The #RiceBreaker: Facilitating Intercultural Dialogues in the Classroom by Engaging Shared Experiences

Abstract

Research demonstrates that classroom dynamics benefit from a culture of mutuality and respect, especially in seminar courses that thrive on student discussion and classroom participation. But cultivating such a culture can be challenging, especially because students come from various cultural backgrounds and bring different life experiences with them to the classroom space. This article outlines an activity employed during the first meeting of the semester that facilitates intercultural dialogue in the classroom by encouraging students to provide their perspectives on a shared experience. The activity asks students to answer a straightforward question: “how does your family or your culture cook rice?” By using the example of a simple ingredient found across the globe, the activity demonstrates how students can hold different perspectives on the same topic based on their own experiences, and models for the class how to approach conversation throughout the semester when perspectives on a given topic may vary. This activity provides an example of how a classroom icebreaker can be used in a way that facilitates dialogue, promotes participation, and models intellectual respect.