Ask preservice and inservice teachers to make a list of the most interesting activities that they did when they were in school. The unquestioned guiding assumption is that such the training knowledge informs teachers' classroom practices. Foreword by Suresh Canagarajah. The discussion may lead to a subsequent discussion on what texts students have read during their formal school careers. 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. Particularly highlighted are the range and implications of attitudes towards languages and dialects, as well as broad consideration of the assumptions and intentions underpinning bilingual and multicultural education. Hunger of memory. Walt Wolfram and Natalie Schilling-Estes. Digest of education statistics 2001 (No. Language Diversity in the Classroom is an excellent book that should inform and stimulate discussion in teacher education programs. (1932/1990). Promote dialogue in teacher education courses about concepts such as praxis, empowerment, pedagogy, etc, and why they are important. (NCES defines ELL students as those being served by programs of language assistance, including ESL, high-intensity language training, and bilingual education.) Language, Culture & the Classroom Honors Senior Project Sarena Wing Adviser: Janel Pettes Guikema April 11, 2014 . New York: Teachers College Press. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. What are the benefits, if any, of raising pre- and inservice teachers awareness of the multi-dialectical nature of American society? New York: Routledge. Have students write their own songs or poems for posting on a website. decades, thus a need exists to prepare teachers to work within . 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. English Education, 37(2), 149-164. There are additional resources available to help educators grow their knowledge of cultural diversity and apply it to their classrooms. Abstract This article examines the relationship between the discipline of 'English Literature' and the contemporary multilingual classroom. Delpit, L. (1988). Surface diversity and deep diversity are categories of personal attributesor differences in attributesthat people perceive to exist between people or groups of people. Invite students to bring in culturally relevant texts (e.g., songs, self-written poetry) and ask them to create a glossary for difficult (for the teacher) to understand language. Sara S. Ezell, assistant director, Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and Disability Services Department. Personality type in the foreign or second language classroom: Theoretical and empirical perspectives. Students may perceive that they do not belong in the classroom setting a feeling that can lead to decreased participation, feelings of inadequacy, and other distractions. Teaching diversity exposes students to various cultural and social groups, preparing students to become better citizens in their communities. When such people with their differences in language, perception, and understanding come together in a classroom setting, we refer to it as diversity. Second language learning and teaching theories regard diversity as the reality of the classroom. Essential linguistics: What you need to know to teach reading, ESL, spelling, phonics, and grammar. New York: Bantam. and other organizational language that may not be understood by others. Using the tools of classroom-based research to develop more complex profiles of their students, teachers and teacher educators can use their growing knowledge of the lives and cultures of these students to design appropriate teaching methodologies and curriculum. Disadvantage: The Environmental Case, Chapter 7. Measures such as providing school signage in different languages, encouraging students to speak their first language at school, and displaying non-English books and materials creates an environment of acceptance and appreciation that benefits all students. Language myths. Such disparities in representation of races and ethnicities among educators constitute a longstanding issue in US public schools. Utilize critical education texts in teacher credential courses, such as the many we have cited here. Select course readings that promote learning about language, dialect, and power issues in society. 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? Diversity in the classroom refers to differences in social identities. (1991). Writing words, changing worlds. Rather, they bring with them rich and varied language and cultural experiences. Discuss the ways in which language is used to express feelings. New York: Teachers College Press. Gabriela G. Alfaraz, Michigan State University: 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. Learn more how the programs at the Drexel School of Education are helping to prepare more culturally-responsive educators today. Reading, writing, and rising up. Develop a relationship and work closely with an ESL teacher or interpreter. New York: Guilford Press. 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. Introduce 'the world' to the class, sharing insights about travels, the world's diverse cultures, languages, religions and traditions. Observe your students closely, and value your real-life experience of diversity over the textbook version. Discourse Analysis and its Discontents, Chapter 3. Harvard Educational Review, 73 (3), 362-389. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Dewey, J. Linguistic diversity also includes speaking multiple languages, such as English AND Spanish. This document was created in part as a result of the 2005 Conference on English Education Leadership and Policy Summit, Suzanne Miller, CEE Chair, and Dana L. Fox, CEE Leadership and Policy Summit Chair. (Ed.). Have preservice and inservice teachers create a curriculum that uses a variety of cross-cultural texts from popular culture to teach literacy lessons. Who wrote these texts? 144-160). Teaching community: A pedagogy of hope. Personality preference in rhetorical and psycholinguistic contexts (pp. 13. Social justice-oriented teachers and teacher educators play a significant role in seeking alternative ways to address various forms of official knowledge with their students, especially forms of official knowledge that marginalize certain groups while privileging others. It's no secret that, in most American classrooms, students are expected to master standardized American English and the . This expansion includes an unpacking of the belief followed by a chart of suggestions and resources for K-12 teachers, teacher educators, and researchers. Attitudes, Beliefs, Teacher Dispositions, . 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.. . Not only does creating greater multicultural awareness and inclusion help students with different backgrounds and needs succeed, but it encourages acceptance and helps prepare students to thrive in an exponentially diverse world. A blueprint for creating schools that work. Provide teacher training. Do they agree/disagree with the ways the stories have been told? 