Diversity
When teaching a foreign language, one often tends to forget the variety of connections that language learners must make between the target language and the maternal language. Years ago, teachers in the United States were able to make these connections between the target language and only one maternal language, English. By comparison, today’s schools may have as many as ten different maternal languages, in addition to cultural differences even among American students. Therefore, it is essential that teachers recognize the behavior differences and the prior knowledge held by culturally and linguistically diverse students while using technology as a support for these students to promote engaged learning and high levels of technology integration.
Students in the typical American classroom today come from a variety of cultural backgrounds. The culture with which a student has been raised can vary across the nation, in addition to the students who come to our class from other countries. It is important that teachers recognize that these cultural backgrounds produce behaviors that may vary from what is considered to acceptable behavior. For example, students may agree when asked if they understand a concept in an effort to not appear disrespectful. These students have been taught that it is offensive to tell a teacher that they do not understand what he or she just taught, as the teacher is the expert (The IRIS Center for Training Enhancements, 2009). Other students may grow up believing that they should avoid making eye contact when speaking with adults, or that an appropriate way to show comprehension of a lesson is to call out responses or agreement during a lecture. These are all important differences that should be recognized even while teaching students the behaviors that we expect in our classroom.
Similarly, students come to the classroom with prior knowledge that will affect how they perform in the class. Students who may appear to speak English quite well in social contexts may still struggle with the academic vocabulary needed to perform everyday classroom tasks or activities. Other students may arrive having spent very little time in school before enrolling in our class, or having spent much more time. Just as important is the value placed on education by the culture and by the family. Students who come from a culture where education is highly valued and respected may adapt more quickly than those whose family do not see education as important.
Teachers can use technology both in and out of the classroom to help support culturally and linguistically diverse students. If portable technology is available, whether with a cell phone, a tablet, or a laptop, teachers could allow students access to online dictionaries that can help with the important acquisition of academic vocabulary. Classes with internet access can utilize videos that bridge the content area and the background culture of students in the class, which can also help students to be respectful of everyone’s culture, not just their own. Outside of the class, teachers can provide students access to websites that can help them to practice the needed academic vocabulary or to help students who struggle due to lack of background knowledge. There are websites available as well, that can help teachers to translate official school communications into the maternal language of students and their parents (to avoid using students as translators).
Lastly, by using technology effectively to assist culturally and linguistically diverse students, teachers can raise the levels of engaged learning and technology integration. When designing instruction and activities that use technology to assist these students, the activities become more authentic (as they help students to solve real-world problems), the learning becomes more student-directed (as the student discovers and processes new knowledge), and the student takes on the role of producer (as they develop products of real use to his or herself and others). Raising the level of technology integration may be the most difficult, as many of the culturally and linguistically diverse student populations have limited access to technology, especially in the early days of their experience in a new school. Parents may also have a hard time understanding the technology needed for students to begin to be successful. However, by using technology effectively to assist these students, teachers can help to introduce students to new areas of content knowledge, as well as technical skills that will serve them far into the future.
A list of activities in which I have participated that demonstrate an awareness of diversity in the classroom is below:
RESOURCES
The IRIS Center for Training Enhancements. (2009). Cultural and linguistic differences: What teachers should know. Retrieved on 19 Nov 2012, from http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/CLDE/chalcycle.htm
Students in the typical American classroom today come from a variety of cultural backgrounds. The culture with which a student has been raised can vary across the nation, in addition to the students who come to our class from other countries. It is important that teachers recognize that these cultural backgrounds produce behaviors that may vary from what is considered to acceptable behavior. For example, students may agree when asked if they understand a concept in an effort to not appear disrespectful. These students have been taught that it is offensive to tell a teacher that they do not understand what he or she just taught, as the teacher is the expert (The IRIS Center for Training Enhancements, 2009). Other students may grow up believing that they should avoid making eye contact when speaking with adults, or that an appropriate way to show comprehension of a lesson is to call out responses or agreement during a lecture. These are all important differences that should be recognized even while teaching students the behaviors that we expect in our classroom.
Similarly, students come to the classroom with prior knowledge that will affect how they perform in the class. Students who may appear to speak English quite well in social contexts may still struggle with the academic vocabulary needed to perform everyday classroom tasks or activities. Other students may arrive having spent very little time in school before enrolling in our class, or having spent much more time. Just as important is the value placed on education by the culture and by the family. Students who come from a culture where education is highly valued and respected may adapt more quickly than those whose family do not see education as important.
Teachers can use technology both in and out of the classroom to help support culturally and linguistically diverse students. If portable technology is available, whether with a cell phone, a tablet, or a laptop, teachers could allow students access to online dictionaries that can help with the important acquisition of academic vocabulary. Classes with internet access can utilize videos that bridge the content area and the background culture of students in the class, which can also help students to be respectful of everyone’s culture, not just their own. Outside of the class, teachers can provide students access to websites that can help them to practice the needed academic vocabulary or to help students who struggle due to lack of background knowledge. There are websites available as well, that can help teachers to translate official school communications into the maternal language of students and their parents (to avoid using students as translators).
Lastly, by using technology effectively to assist culturally and linguistically diverse students, teachers can raise the levels of engaged learning and technology integration. When designing instruction and activities that use technology to assist these students, the activities become more authentic (as they help students to solve real-world problems), the learning becomes more student-directed (as the student discovers and processes new knowledge), and the student takes on the role of producer (as they develop products of real use to his or herself and others). Raising the level of technology integration may be the most difficult, as many of the culturally and linguistically diverse student populations have limited access to technology, especially in the early days of their experience in a new school. Parents may also have a hard time understanding the technology needed for students to begin to be successful. However, by using technology effectively to assist these students, teachers can help to introduce students to new areas of content knowledge, as well as technical skills that will serve them far into the future.
A list of activities in which I have participated that demonstrate an awareness of diversity in the classroom is below:
- Analyzed student results from a French 4 unit by gender and language for achievement gaps for the purpose of decreasing barriers to diverse learners
- Collected and analyzed data by subgroups (gender, race, ethnicity, disability, ELL, free/reduced lunch) data for the purpose of grant qualification
- Ongoing collaboration with ESOL department to collaborate on best practices for language learners
- Worked one-on-one with a student with Cerebral Palsy and anxiety to utilize technology to increase student achievement in the classroom
- Worked one-on-one with an English Language Learner to overcome barriers to learning in an English Literature and Composition classroom
RESOURCES
The IRIS Center for Training Enhancements. (2009). Cultural and linguistic differences: What teachers should know. Retrieved on 19 Nov 2012, from http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/CLDE/chalcycle.htm
