But that's just good teaching! LANGUAGE DIVERSITY IN THE CLASSROOM Authors: Emilda Josephine Lebanese French University Abstract Understand first language and second language acquisition Relationship between language. One way to do this is to carefully observe how kids and families speak and behave around each other and with people of authority. There exist a variety of reasons for this disconnect between language teaching and culture. While the stereotypical demographic teacher population of the white, middle-class, female will often have to cross more distinct boundaries, other preservice teachers who are more linguistically, culturally, racially, and socioeconomically aligned with the growing diverse student population will have to engage in making the strange familiar, and making the familiar strange.. Examine and critique popular culture as a voice for different cultural groups. English Education, 37(2), 149-164. This may involve learning language, studying culture, and visiting with students and their families. The case for culturally relevant pedagogy. It is instructive to do this at 2-3 different points in a year. Embracing Diversity in Education 10 Ways to make Diversity in the Classroom work. For a better experience, click the icon above to turn off Compatibility Mode, which is only for viewing older websites. Do they agree/disagree with the ways the stories have been told? Linking literacy and popular culture: Finding connections for lifelong learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Developing responsive curricula and teaching strategies is critical, but a holistic approach that includes families and the larger school community promises better outcomes. The world is a huge place; full of people with various cultures and backgrounds. (1995). Develop units and classroom activities that grow out of and speak to childrens interests and cultural backgrounds. (2004). In international business contexts terms such as: 'success', 'doneness', 'meetings', 'punctuality . Urbana, IL: NCTE. 144-160). Observe your students closely, and value your real-life experience of diversity over the textbook version. True Intersectionality refers to the way that various aspects of oppression come together and are unrelated. Digest of education statistics 2001 (No. The selection of books in your classroom should be language and culturally diverse. Yes. Milwaukee, WI: Rethinking Schools. You can also contact usto request more information. Publicly write or read in the moment of teaching reflecting aloud on literacy decisions, questions, and concerns making the work of learning more transparent. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. A wide variety and range of high quality critical educational experiences should be centered in learning environments and educational curricula that affirm childrens language and rich cultural identities. The United States Census Bureau projected that the U.S. would become a majority-minority nation for the first time in 2043. All students need to be taught mainstream power codes/discourses and become critical users of language while also having their home and street codes honored. Understand that some students may experience a silent period. Check the item description for details. A person's age, race, socioeconomic status, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, and nationality all comprise a person's social identity. The Importance of Diversity & Multicultural Awareness in Education. If you use them, provide in parentheses a description of what these are so oth-ers can learn to use the same language you do. Additionally, issues of diversity play a role in how students and teachers view the importance of the classroom and what should happen there. Accomplish the projects above via audio and video tape interviewing; transcribing, studying, and compiling the stories of people from different cultures/places; collecting oral histories; all to be used as classroom resources. The real Ebonics debate: Power, language, and the education of African-American children. Talking that talk: Language, culture, and education in African America. Whose texts arent being read? Learner diversity refers to both the group and individual differences in our students, it exists in every classroom and it can have a powerful effect on learning. Have students write a border crossing essay about a time when they were the other.. Maisha Fisher, From the coffee house to the school house: The promise and potential of spoken word poetry in school contexts.. Children bring their own set of culturally based expectations, skills, talents, abilities, and values with them into the classroom. Language Diversity in the Classroom is an excellent book that should inform and stimulate discussion in teacher education programs. Diversity is a reality in the English language classroom, particularly in the contexts like ours, where the classroom houses teachers and learners both from diverse linguistic, cultural, geographical, economic, and social backgrounds. This reveals that an increase in the number of students from more culturally or linguistically distant countries has no additional negative impact on students' educational outcomes. A range and variety of high quality critical literacy practices will create opportunities for high student engagement and capitalize on their multiple learning styles and diverse identities and personalities. Such disparities in representation of races and ethnicities among educators constitute a longstanding issue in US public schools. The child and the curriculum/The school and society. Raymond J., and Ginsberg, Margery B. Diversity and Motivation : Culturally Responsive Teaching . Towards these ends, we recognize the importance of employing a critical lens when engaging preservice and inservice teachers, a lens that enables these teachers to understand and value a stance toward literacy teaching that also promotes critical consciousness, social justice, and equity. the right or privilege to approach, reach, enter, or make use of something. Your purchase has been completed. Research has shown that teachers are just as likely to have a racial bias as non-teachers. It can also impact how they view themselves and others when engaging in classroom activities. New York: Continuum. