Preparation material

Discussion of the topic

In your preparation material, you are asked to read the texts included and reflect on a discussion about diversity in English-speaking countries.

The discussion in the preparation material explores cultural diversity in English-speaking countries in different contexts. In this context, diversity refers to when a community such as a country includes people of many cultural and racial backgrounds: immigrants, people of different skin colours, religions, or sexual orientation.

Be mindful that cultural diversity can develop in different areas such as arts, sports, local communities, or the job market. In each area, cultural diversity has its benefits and challenges.

In the workplace, regulations and good practices should bring people of different cultural backgrounds together, provided that both employers and employees respect them. But challenges can arise because of different level of English language knowledge between employees. The preparation material also talks about other potential challenges for people who belong to minorities in English speaking countries. They can also be targets of discrimination, sexual harassment, and suffer exploitation.

You can also reflect on the following aspects which are not mentioned in the preparation material:

Supporters of cultural diversity (sometimes referred to as multiculturalism) say that culturally diverse societies are more creative, give people more freedom, and can become more economically developed because they bring together different ideas and influences. One success story of cultural diversity has been the creation of the United States, which at its origins was formed by migrants with different cultural b...