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. All students need to be taught mainstream power codes and become critical users of language while also having their home and street codes honored. This module will not offer a comprehensive definition of the term, instead, this module will highlight two key areas related to diversity: Much discussion about diversity focuses on the following forms of marginalization: race, class, gender, and sexual orientation and rightfully so, given the importance of these forms of difference. Please review the reservation form and submit a request. Allington, R. L & Walmsley, S. A. These lenses might involve designing methods for getting ongoing feedback from students and their families and responding to that feedback. Shifting demographics in the United States have dramatically altered the ethnic and racial makeup of student populations, and a growing number of students do not speak English fluently. (1998.) A place to be Navajo: Rough Rock and the struggle for self-determination in indigenous schooling. Downloaded on 5.3.2023 from https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.21832/9781847692276/html, Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Library and Information Science, Book Studies, Chapter 2. This will make them open to new ideas and be able to attain a greater comprehension on a topic by taking in different points of view. Be explicit with students about your own positions as political agents. Define the basics of business. Negotiate roles and go beyond teacher-as-expert and student-as-novice. Interact with Do You Speak American (documentary & website). Consequently, such investigation would mean using or creating new lenses to interrogate the impact of ones own teaching and planning. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton. Teaching Strategies for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students The first step in addressing cultural and linguistic diversity is to be aware. (Eds.). Match the findings to current best practices in critical literacy education. Incorporate more group work. Giroux, H. (2001). It is 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. This includes opportunities to explore and experience the contexts in which students live and form their cultural identities. Fostering inclusion and awareness around multicultural education and taking a culturally responsive approach to teaching benefits all students. (2001). Have preservice and inservice teachers write and revise philosophical statements. the diverse linguistic needs of learners in the language classroom. Moll, L.C., Amanti, C., Neff, D., & Gonzalez, N. (1992). Lee, C.D. We recognize the uniqueness of all cultures, languages and communities. Diversity in the classroom helps students develop social awareness which helps them appreciate different perspectives and draw stronger conclusions. Among ELL students in the US, Spanish is the most common language spoken at home (75 percent), followed by Arabic (3 percent). By creating a culture of inclusion and acceptance of others, teachers support students in learning to build a more tolerant and just . (Ed.) Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. Use documentary films from PBS, etc., as a resource, designing carefully-phrased pre-post viewing questions and activities. Languages and cultures should be considered in terms of collective resources and placed on an equal footing. When working and learning with people from a variety of backgrounds and cultures present in the classroom, students gain a more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. The Importance of Diversity & Multicultural Awareness in Education. Positive parent-teacher relationships can influence any students success, but they can be particularly important for students whose culture or dominant language differs from that of the majority of their classmates. Develop projects on different cultural practices. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Teachers should respect their students identity and use preferred pronouns when interacting with their students. The Language of Diversity The Language of Diversity The language of diversity is an evolving one that requires awareness, understanding and skill much in the same way as other areas of diversity competencies. Fecho, B. In addition, teachers need spaces to learn about the communities in which they will teach. 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. However, some diversity is not so visible. New York: Routledge. This allows students to practice their language skills in a more personal, less intimidating setting than the front of the classroom. First, the environments are rich in language opportunities. A students socioeconomic status can affect their ability to participate in the classroom without some type of accommodation. All teachers should allow the classroom to move from a monolingual to a plurilingual space, using multilingual signs to decorate the walls, including bilingual books in the library, etc. Crafting The humble prose of living: Rethinking oral/written relations in the echoes of spoken word. New York: Penguin. As a successful teacher, it is necessary to . Fisher, M.T. Bring diverse guest speakers into the classroom. American English (2nd ed.). Ethnicity Students in the class will not have the same values and beliefs. Students have a right to a wide variety and range of high quality critical educational experiences that help them make informed decisions about their role and participation in language, literacy, and life. The first step in addressing cultural and linguistic diversity is to be aware. 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. Teaching culturally diverse students entails the following additional steps: Educators can also benefit from the following tips for teaching linguistically diverse students: Efforts to better serve culturally and linguistically diverse student populations are not limited to the classroom. These strategies will encourage all students cultural awareness, enhancing each students sense of identity, and foster inclusion in the classroom community. These differences can have important show more content McCarty, T. (2002). Participate in writing a collective summary/reflection of the chapter here (same google doc). Describe how the parents would be involved in your curriculum. Teachers may themselves feel out of place based on their own ascriptive traits (i.e. There exist a variety of reasons for this disconnect between language teaching and culture. Sounding American: The consequences of new reforms on English language learners. EdD vs. PhD in Education: Requirements, Career Outlook, and Salary, Innovative EdD in Education Policy and Leadership Program Launches at the School of Education. Interview/research multiple generations (young and old) to gain insights into their dreams and aspirations. New York, NY: Garland. Timothy Reagan, Central Connecticut State University: John Edwards has written a plethora of outstanding journal articles, and several exceptional books-my favourite, to date, being his wonderful "Multilingualism"(1994). New York: Teachers College Press. Additionally, all suggestions made for teachers and teacher educators, with some adapting, can work in nearly any classroom. Investigate and complicate our commonalities and differences as participants in the local and global communities. 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.