Cross Cultural Component

A cross cultural activity is defined as an activity designed to promote exposure and interchange between exchange visitors and Americans so as to increase their mutual understanding of each other’s society, culture, and institutions.

During each academic year, the J-1 teacher is required to complete at least one cross-cultural activity from each of the following categories:

An activity for the teacher's classroom, larger host school or host school district population, or the community at large designed to give an overview of the history, traditions, heritage, culture, economy, educational system and/or other attributes of his or her home country. Sponsors of exchange teachers placed at international schools must require their exchange teachers to conduct at least one cross-cultural activity per academic year outside the host school in nearby schools or communities where international opportunities may be more limited than those found in their host school.

An activity that involves U.S. student dialogue with schools or students in another country, preferably in the exchange teacher's home school, through virtual exchange or other means, in order to supplement the goals of the in-person exchange

Teachers will be required to submit annual reports describing the cross-cultural activities performed to the J-1 program director. Support staff at each ILTexas school will assist J-1 teachers in fulfilling the cross-cultural component.