Äldre invandrares från före detta Jugoslaviens förväntningar i mötet med sjuksköterskor i Sverige : -En kvalitativ intervjustudie

Dagens samhälle blir allt mer mångkulturellt. Det ställer högre krav på både omvårdnaden och sjuksköterskan. Sjuksköterskans eventuella brist på kompetens om kulturskillnader kan skapa kulturkrockar, missförstånd och felaktig omvårdnad. Syftet med studien var att undersöka vilka förväntningar äldre invandrare från förre detta Jugoslavien har i möten med sjuksköterskan i Sverige samt hur sjuksköterskans kompetens kan skiljas från undersköterskor, sjukgymnaster och arbetsterapeuter. Metod: Studien är kvalitativ med en induktiv ansats och baseras på sex intervjuer med äldre invandrare som ursprungligen kom från fd. Jugoslavien. Personlig kontakt togs med informanterna om deltagande i undersökningen genom serbiska/bosniska/kroatiska/makedoniska. Författaren informerade om studien och att de som ville delta kontaktade författaren. Insamlat material analyserades systematiskt med innehållsanalys. Resultat: Det som framkom att de äldre invandrarna förväntade sig i mötet med sjuksköterskan presenteras i följande fem kategorier; Att få bekräftelse för uttalade behov; Empatisk kontakt; Kommunikation och dialog i mötet; Respekt för sina värderingar och syn på hälsa och Trygghet. Slutsatsen: omvårdnad av äldre patienter med en annan kulturell bakgrund kräver båda kulturell kompetens och professionellt förhållningssätt. Sjuksköterskan behöver kunna identifiera patientens vårdbehov och i detta fallet även övergå de språkliga barriärer och nå patienten och förstå deras behov.

Students’ Perspectives on Extensive Literature : Using Literature to Enhance Communicative Competence and Cultural Understanding in the EFL-Classroom

The aim of this thesis is to investigate the use of literature within the Swedish Upper Secondary EFL-classroom from the students’ perspective. How do the students in the study relate to literature and its use to enhance and enable their communicative competence and cultural understanding? Also, how do their answers compare with their teacher’s and the adult perspectives and findings from previous international research? The empirical data obtained from the study has been analysed from the perspectives of sociocultural and motivational theory, and the findings show that the participating students believe literature to be a good didactic tool to apply in the EFL-classroom, both in order to enhance their communicative competence and their cultural understanding. The students prefer to have a sociocultural approach to their literature-learning, with group-discussions of various sizes. The key for the students in this respect is interesting, relevant and engaging subject-matter, as well as a positive and motivational teacher. The responses given by the students correlate with those given by their teacher as well as previous international research. The students regard literature as a way of gaining new perspectives, as well as experiencing language in use. Where they diverge somewhat from the international research is in regard to literature’s use for enhancing their competence to speak in class, and that some students seem to think that communication and cultural understanding are separable. Future studies within this field might include the conducting of a larger and more in-depth survey regarding the students’ ideas about literature, culture and communication. Why do so many of the student respondents neither agree nor disagree with the statement concerning communication and cultural understanding being inseparable? This can be an important issue to investigate in today’s global climate of cross-cultural and intercultural experiences, especially in view of the political climate of diverse attitudes towards refugees, immigrants and emigration

Role of Culture in the Acquisition of CSL – From the Perspective of Intercultural Communication Competence

In the past few decades, the demands for coping with the rapid development of information communication technology, internationalization and globalization worldwide have shifted the focus of Chinese as a second language (CSL) towards intercultural communication competence in which the role of culture in the acquisition of CSL and in the pragmatic use of the language is emphasized and promoted. However, most of the present research in this academic area still remains only on a theoretical level.   In order to explore the possibilities and limitations of integrating Chinese culture and implementing intercultural communication theory into CSL education, an action research has been conducted since the beginning of 2013 to review an actual course for beginners. This paper will present the findings of the research: 1) By applying the theoretical framework of intercultural communicative competence, the findings indicated that the existing CSL course provided limited information explaining the cultural elements that are reflected in the Chinese language. 2) The findings also suggested that the cultural skills acquired in the students’ first language do influence their acquisition of CSL. This is demonstrated in the students’ written tasks such as introducing themselves and presenting other people, etc. The findings can be examples and resources for further research in this academic field.