Diversity in the South African Context
Assessment 1: Reflective Essay Length: 900 words Description: Write a 900-word reflection paper in which you articulate the importance of being culturally aware when working in a mental health care context. List a minimum of three ways in which a mental health care worker can potentially demonstrate cultural insensitivities through their engagement with the community, and reflect on the implications of these interactions. Describe a scenario in which you did not display a sense of cultural awareness, note the implications of your actions and how you might respond differently given what you have learned since. You will be assessed on the following: Your ability to demonstrate an understanding of the importance of diversity and cultural awareness; Your awareness to reflect on the implications of cultural insensitivities for the mental health care workers; Your ability to identify your own cultural insensitivities and to separate this from that of your professional interactions/work. Reflective Essay Rubric 1 point: Depth of reflection – Demonstrates little or no understanding of the subject. This reflection needs revision. Use of textual and contextual evidence – No examples from the text are used and claims made are unsupported and irrelevant to the subject. Writing style – Uses language that is unsuitable for the audience and purpose, with little or no awareness of sentence structure. APA Academic Conventions – Many obtrusive errors including referencing and citation. 2 points: Depth of reflection Demonstrates a limited understanding of the subject. This reflection needs revision. Use of textual and contextual evidence – Uses incomplete of vaguely developed examples to only partially support claims with no connections to reallife context. Writing style – Uses language that is vague or imprecise for the audience or purpose, with little awareness of sentence structure. APA Academic Conventions – Several errors apparent in references, citation and presentation 3 points: Depth of reflection Demonstrates a basic understanding of the subject. Use of textual and contextual evidence – Uses examples from texts to support most claims with some connections between texts and real-life contexts. Writing style – Uses basic but appropriate language with a basic sense of voice, some awareness of audience and purpose. APA Academic Conventions – Few errors unobtrusive errors in references, citation and presentation. 4 points: Depth of reflection Demonstrates a thoughtful understanding of the subject. Use of textual and contextual evidence – Uses relevant examples from the texts to support claims, making applicable connections between the texts and real-life contexts. Writing style – Uses language that is fluent and original with evident sense of voice, awareness of audience and purpose and the ability to vary sentence structure. APA Academic Conventions – Very well represented and near perfect references, citation etc. 5 points: Depth of reflection Demonstrates and conscious and thorough understanding of the subject. This reflection can be used as an example for other students. Use of textual and contextual evidence – Uses specific and convincing from the texts to support claims, making insightful and applicable connections between the texts and real-life contexts. Writing style – Uses stylistically sophisticated language that is precise and engaging, with notable sense of voice, awareness of audience, purpose, and varied sentence structure APA Academic Conventions – Outstanding error free presentation and technical aspects.
