Approaches to Multicultural Education - Essay Example

Approaches to Multicultural Education Research paper contains appropriate and clear information together with assumption of the question that concerns the problem of multicultural education. The purpose of this paper is to review research journal articles on social equity, biliteracy development among monolingual or dual language, multicultural learners and maximizing student achievement at schools. Paper consists of the introduction, main body and conclusion. The introductory paragraph reflects the brief background overview of the given chapter and articles that support the information from the chapter and give an alternation vision of the problem. Main body contains the appropriate summary of the chapter with an introduction of additional articles. The information about multicultural education and approaches to this question is represented. The problems of social equity in the classroom and its resolving through the different approaches are included. The conclusion provides the answer on the question how the suggested data may help teacher in education process. The method used is particularized examination of the literature together with the critical summarizing and personal inferences on the topic. The research works of different scholars together with logical argumentation is included to the paper. Key words: multiculturalism, social equity, education. The chapter under consideration is concentrated on the issues of race, class, gender and disability in the classroom. The multicultural education and approaches to the teaching of representatives of different cultures are introduced in the chapter. The information suggests the relevant and appropriate methods of teaching students of different race, social status, gender, ethnicity, religion and other points that include multicultural education. The theoretic evidences together with accurate examples are included to the chapter. The information is based on the investigation of such scholars as Carl Grant and Christine Sleeter (Banks, J. A. & Banks, C. A. McGee, 2013). Researcher Patty Bode in the article “Multicultural Education” supports the theory that is represented in the suggested chapter (2009). At the same time Allison Cumming-McCann represents a little bit different classification of approaches to multicultural education in her article “Multicultural Education Connecting Theory to Practice” (2003) First and foremost, the importance of race, gender, language and disability in the classroom life is highlighted (Banks, J. A. & Banks, C. A. McGee, 2013). All this issues “are used to construct categories of people in society” as authors admit (Banks, J. A. & Banks, C. A. McGee, 2013). Therefore, it is suggested that teachers and educators are in need to consider the social and national peculiarities of people they are going to teach. In a case when the class consists of students that are remained to be the representatives of diverse social groups, various nations and cultural peculiarities it is relevant to use the approaches to multicultural education. Authors suggest five basic approaches to the multicultural education and consider them the most relevant due to this question (Banks, J. A. & Banks, C. A. McGee, 2013). The clear information that is proved with the examples about these approaches is represented in the given chapter. The first approach under consideration is named Teaching the Exceptional and the Culturally Different (Banks, J. A. & Banks, C. A. McGee, 2013). The straightforward aim of this approach is “to equip students with the academic skills, concepts, and values to function in American societys institutions and culture” (Bode, 2009). Such method helps to stimulate the movement of curriculum and learning program. The second approach that is represented in the chapter is called Human Relations Approach and is concentrated on the construction of positive relationship with representatives of diverse groups (Banks, J. A. & Banks, C. A. McGee, 2013). The discussed approach is created for the sake of fighting stereotypes and promoting unity in the classroom. This approach is based on kindness and positive thinking. Moreover, with its help the prejudice and hostility are considered to be lessened. Still, to some extend Human Relations Approach is regarded as too soft for the acquiring prosperous results in the dimension of academic achievements (Bode, 2009). The next approach that is discussed in the chapter is represented as Single-Group Studies Approach (Banks, J. A. & Banks, C. A. McGee, 2013). This method refers to the education of a particular group of people in one circle. The historical evidences about target group with the special classes are included to the curriculum. This approach is developed for the purpose “of empowering group members, developing in them a sense of proud and group consciousness” (Banks, J. A. & Banks, C. A. McGee, 2013). In such conditions students are able to know more about each other and understand the culture of his/her group mates. The forth point represented in the chapter is Multicultural Education Approach (Banks, J. A. & Banks, C. A. McGee, 2013). This method is developed for the concentrating equal attention to the diversity of cultural groups that are included into the class (Banks, J. A. & Banks, C. A. McGee, 2013). Multicultural Education Approach is considered to be the most popular and widely used by teachers in the USA as it includes the value of cultural variety, the importance of human rights, the respect for differences, the equal opportunities and freedom for choice (Bode, 2009). It is relevant to admit that Multicultural Education Approach include the best features from the first three approached represented above. The last but not the least approach that is included to the chapter is called Multicultural Social Justice Education (Banks, J. A. & Banks, C. A. McGee, 2013). It is worse to admit that this approach is straightforwardly deals with the problems of social inequality and injustice. Its principal aim is to prepare students to the brutal society and to encourage them to make it better by serving the interests of all social groups, especially those who may experience oppression due to its cultural, ethnic or social peculiarities (Banks, J. A. & Banks, C. A. McGee, 2013). In addition, the chapter contains the information about particular approach to teaching multicultural class of students represented by Mrs. Julie Wilson (Banks, J. A. & Banks, C. A. McGee, 2013). The detailed description of her methods is introduced in the chapter. The group of people she has do teach is considered to be highly multicultural oriented. She represents a positive and relevant example of teaching with the usage Multicultural Education Approach. The article by Patty Bode is directed on the understanding of problem of multicultural education with its characteristic, approaches and peculiarities. The question of equity pedagogy and overview of the literature is included into the article. The author argues that “multicultural education promotes equitable access and rigorous academic achievement for all students so that they can work toward social change” (Bode, 2009). His critical understanding of this question is presented and reinforces the approaches to multicultural education that are introduced by Grant and Sleeter. The article of Allison Cumming-McCann shows the understanding of multicultural education and its goals in the promotion “the education and achievement of all students, particularly those who are traditionally dismissed and underserved in our education system” (Cumming-McCann, 2003). She scholar represents rather different classification of approaches to multicultural education, such as The Contributions Approach, The Additive Approach, The Transformative Approach and The Decision Making and Social Action Approach (Cumming-McCann, 2003).Each of them has a specific goal and principles that acquire a huge number of efforts, time and energy. Still, the potential and result of such education is full of positive implementations. The information from the suggested articles reflects the knowledge about multicultural education and represents a number of methods that can be useful for every teacher. The matter is that being theoretically faced with the methodology and approaches provides success in the practice. Different problems that may be experienced in the teaching practice in the field of multicultural education. That happened because of the high level f diversity among students that may cause misunderstandings. The teacher’s task is to transform difficulties to the advantages for the sake to perform his/her work effectively. These issues can be resolved by using the approaches that are introduced below. Teachers may critically evaluate the information and apply the most appropriate method for teaching her students. The matter is that it is necessary to know about techniques that can be applied to teaching students of different cultures, nations, religions, classes or genders. The concrete work with such a class is not an easy task, and demands a lot of attention with the usage of the necessary approach. The articles under consideration give the opportunities to find the best way in the dimension of studying multicultural groups of students. Reference List: Banks, James A. & Banks, Cherry A. McGee. (2013) Multicultural Education: Issues and Perspectives. Eighth Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Bode, P. (Dec 23, 2009). Multicultural Education. The Gale Group, Inc. Retrieved From: http://www.education.com/reference/article/multicultural-education/#C Cumming-McCann, A. (Feb, 2003). Multicultural Education Connecting Theory to Practice. Focus on Basics. Connecting Research and Practise. Vol 6, Issue B. Retrieved From: http://www.ncsall.net/index.html@id=208.html Read More