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. This volume provides a comprehensive background on research on sociolinguistic and cultural variation in the classroom and the linguistic behavior of speakers of nonstandard dialects and foreign languages. Teaching diversity exposes students to various cultural and social groups, preparing students to become better citizens in their communities. Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice. Ability diversity - Ability diversity refers to varying abilities and disabilities. Increase the shared knowledge base with students, parents, and other local actors; regularly tap into students funds of knowledge. differences based on class, privilege, etc.). Provide preservice teachers with the tools they need to conduct critical, teacher-action research. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. Diversity in the classroom leads to stronger empathy, self-confidence, and feelings of self-worth, and greater collaboration skills. The 2020 Census confirms that assertion, finding that the U.S. population was more racially and ethnically diverse than ten years prior. For all the above, we must bet on stimulating gender equality and equity and to erase those stereotypes that cause prejudices to be present in a very harmful way. The first step in addressing cultural and linguistic diversity is to be aware. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. Fisher, M T. (2004). Diversity is an inherent property of second language education (Liu & Nelson, 2018). The Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning routinely supports members of the Yale community with individual instructional consultations and classroom observations. After this experience, teacher may initiate discussion on being bi-lingual/cultural. Gee, J. P. (1996). How do teachers and teacher educators successfully integrate the funds of knowledge their students bring to the classroom into their pedagogic stance? Although not comprehensivegiven space and time, we could have easily added more ideas and resourcesthis document represents what we consider to be a minimum philosophical outline for supporting learners whose cultures and language fall outside the boundaries of mainstream power codes. Students learning a new language commonly go through a period of several weeks or longer when they are taking in the new language but do not yet speak it. Replicate the experience of non-English-literate families by having class participants read labels from common supermarket items with words blacked out, compelling them to buy supplies for their families without the ability to read words. (2004). The silenced dialogue: Power and pedagogy in educating other peoples children. Effectively educating children who are learning English as their second language is a national challenge with consequences for individuals and society. Taking it to the mic: Pedagogy of June Jordans Poetry for the People and partnership with an urban high school. Equality State of being equal: rights, treatment, quantity, or value equal to all others in a specific group. Ultimately, teacher candidates will need to engage in projects that allow them to study their lives as a way to recognize their limits and to complement the work they will do in crossing personal boundaries. (2005). Disadvantage: A Brief Overview, Chapter 4. Dyson, A. H. (2005). From the coffee house to the schoolhouse: The promise and potential of spoken word poetry in school contexts. Many, J. Diversity is an intrinsic characteristic of human groups, since each person has a special way of thinking, feeling and acting. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. These changes present significant challenges for educators, requiring them to rethink their curricula and teaching strategies. March 2, 2023 // Marc. Handa's Surprise is one of the good multilingual books that can promote English and African language with providing relative cultures, Multiculturalism The culture and environment in which the language is spoken, determine structure of language and its semantic networking. Language Diversity linguistic details of everyday classroom interaction, that is, the actual qualitative and quantitative occurrence and distribution of dialect features in classrooms in which children are dialect speakers. Identifying and thinking through notions of difference and how they affect the classroom allow both students and teachers to see the classroom as an inclusive place. Multicultural and multilingual literacy and language: Contexts and practices. Among the most spoken languages, Chinese Mandarin has more than a billion speakers, English has 760 million, Hindi has 490 million, Spanish has 400 million, and Arabic has 200 million speakers. However, it is not enough to just teach the mainstream power codes; teachers need to foster ongoing and critical examinations with their students of how particular codes came into power, why