Make assignments that help them track their own development. We intend this document to provide teachers and teacher educators with a philosophical and practical base for developing literacy classrooms that meet the needs of linguistically and culturally diverse learners. Allen, J. Free shipping. American Universitys Online EdD in Education Policy and Leadership prepares educators to shape education policy and create more inclusive learning environments. Among ELL students in the US, Spanish is the most common language spoken at home (75 percent), followed by Arabic (3 percent). In 2044, the U.S. Census predicts that over half of the nations population will be people of color, so this trend will likely continue. Teachers and teacher educators must be willing to cross traditional, personal and professional boundaries in pursuit of social justice and equity. Westport, CT: Bergin & Garvey. 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. Surface-level diversity refers to differences you can generally observe in others, like ethnicity, race, gender, age, culture, language, disability, etc. It also teaches students how to use their own strengths and points of view to contribute in a diverse working environment. This module will not offer a comprehensive definition of the term, instead, this module will highlight two key areas related to diversity: Identify how diversity affects the classroom Provide practical tips for promoting an inclusive classroom New York: Teachers College Press. Rodriguez, R. (1982). Have students investigate their cultural privilege as well as ways they have been marginalized. (R. Nice, Trans). In A. Horning & R. A. Sudol (Eds. Reading Research Quarterly, 37 (3), 328-343. Language diversity, or linguistic diversity, is a broad term used to describe the differences between different languages and the ways that people communicate with each other. Ruth Schoenbach, Cynthia Greenleaf, Christine Cziko, and Lori Hurwitz. refers to different cultures that one can encounter in the classroom and how it effects learning. View. William Labov and Anne Charity Hudley explored differences in language and achievement associated with language dialect (or vernacular). Develop locally and historically situated blueprints for the realization of these dreams. First, the environments are rich in language opportunities. As teachers and teacher educators, we understand the increasing cultural and linguistic diversity of our society and that we enter our classrooms with our own social identities and cultural biases. Diversity is an inherent property of second language education (Liu & Nelson, 2018). ), Understanding literacy. In short, we cant do what weve always done because we dont have the same students we had before (Kansas National Education Association, 2003). Smitherman, G. (1999). It's no secret that, in most American classrooms, students are expected to master standardized American English and the . A blueprint for creating schools that work. He has lectured and presented papers on this topic in some thirty countries. Choose texts that reflect the cultural and ethnic diversity of the nation. (1995). Does this matter? English Education, 37 (2), 115-131. Rebecca Oxford, Personality type in the foreign or second language classroom: Theoretical and empirical perspectives. In Horning and Sudol. Hooks, B. This has now changed: "Language and Diversity in the classroom" is my new favourite, and I am delighted to recommend it most highly. Modern approaches to accommodating diversity in the classroom are shifting from teaching to the average student to more inclusive methods that afford equitable learning opportunities for all students. Wolfram, W. & Schilling-Estes, N. (2005). Have learners read autobiographies of children their age and then write their own stories. 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) Increase the shared knowledge base with students, parents, and other local actors; regularly tap into students funds of knowledge. Learn more about students lives outside of the classroom, and let that information inform lessons. Do they agree/disagree with the ways the stories have been told? Reading lives: Working-class children and literacy learning. Initiate a classroom conversation on a controversial topic with the one caveat being that participants use only one-syllable words. Understand that some students may experience a silent period. LANGUAGE DIVERSITY IN THE CLASSROOM Authors: Emilda Josephine Lebanese French University Abstract Understand first language and second language acquisition Relationship between language. Consequently, such investigation would mean using or creating new lenses to interrogate the impact of ones own teaching and planning. 10. Our identities are intersectional and overlapping, and many aspects of our identities change over time. Challenging students to consider different perspectives can also teach them how to interact with their peers on a social level, and equip them with skills they'll use for the rest of their life. 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. Making an effort to accommodate different communication preferences, cognitive styles, and aptitudes results in lessons with a greater chance of reaching all students. Teaching is a political act, and in our preparation of future teachers and citizens, teachers and teacher educators need to be advocates for and models of social justice and equity. Keywords. London, UK: Routledge-Falmer. Modeling effective teaching practices involves building on and consciously referring to the knowledge base of said practices. Mahiri, J. In cities, the average is close to 15 percent. The nation's children all deserve an early . The degree program provides future teachers and education leaders with the tools they need to transform the education system to benefit all learners. Cultural diversity and young children. In a bilingual maintenance program, students continue to use their primary language while "the emphasis on English increases in each subsequent grade" (Kauchak & Eggen, 2017, p. 85). The American Association of Colleges and Universities, After School Program Lesson Plans & Curriculum, Student