*To learn concepts about multicultural
education.
*To identify some challenges encountered by
multicultural classrooms.
*Tofind ways to accommodate in teaching
and learning the diversity of learners.
“All men are pretty
much alike. It is only
by that they are
set apart.”
Confucius
What is
“ it is the values, traditions, social and
worldview shared by a group of people
bound together by a combination of
factors.”
(Derman and Sparks)
“the major goal of multicultural education is to
transform the school so that the male and female
students, exceptional learners, as well as
students coming from diverse cultural, social-class,
racial and ethnic groups will receive an equal
.” -James Banks
Race
Ethnic or religious groups
Economic status
Language spoken
Family background
In the midst of this diversity, students are
supposed to receive equal opportunities
to education.
In order to do this, we need:
Curricular and instructional modifications
(Different)teaching styles
Re-examination of teacher’s attitudes,
beliefs and perception.
How do we achieve
these GOALS?
To achieve these goals, it is very
important for teachers to be
knowledgeable about differences in
cultures, religion, ethnicity, and
even the language spoken by the
students.
Suggestions to understand multi-
cultural learners: (Fraser-Abner, 2001)
Learn as much about and become as
sensitive to and aware of racial, ethnic,
cultural and gender groups other than your
own
Never make assumptions about an
individual based on their perception of that
individual’s race, ethnicity, culture or gender
Avoid stereotyping
Get to know each student as a unique
individual: Walk in the footsteps of all your
students.
Other suggestions include:
Look into your own conscious and subconscious
biases about the people who are different from
yourselves
Plan your activities within a multicultural framework
while making your classroom a safe and secure place
for all the students.
Infuse multicultural instructional materials
and strategies in your teaching.
Foster collaboration and cooperation
among your learners, parents and teachers
Guiding Principle in order to prevent intergroup tensions,
stereotypes and discrimination in a multi cultural classroom:
Pre-service teacher education programs should help
prospective teachers understand the complex of ethnic
groups in ways race, ethnicity, language and social
class.
Teachers should ensure that all students have
equitable opportunities to learn and to perform to a
standard.
Teachers should help students acquire social skills
needed to interact effectively with students from
other racial, ethnic cultural, language of social groups.
School curriculum must help student understand that
knowledge is socially constructed and are reflective of
the social, political and economic context in w/c they
live and work.
Schools should provide all students with opportunities
to participate in extra-co-curricular activities that
develop knowledge, skills and attitudes that increase
academic achievement.
Teachers and students should learn to reduce or
eliminate stereotyping or other related biases.
Schools should provide opportunities for students
from different racial, ethnic, cultural and language
groups to interact socially under conditions designed
to reduce fear and anxiety.
Teachers should teach and students should learn
about the values shared virtually by all cultural groups
like justice, equality, freedom peace, compassion and
charity among others.
SUMMARY:
As student population becomes more diverse,
teachers can provide more varied and responsive learning
environments by matching teaching and learning styles,
matching learning styles to environment, and matching
learning time to schedules.
Diversity of learners has now become a local and
global concern among teachers. Even in our classrooms,
diversity has been recognized as an element that needs
attention. It is a fact that interest in individual
differences and multiple intelligences added to the
impetus of knowing about multicultural education. With
regional, national, international boundaries opened to
education, a greater demand for understanding diversity
of learners has come to the fore.
Differences in race, ethnic, and religious
groups, languages, economic status, and family
background are some of the factors that require
multiple approaches in teaching. This reality is a
great challenge to all teachers, hence, there is a
need for us to know and address this diversity.