linguistic apartheid exists, and how even their own dialectical and slang patterns are often appropriated by the dominant culture. Be explicit with students about your own positions as political agents. One way to form strategies for promoting an inclusive classroom is to use self-reflection and think of potential classroom scenarios and how one might address them. Additionally, all suggestions made for teachers and teacher educators, with some adapting, can work in nearly any classroom. (Ed.). . New York: Routledge. Handbook of instructional practices for literacy teacher-educators. Participants and authors in the Supporting Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Learners in English Education thematic strand group of the CEE Summit included: If you wish to send a response to this CEE belief statement, please email elate@ncte.org and specify which statement you are commenting on in the Subject of your email. (1999). Use classroom approaches that empower students socially and academically. Ideology and curriculum. Another great strategy is bringing in diverse speakers to add varying points of view and real-life context to different subjects.There are several ways you can ingrain cultural awareness and diversity into your lesson plan, and it will vary depending on the cultures represented in your classroom and the course you're teaching. Students do not enter school as empty vessels to be filled with knowledge. Perry, T., & Delpit, L. This contrasts starkly with the student-teacher ratio for Hispanics (27 percent of students, 9 percent of teachers), Blacks (15 percent of students, 7 percent of teachers), and Asians (5 percent of students, 2 percent of teachers). It's no secret that, in most American classrooms, students are expected to master standardized American English and the . Boyd, F., Brock, C. H. with Rozendal, M. S. Reflect on Who You Are and Your Experiences With Race In order to create a learning environment that authentically supports racial diversity, educators can start with self-reflection. (2004). 153-179). (2001). When such people with their differences in language, perception, and understanding come together in a classroom setting, we refer to it as diversity. Supporting multilingualism in the classroom can be a valuable pedagogical practice with positive effects on students' academic performance, as well as social and emotional well-being. First, recognize your own expectations about nonverbal communication, and then find ways to learn about those of individuals and other cultures. London, UK: Routledge-Falmer. To form positive self-concepts, children must honor and respect their own families . American Educational Research Journal, 38(1), 97-142. It also teaches students how to use their own strengths and points of view to contribute in a diverse working environment. Language. The percentage of non-white students in US public schools has increased significantly over the last decade, from 48 percent in 2010 to an estimated 54 percent in 2020. Language, culture, and teaching: Critical perspectives for a new century. Ethnicity Students in the class will not have the same values and beliefs. Schoenbach, R., Greenleaf, R., Cziko, C., & Hurvitz, R. (1999). English Education, 37 (2), 115-131. This document seeks to provide an answer, additional resources, and questions in answering that charge. Participate in writing a collective summary/reflection of the chapter here (same google doc). Behaviors and attitudes related to diversity in the classroom Prejudices/biases Opinion formed beforehand: a preformed opinion, usually an unfavorable one . Students may react differently to lessons based on their religion or may not be able to be present on certain religious holidays. There are abundant varieties of all of these languages. New York: Teachers College Press. Expect students to read and critique multiethnic and multicultural childrens and YA literature (e. g.. How might teachers and teacher educators design socially responsive and responsible classrooms in an era of high stakes testing? Allen, J. John Edwards is a Professor of Psychology at St Francis Xavier University. US school districts are required to provide equal educational opportunities to language minority students, but meeting that standard has become more challenging as the number of students classified as an English language learner, or ELL, has grown. Jocson, K.M. Diversity and Language: ESL Students in the University Classroom (Anne Bliss, University of Colorado, Boulder) Recognizing and Addressing Cultural Variations in the Classroom (Carnegie Mellon) Treating Male and Female Students Equitably (Bernice R. Sandler, Women's research and Education Institute) Diversity in the classroom refers to differences in social identities. New York: Guilford Press. Invite course participants to identify their own funds of knowledge and to reflect upon how they can negotiate the curriculum to reflect who they are and what they know. The Instructional Enhancement Fund (IEF) awards grants of up to $500 to support the timely integration of new learning activities into an existing undergraduate or graduate course. The very act of considering culture and language skills when developing curricula and activities makes it more likely that lessons will be inclusive. Disadvantage: The Environmental Case, Chapter 7. programs reflect the ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity of the nation. Harvard Educational Review, 73 (3), 362-389. In addition, teachers can also bring in texts relevant to the lives of students. What does a critical education look like? "Speak in your First