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Lesson ideas

Cultural Mapping

Students become more aware of the cultural diversity in Australian society. Students become more familiar with some key terms used in discussing multiculturalism. Students explore their own cultural backgrounds as a way to develop a deeper understanding of their own cultural identity.Students build their sense of cultural self-esteem relate this to their classroom, their community and Australian society .

Many young people in Australia struggle with the issue of cultural identity. In particular, young people from language backgrounds other than English face challenges in the process of forming their cultural identity. They are growing up in at least two cultures which often make different demands. This can present real conflicts in their lives. Given the pressure on young people to conform to their peer group culture, especially during their adolescence, their sense of being different can present problems - do they follow their peers or their parents wishes? As well, the idea of what is Australian culture, and who is Australian, can present interesting challenges given the different views present in the wider community.
This activity was a vital part of the workshops for the very successful Anti Racism Radio Show, a CD produced by South Sydney Youth Services and Cleveland St High School (NSW) in 2000.

Handout 1 Q and A
Handout 2 Culture language and identity
Teacher's notes Cultural mapping
Large sheets of butcher's paper, markers Blutak or adhesive tape

1 Culture and Multiculturalism

Download student copies of Handouts 1 and 2 or link to The importance of culture, language and identity
Read together and discuss some of the following questions:
What do you understand by the word culture?
How do you perceive culture in Australia?
How is language related to culture?
What is multiculturalism?
What was the original culture in Australia?
What has happened to people from that culture?
What are some cultural issues in Australia today?
How would you describe Australian culture?

2 Making your Cultural Map

• In pairs, a listening speaking activity - students ask each other these questions:
  What is your cultural background?
  Do you have more than one culture/language in your background?
  What is it/are they?
  What are some things about your culture that you are proud of?
  What are some things people say about your culture, that you don't want to hear again?
  Listeners can make notes and then give them to their partner or they can re-tell the answers they heard.
• (See Teacher's notes Cultural mapping)
  a) One student now lies down on the large sheet of butcher's paper and the other draws the outline of their body. Repeat for the second person.
  b) The student, whose outline it is, then divides their body outline into 3 parts (see diagram)
  In the top part, the student writes the names of the cultural backgrounds that they or their parents come from. (If students say they are Australian, ask them to write where their ancestors came from)
  In the middle part, the student writes the things about their culture that they are particularly proud of.
  In the bottom part, the student writes the things they never want to hear said about their culture again.
• Once each student has drawn up the cultural maps they can discuss them in their pairs and then hang them up around the room. Students then wander around, as if they are at an art gallery or a museum. Finally, get each student to talk about their cultural map to the group.

3 Conclusion

Class discussion around questions like:
What are the main cultural groups in this class?
How does this relate to the wider Australian society?
How does the class reflect the information given in Handout 1 on cultural diversity?
How do people feel about their cultural map?
What was it like to be able to say both what you are proud of and what you found difficult to hear about your cultural background?
What effect, if any, does the activity have on your sense of cultural identity?
Does this kind of activity counter racism? If yes, explain how you believe it counters racism?
Has this activity changed your understanding of what is Australian culture? If yes, explain how it is changed.

1) Write a short piece about your cultural background, describing your cultural map in words and then adding your feelings about the different parts of the process cultural mapping. Finally, describe the way that the activity may have influenced your understanding of what it means to be Australian. (Use the above questions to help stimulate your writing)
2) Take your cultural map home and discuss it with your family, then bring their feedback back to the class.
3) Make a poster with images from your cultural background, including images that make you feel proud about your culture
4) Write a short story about someone from your cultural background newly arriving in Australia for the first time. Think about how they would feel, what would they do, what sort of things they would understand because they are similar to their culture, and what sort of things they would find quite confusing. Think about whether they come alone or with family or friends, why they decided to come, whether they want to stay or go back, what sort of difficulties they may have and how they manage to overcome them.
5) Make up a short play about 3 people from different cultural backgrounds, where they cannot understand each other's language. Imagine a situation where they have to do something together - remember the story of the 'Tower of Babel'- or base it on a situation like after a plane crash on a desert island.

Issues in Society Series , 2000 (Spinney Press, Balmain) Ed. J. Healey Vol 126
Multiculturalism Vol 104 The Racism Debate Pagone, P & Rizzo, L.P. 1990
The First Multicultural Resource Book ( INT Press, Melbourne) McConnochie, K. et al, 1989 ,
Race and Racism in Australia (Social Science Press, Wentworth Falls)
Racism in Australia, 24 mins, a video produced by Imagelink for VEA, Aust (1996)

Fact Sheets Department of Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs
Human Rights & Equal Opportunity Commission