Diversity is Marked in the Environment - Essay Example

? Number: Embracing Diversity Embracing Diversity We exist in a world with a plentiful assortment of diversity. Diversity is marked in the environment, people and every form of life. Enhancements in technology have made the universe appear smaller and improved the communication between individuals from diverse cultures. The globe’s economy has increasingly become globalized, fueling the fast growth of immigration to developed nations over the last 6 decades. Nowadays, in the United States, it is not strange to locate classrooms where four or five different cultures and languages are represented (Terry & Iriving, 2009). In order to teach the future generations successfully, the education structure should be thriving in educating all children to interact and communicate with people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse abilities. Early childhood teachers all over the United States should be prepared to educate an increasingly diverse populace of young students. More children from migrant families are taking part in early childhood programs than in the past, and the trend is anticipated to carry on into the next decade. The 2000 population census shows that in only one decade, the number of young students in immigrant households increased by 63%, and not only in large cities, but also in numerous areas of the country. The African American populace both immigrant and nonimmigrant grew at a rate above that of the general populace between 1990 and the new millennium. The Latino population likewise the immigrants and nonimmigrants grew by more than 50% of its original during those same years. The Latino population is at the moment the single largest cluster contributing to the country’s diversity (Terry & Iriving, 2009). This article concerns the education of children from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds who might or might not have disabilities, which need special education services. For culturally, as well as linguistically diverse students (CLD), issues of difference, diversity, and disability can rather be challenging and complex for classroom teachers (Gonzalez, 2011). This paper, with an aim of easing these challenges, will formulate some methods and strategies of achieving the paper’s objective and discuss how the strategies will be assessed. Researchers have referred to the manner culture plays itself out in a classroom set up as a hidden curriculum. The traditional norms which govern classroom communication are mainly rooted in European or American middle-class principles. Regularly there is an inherent anticipation that every student will use these customs, even though they are not openly trained in the classroom. Teachers must know that CLD learners also have cultural values and norms, which they also carry into the classroom and might conflict with the educator’s hopes (Gonzalez, 2011). Educators are in the best position to learn about the norms, values and culture of their CLD learners. By having a concern in who the students are, the place they come from, as well as what their worldview is, educators can demonstrate to them that they essentially care about who they are and not only who they can become. Attitudes associated with privilege, status and power can make it tough for some teachers to value diversity among their learners (Ray & Bowman, 2003). For example, students who might be members of a marginalized racial group, economically deprived, or speak English as a secondary language are frequently labeled as vulnerable, poor, disadvantaged or unfortunate. Rather than centering on what learners cannot do, educators are encouraged to recognize more regarding their learners’ abilities and strengths (Ray & Bowman, 2003). Nevertheless, centering on what students know needs learning more concerning their traditions and the knowledge, which they take into the classroom. Teachers can then utilize their students’ interests, experiences and background to grow ethnically relevant pedagogy (Terry & Iriving, 2009). Culturally applicable pedagogy is an efficient instructional method and hypothetical model, which promotes student success (CEP, 2001). It also upholds learners’ cultural identity, and assists students to widen the critical perspectives required to challenge imbalances in classrooms, the school, as well as the broad society. Culturally applicable pedagogy is a strong model of schooling, which permits children to use their strengths such as home language skills and personal interests as an instrument for surmounting challenges. For instance, a lot of learners love to listen to youthful songs or music in general. They get acquainted to their peer culture through songs and use them as a lens to recognize themselves and their world. An educator might employ culturally applicable pedagogy by integrating music into the classroom. This would permit the students to insert a feature of their developing characteristics into their classroom experience (Terry & Iriving, 2009). It will also allow the teacher to utilize something the students have expertise and are interest in to increase knowledge about science, math, and other established academic subjects. There are district schools whereby over 70 diverse cultures and languages are represented (CEP, 2001). One classroom can have seven different languages and 10 diverse cultures represented. It is not sensible to expect educators to learn the culture and language of all of their learners. Given that each year the student body is gradually changing, it would be almost impractical to keep up with every culture in some classrooms. What educators can do is generate assignments, learning activities and lessons, which allow the learners to share their culture and language with others in the classroom. Education is most efficient when the learner and teacher have healthy associations. The basis of a healthy association is built as educators take time to understand their students (Terry & Iriving, 2009). Even though, all educators concur that learners need to understand the curriculum, they can do a much improved job of understanding their students. By understanding students’ cultures, interests, and experiences, teachers will be in a position to develop tutorial plans, which are fun, exciting, applicable, and above all, highly edifying. Permitting students to instill aspects of their home language and culture in the classroom will add to some learners feeling more comfortable and connected with their learning assignments and process. Assessing Reducing Language Difficulties and Content It is essential to remember that learners who are still in the process of learning should be helped in learning grade level educational content (Gonzalez, 2011). Learners must be challenged to apply critical thinking skills, such as synthesis or analysis, during every stage of content acquisition, even as they are in the opening stages of academic. Understanding of academic subjects, at the same time, should be assessed in a manner that lets students show their knowledge fairly separately of their fluency in general contents. Three methods for assessing content while reducing cultural and linguistic difficulties are differentiated scoring, scaffolding assessment and visible criteria. Scaffolding assessment gives CLD students a couple of ways to show their knowledge (Gonzalez, 2011). These can embrace projects or exhibits, labeled graphs or tables completed by the learners, graphic organizers (semantic maps or diagrams), short answers and finally prearranged lists of concepts. Culturally and linguistically diverse students could be allowed prolonged time for finishing scaffolded assessments (Gonzalez, 2011). The differentiated scoring method is scoring CLD learners independently on language, as well as content knowledge. This method incorporates evaluation of language arts in different content areas. Learners might be assessed on the use of key vocabulary and sentence structure from the lesson. They would be assessed on how well they comprehended key ideas, how correct their answers were, and how fine they showed the processes they used to obtain their answers, as well (Gonzalez, 2011). Finally, the visible criteria method involves permitting CLD learners to become fully familiar with scoring criteria prior to the actual assessment, particularly if they will be assessed individually on language conventions and content knowledge. Students should be involved in forming the criteria for a good report or the methods in answering a word problem. They must practice using these criteria to real examples so as to become well-known with the criteria (Gonzalez, 2011). In conclusion, by taking time to relate with their learners, teachers have a chance to remain connected with the rewards of educations. These rewards are reciprocal in that when the educator is enjoying teaching and having fun, the learners will enjoy learning and have fun. References CEP (Center on Education Policy). 2001. It takes more than testing: Closing the achievement gap. Washington, DC: Author. Gonzalez, J. (2011). Supporting ELLs: Culturally and linguistically diverse students for academic achievement. Retrieved from http://www.leadered.com/pdf/ELL%20Strategies%20Kit%20excerpt.pdf Ray, A., & B. Bowman. (2003). Learning multicultural competence: Developing early childhood practitioners’ effectiveness in working with children from culturally diverse communities. Final report to the A.L. Mailman Family Foundation. Initiative on race, class, and culture in early childhood. Chicago, IL: Erikson Institute. Terry, N., & Iriving, A. (2009). Cultural and linguistic diversity: Issues in education. Retrieved from http://www.kendallhunt.com/uploadedFiles/Kendall_Hunt/Content/Higher_Education/Uploads/Colarusso_CH04_5e.pdf Read More