Language" (Attentive Listening) Activity (optional) Inspired by bell hooks' book chapter, I have designed a "speak in your first language" activity. Teachers may make flawed assumptions of students capabilities or assume a uniform standard of student performance. EdD vs. PhD in Education: Requirements, Career Outlook, and Salary, Innovative EdD in Education Policy and Leadership Program Launches at the School of Education. Teaching Strategies for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students The first step in addressing cultural and linguistic diversity is to be aware. School systems are beginning to understand the need to better prepare their teachers to understand and to draw upon the linguistic resources that students bring to the classroom. Funds of knowledge for teaching: Using a qualitative approach to connect homes and classrooms. . With these culturally responsive teaching strategies in mind, its important to remind ourselves why diversity and cultural awareness is so crucial in the classroom and the benefits it can have on students now and in the long-term. Snyder, T. D., & Hoffman, C. M. (2002). Foreword by Suresh Canagarajah. Multicultural and Multilingual Literacy and Language: Contexts and Practices. While English is commonly used in American classrooms, for some students, it is not the language they speak at home. Third, planned experiences introduce children to diverse languages. In fact, students come to the university classroom with different backgrounds, sets of experiences, cultural contexts, and world views. In what ways are they successful? Use this list to critique or develop curricula. New York: Bantam. Retrieved September 5, 2005 from http://www.knea.org/news/stories/2003/workteam.pdf. Have preservice and inservice teachers write and revise philosophical statements. Students have different reactions to the classroom environment that are directly related to their levels of both comfort and skills in demonstrating expected school behaviors. McLaren, P. (1997). Our desire is for teachers and teacher educators to continue to expand relevant course materials, activities, methods, and experience in serving diverse students in the 21st century in the pursuit of equity, achievement, and justice. The Persistence of Linguistic Deficit, Chapter 8. Teachers and teacher educators must be willing to cross traditional personal and professional boundaries in pursuit of social justice and equity. Professor Edwards is the editor of the Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development. I recommend it enthusiastically. Developing these tools would require new ways of collecting and analyzing information about students and their families, and then reflecting upon the appropriateness of their curriculum and practices to be more effective educators. Handbook on research on multicultural education (2nd Ed.). Revolutionary multiculturalism: Pedagogies of dissent for the new millennium. Kozol, J. Lisa Delpit, The Silenced Dialogue: Power and pedagogy in educating other peoples children,, Carol Lee, Is October Brown Chinese? V 36, issue 1, pg 12-24. Disadvantage: The Genetic Case, Chapter 5. MacGillivray, L., Rueda, R., & Martinez, A.M., Listening to Inner-City Teachers of English Language Learners. These learners are influence by several factors or sources which are language, gender, culture and socioeconomic status. (2003). The nation's children all deserve an early . Bank, J. These culturally responsive teaching strategies will help you to promote diversity in the classroom. They represent different races, ethnicities, cultures, and socioeconomic backgrounds, and they speak many different languages. Reading Research Quarterly, 37 (3), 328-343. NCTE Process for Adopting Official Guidelines and Short Documents, http://www.knea.org/news/stories/2003/workteam.pdf. Teacher candidates will need to understand and acknowledge racial and socioeconomic inequities that exist and that schools perpetuate. Schools can also play a role in supporting more training designed to mitigate implicit bias. the diverse linguistic needs of learners in the language classroom. T he diversity in our schools represents the evolution over time of various cultures and subcultures that have made America home. Oxford, R. L. (1997). The discussion may lead to a subsequent discussion on what texts students have read during their formal school careers. In 2018, 47 percent of students and 79 percent of teachers in US public schools were white. Language myths. This volume is appropriate for in-service or preservice teachers; it is particularly relevant for training programs in language arts, second or foreign language teaching, and bilingual or multicultural education. These differences can have important show more content The logic of practice. how they influence classroom teaching decisions. Ethnicity relates to a persons culture and nationality. In short, we cant do what weve always done because we dont have the same students we had before (Kansas National Education Association, 2003). In our increasingly diverse and multicultural society, its more important than ever for teachers to incorporate culturally responsive instruction in the classroom -- whether teaching elementary school, middle school or high school students. Go into and document our own as well as different cultural communities. $5.99. Exact definitions of ELL vary, as do delineations between ELL and ESL (English as a second language), but by any measure, the number of students for whom English is not their first and primary language is growing as a percentage of all students enrolled in US public schools.