Teaching Frequently Asked Questions, How to Integrate Technology in the Classroom, Lesson Plan Guidelines for Student Teachers, The Importance of Diversity and Cultural Awareness in the Classroom, The Importance of Diversity in the Classroom. Through critical, self-reflexive practices embedded in our research and our teaching, we can work against racial, cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic inequalities by creating humane classrooms where students and teachers learn to use language and literacy in critical and empowering ways. Have preservice and inservice teachers create a curriculum that uses a variety of cross-cultural texts from popular culture to teach literacy lessons. How to meet culturally-diverse students where they are Prepare to teach the culturally diverse students you may have in your classroom using these guidelines and strategies for teaching your lessons to meet the needs of these students. Diversity is a term that can have many different meanings depending on context. Interested in becoming a teacher? What sorts of moves do teachers make to initiate it? Apple, M. (1990). Raymond J., and Ginsberg, Margery B. Diversity and Motivation : Culturally Responsive Teaching . Boston: Beacon Press. Bilingualism: A Very Brief Overview. We also believe that effective literacy teachers of diverse students envision their classrooms as sites of struggle and transformative action in the service of academic literacy development and social change. Here are five research-based approaches that early childhood educators can use. Help learners to see why teaching begins here. Have course participants conduct community ethnographies as class assignments. 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. Since specific learning disabilities are neurological disorders that affect a person's ability to either interpret what they see and hear or to retrieve and store information, they can be greatly influenced by a person's language and culture. Hunger of memory. . Educating English Learners : Language Diversity in the Classroom by James. John Edwards is a Professor of Psychology at St Francis Xavier University. Children bring their own set of culturally based expectations, skills, talents, abilities, and values with them into the classroom. Ethnographies of literacy in settings outside school. Teachers show students how to embrace different cultures by modeling respect and acceptance. Nickel and dimed: On (not) getting by in America. Whats the Difference Between Educational Equity and Equality? The logic of practice. Language, Culture & the Classroom Honors Senior Project Sarena Wing Adviser: Janel Pettes Guikema April 11, 2014 . In 2018, 47 percent of students and 79 percent of teachers in US public schools were white. Lessons from research with Language-Minority children. Journal of Reading Behavior, 26(4), 439-456. Developing this kind of knowledge may help to avoid linguistic racism or language marginalization (Delpit & Kilgour Dowdy, 2003; Gee, 1996; Gutierrez, Asato, Pachco, Moll, Olsen, Horng, Ruiz, Garcia, & McCarty, 2002; Perry & Delpit, 1998; Smitherman, 1999). Utilize critical education texts in teacher credential courses, such as the many we have cited here. Giroux, H. (2001). Existenia Africana: Understanding Africana existential thought. Compare and contrast their lives with your own. Additionally, issues of diversity play a role in how students and teachers view the importance of the classroom and what should happen there. Savage inequalities. New York: Routledge. English Education, 37(2), 149-164. A students socioeconomic status can affect their ability to participate in the classroom without some type of accommodation. (Eds.). Digest of education statistics 2001 (No. 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. INBOX is a biweekly email wrap-up of the most important stories in English language arts education, ideas for your classroom, and news from NCTE. The very act of considering culture and language skills when developing curricula and activities makes it more likely that lessons will be inclusive. Bootstraps: From an American academic of color. 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? 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. (Eds.). Moll, L. C. & Gonzalez, N. (1994). Taking it to the mic: Pedagogy of June Jordans Poetry for the People and partnership with an urban high school. Norwood, Massachusetts: Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc. Morrell, E. (2004). We see all classrooms as multicultural, and we work towards respecting, valuing, and celebrating our own and students unique strengths in creating equitable classroom communities. What does an investigation of the discourse and interaction patterns in multicultural classrooms reveal? How does one practice critical education in literacy classrooms? Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. 144-160). And the protection of linguistic diversity is a duty." Ms. Azoulay stressed that every language has a certain rhythm, as well as a certain way of approaching things and thinking of them.. Lankshear, C., & McLaren, P.L. Second language learning and teaching theories regard diversity as the reality of the classroom. Delpit, L, & Kilgour Dowdy, J. Bourdieu, P. (1990). As part of their teacher education, they will need to acknowledge the limits of their personal knowledge as well as experience the privileges afforded them by virtue of their race and class. Have students write their own songs or poems for posting on a website. Connecting Diversity, e-Learning, and Technology Student populations are diverse. Funds of knowledge for teaching: Using a qualitative approach to connect homes and classrooms. Critique why these activities were memorable and develop a list of criteria for meaning learning experiences. 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. However, some diversity is not so visible. Cultural diversity in the classroom is on the rise. Introduce 'the world' to the class, sharing insights about travels, the world's diverse cultures, languages, religions and traditions. 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.