Pedagogical Perspective
Hanaa Wahba, Adjunct Professor
There are two important principles of multicultural second language curricula. Gordon (2007) threw light on transformational multicultural curriculum as the first important principle of multicultural TESOL curricula; it is meant to help students to “transform the participants of the educational process” (p.159). Gordon (2007)
stated that transformational multicultural curricula don’t only focus on teaching students about countries’ holidays or important people; however, students should be exposed thoroughly to a discussion of the themes and ideas that shape different cultures. Theorists of multicultural education have demonstrated that cultural
explorations help second language learners to develop new cultural perspectives. The more the students explore other cultures, the more they’ll get new insight about the world.
Gordon (2007) added that multicultural literature is one of the important elements of
transformational curricula. For instance, A Caribbean Cinderella is a Mexican fable that can be used with elementary-level students; this fable is a good example that helps students to discover other diverse cultures. Gordon (2007) referred to social action curriculum as a second innovative principle of multicultural TESOL curricula. It is argued that second language educators play important roles in helping their students to “become active and informed citizens” (Gordon, 2007, p. 161).
Moreover, second language learners should be able to understand the meaning of democracy. Students also should be able to know their own roles in society in order to improve their own lives and also work on improving others’ lives (Gordon, 2007).
Effective educators should guide their students to identify the problems in their school environment. For example, educators should direct students to write letters to the school administration, addressing an issue and requesting that a problem be resolved. Accordingly, administrators should give attention to the problem and make
suggested improvements. Furthermore, the NCCREST (2006) suggested that effective teachers are responsible for giving their students the opportunity to learn about people
from different cultural backgrounds in order to relate positively with one another. This allows students to be culturally knowledgeable and able to interact with people from different cultural groups and backgrounds. Thus, students should be aware of diverse political and social ideas in their world (Gordon, 2007).
Nieto (2002) stated that there are correlations between bilingual and multicultural education as both address the need for linguistic and cultural pluralism (as cited in Kleyn, 2007). The researcher focused on understanding how four bilingual educators from different ethnolinguistic groups interpret multicultural education. Kleyn
(2007) stated that all the participants were immigrants and ELLs who agreed that
they liked to create a classroom free from bias and prejudice.
One of the participants attributed his interest to bilingual education and based on his experiences he reported that, “it appears children of bilingual parents opens up a new world of bilingual education that simultaneously offers alternative career opportunities for native Spanish speakers” (p. 109). The participant added that he had a negative stereotype that “Dominican and Puerto Ricans are not as good as us Argentines” (p. 109). The participant further explained that his parents hold some stereotypes
and bias against other racially and ethnically diverse populations. Interacting with people from different cultural backgrounds and completing diverse coursework in a teacher education program helped him to gain cross-cultural understanding. The participant clearly explained that during his graduate studies in bilingual education, “he felt an infusion of multicultural education across his coursework as well as constant focus on issues related to bilingualism and ELLs” (p. 110).
Asante (1991) threw light on teachers’ different perceptions about multicultural education; educators felt that the students’ cultures should be part of a curriculum in order to celebrate diversity. In the study, the majority of the participants reported that the dual language program helped them to increase their ability to implement
multicultural education. For example, one respondent mentioned that having the opportunity to teach in a self-contained dual language classroom enabled him to work with Latino students and “cultivate pride in their own backgrounds while developing their English and Spanish simultaneously” (p. 110). Another participant noted that “it’s also the teacher’s experiences, sensitivities to cultural differences, and careful planning for those differences that work to unite bilingual education with multicultural education” (p. 116).
Findings of the study showed that all of the four groups of bilingual education teachers value bilingualism and multiculturalism (Kleyn, 2007). The majority of the participants complained about the shortage of materials in their schools, such as Language other than English (LOTE) books. Kleyn (2007) explained that teachers needs “to provide students with literature that spans languages, levels, topics and cultural frames of reference, teachers need a greater voice in the selection of materials” (p. 241). Kleyn found that additive bilingual or dual language programs in colleges enables the bilingual teachers “a solid foundation from which to bring in different languages and cultures, while subtractive programs limit such possibilities” (p. 256). All participants agreed that incorporating multicultural education in their instruction allows “students to access to a curriculum that connects to their realties and broadens their understanding of the world” (Kleyn, 2007, p. 261).
Based on this study, Kleyn focused on making efforts to teach through bilingual and multicultural education. The researcher clarified that bilingual and multicultural education are two overlapping fields that work together to support one another; bilingual education stresses on linguistic and dialectical variety which should
be tackled in multicultural education. Correspondingly, multicultural education which is associated with diversity, race, gender, ethnicity, religion and class must also be addressed within bilingual education. Thus, this study revealed how educators should incorporate bilingual and multicultural education in their instruction in order to meet the needs of minority populations (Kleyn, 2007).
References
Aldridge, J., & Goldman, R. (2007). Current issues and trends in education. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Asante, M. K. (1991). The Afrocentric idea in education. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
Kirmani, M. H., & Lester, B. P. (1999). Responding to religious diversity in classrooms.
Educational Leadership, 56(7), 61-63.
Kleyn, T. (2007). Multicultural education and bilingual teachers: An examination of convergence and divergence across ethnolinguistic groups (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. (AAT 3259251)
Lynch, E., & Hanson, M. (1998). Developing cross-cultural competence: A guide for working with children and their families. Baltimor: Paul H. Brooks.
Garibaldi, M. (1992). Diversity in teacher education: New expectations. In M. E. Dilworth (Ed.), Preparing teachers for culturally diverse classrooms. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.
Gordon, T. (2007). Teaching young children a second language. Westport, CT and London: Praeger Publishers, 30-31.
National Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems. Retrieved
February 20, 2013 from, www.nccrest.org/professional/culturally_responsive_pedagogy-and.html
Nieto, S. (2002). Language, culture, and teaching: Critical perspectives for a new century. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
stated that transformational multicultural curricula don’t only focus on teaching students about countries’ holidays or important people; however, students should be exposed thoroughly to a discussion of the themes and ideas that shape different cultures. Theorists of multicultural education have demonstrated that cultural
explorations help second language learners to develop new cultural perspectives. The more the students explore other cultures, the more they’ll get new insight about the world.
Gordon (2007) added that multicultural literature is one of the important elements of
transformational curricula. For instance, A Caribbean Cinderella is a Mexican fable that can be used with elementary-level students; this fable is a good example that helps students to discover other diverse cultures. Gordon (2007) referred to social action curriculum as a second innovative principle of multicultural TESOL curricula. It is argued that second language educators play important roles in helping their students to “become active and informed citizens” (Gordon, 2007, p. 161).
Moreover, second language learners should be able to understand the meaning of democracy. Students also should be able to know their own roles in society in order to improve their own lives and also work on improving others’ lives (Gordon, 2007).
Effective educators should guide their students to identify the problems in their school environment. For example, educators should direct students to write letters to the school administration, addressing an issue and requesting that a problem be resolved. Accordingly, administrators should give attention to the problem and make
suggested improvements. Furthermore, the NCCREST (2006) suggested that effective teachers are responsible for giving their students the opportunity to learn about people
from different cultural backgrounds in order to relate positively with one another. This allows students to be culturally knowledgeable and able to interact with people from different cultural groups and backgrounds. Thus, students should be aware of diverse political and social ideas in their world (Gordon, 2007).
Nieto (2002) stated that there are correlations between bilingual and multicultural education as both address the need for linguistic and cultural pluralism (as cited in Kleyn, 2007). The researcher focused on understanding how four bilingual educators from different ethnolinguistic groups interpret multicultural education. Kleyn
(2007) stated that all the participants were immigrants and ELLs who agreed that
they liked to create a classroom free from bias and prejudice.
One of the participants attributed his interest to bilingual education and based on his experiences he reported that, “it appears children of bilingual parents opens up a new world of bilingual education that simultaneously offers alternative career opportunities for native Spanish speakers” (p. 109). The participant added that he had a negative stereotype that “Dominican and Puerto Ricans are not as good as us Argentines” (p. 109). The participant further explained that his parents hold some stereotypes
and bias against other racially and ethnically diverse populations. Interacting with people from different cultural backgrounds and completing diverse coursework in a teacher education program helped him to gain cross-cultural understanding. The participant clearly explained that during his graduate studies in bilingual education, “he felt an infusion of multicultural education across his coursework as well as constant focus on issues related to bilingualism and ELLs” (p. 110).
Asante (1991) threw light on teachers’ different perceptions about multicultural education; educators felt that the students’ cultures should be part of a curriculum in order to celebrate diversity. In the study, the majority of the participants reported that the dual language program helped them to increase their ability to implement
multicultural education. For example, one respondent mentioned that having the opportunity to teach in a self-contained dual language classroom enabled him to work with Latino students and “cultivate pride in their own backgrounds while developing their English and Spanish simultaneously” (p. 110). Another participant noted that “it’s also the teacher’s experiences, sensitivities to cultural differences, and careful planning for those differences that work to unite bilingual education with multicultural education” (p. 116).
Findings of the study showed that all of the four groups of bilingual education teachers value bilingualism and multiculturalism (Kleyn, 2007). The majority of the participants complained about the shortage of materials in their schools, such as Language other than English (LOTE) books. Kleyn (2007) explained that teachers needs “to provide students with literature that spans languages, levels, topics and cultural frames of reference, teachers need a greater voice in the selection of materials” (p. 241). Kleyn found that additive bilingual or dual language programs in colleges enables the bilingual teachers “a solid foundation from which to bring in different languages and cultures, while subtractive programs limit such possibilities” (p. 256). All participants agreed that incorporating multicultural education in their instruction allows “students to access to a curriculum that connects to their realties and broadens their understanding of the world” (Kleyn, 2007, p. 261).
Based on this study, Kleyn focused on making efforts to teach through bilingual and multicultural education. The researcher clarified that bilingual and multicultural education are two overlapping fields that work together to support one another; bilingual education stresses on linguistic and dialectical variety which should
be tackled in multicultural education. Correspondingly, multicultural education which is associated with diversity, race, gender, ethnicity, religion and class must also be addressed within bilingual education. Thus, this study revealed how educators should incorporate bilingual and multicultural education in their instruction in order to meet the needs of minority populations (Kleyn, 2007).
References
Aldridge, J., & Goldman, R. (2007). Current issues and trends in education. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Asante, M. K. (1991). The Afrocentric idea in education. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
Kirmani, M. H., & Lester, B. P. (1999). Responding to religious diversity in classrooms.
Educational Leadership, 56(7), 61-63.
Kleyn, T. (2007). Multicultural education and bilingual teachers: An examination of convergence and divergence across ethnolinguistic groups (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. (AAT 3259251)
Lynch, E., & Hanson, M. (1998). Developing cross-cultural competence: A guide for working with children and their families. Baltimor: Paul H. Brooks.
Garibaldi, M. (1992). Diversity in teacher education: New expectations. In M. E. Dilworth (Ed.), Preparing teachers for culturally diverse classrooms. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.
Gordon, T. (2007). Teaching young children a second language. Westport, CT and London: Praeger Publishers, 30-31.
National Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems. Retrieved
February 20, 2013 from, www.nccrest.org/professional/culturally_responsive_pedagogy-and.html
Nieto, S. (2002). Language, culture, and teaching: Critical perspectives for a new century. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.