In this special episode of the YRV Thought Partner Podcast, Joyce welcomes Dr. Rethabile Mawela, educator and former president of Africa ELTA, to explore how teachers can challenge stereotypes and foster cross-cultural critical thinking.

Dr. Mawela shares practical classroom strategies to help students question assumptions, embrace different perspectives, and develop greater cultural understanding. Educators will also gain useful insights for developing projects for Youth Research Vox’s 2026 Global Teachers Grant.

Learn more about the grant: https://www.youthresearchvox.org/grants

Africa ELTA members can apply here: https://www.youthresearchvox.org/africaelta

What does it mean to think critically across cultures?

In this episode, host Joyce Coffey speaks with Dr. Ada Muoneke, founder of EduCounts Consulting and an education leader with more than 30 years of experience in the United States and internationally.

Dr. Muoneke shares the one habit she believes can transform how we think and communicate across cultures—and a real-life experience that changed the way she approaches unfamiliar situations.

This episode also provides context for educators participating in Youth Research Vox’s 2026 Global Teachers Grant, which supports English classroom projects that encourage cross-cultural critical thinking.

Learn more and apply at https://www.youthresearchvox.org/grants

In this episode, we introduce the Cross-Cultural Critical Thinking Series and explore why understanding cultural assumptions, questioning our own perspectives, and learning to think across differences may be essential to navigating an increasingly connected yet deeply divided world.

Youth Research Vox is also launching the 2026 YRV Global Teachers Grant, supporting secondary school English teachers who create classroom projects that celebrate local culture, strengthen students’ cultural identities, and encourage cross-cultural critical thinking through English language arts.

Learn more and apply at https://www.youthresearchvox.org/grants