s) related to mismatches between cultures as they relate to the puzzling situation

In addition to reading the general suggestions about interventions presented on the CIP Step 5 page, consider the suggestions below if you found mismatches between cultures to be relevant to your puzzlement.

In developing culturally compatible interventions, you need to think about which aspects of culture to try to make culturally compatible and how to do that. Work by Erickson (1993) and by Phelan, Davidson and Yu (1998) suggested that it is especially important to address cultural mismatches that have become "borders" as these may have serious negative consequences for students' educational experiences. Moreover, Reese (2002) offered several useful cautions about identifying aspects of culture for culturally compatible interventions:

First, variability within the group needs to be taken into account in a meaningful way....Second, ways in which culture change is occurring must be taken into account....When a stereotypic view based on generic features of the home-country culture is used as the basis for instructional accommodations in the classroom, results can be less than satisfactory....To be meaningful and effective, instructional adaptations need to be tailored to the children in the classroom and school, not to preconceived ideas abut what membership in a particular social groups means for all members of that group. (pp. 53-54)

Cathie Jordan (1985), who was instrumental in developing the KEEP program, presented a useful discussion of issues related to "translating" cultural information about about a particular community to develop interventions based on cultural compatibility.

If you found the Students' Multiple Worlds approach (Phelan, Davidson & Yu, 1998) useful in understanding your puzzlement, work by Catherine Cooper provided some suggestions for interventions focused on creating "bridges" for adolescents across boundaries or borders to college and careers.

Other work related to interventions related to mismatches is presented at the following links:

• 5.3.1 Interactional Patterns
• 5.3.2 Home Culture & Curriculum
• 5.3.3 Preferred Learning Approaches

Success Stories & CIP studies Related to Mismatches Between Cultures

Reconsider question: 3.3 
Gather more information: 4.3 
Step 6-Monitor Intervention(s) 
Guide for Reading Step 4 and Step 5 Pages