SPU 314- Cultural Diversity

Diversity

The differences within a group

Unfortunatley, diversity can also be a way for students to be targeted and bullied, as an educator how can we handle diversity to help each student while limiting bullying and increasing advocacy?

Differences can help unite a group of students and different life experiences are teaching points for each other

Cultural Diversity

Cultural Diversity is individuals in a group, for example students vary in their life practices i.e. language, religion

Race

Language

And may others

What is culture?

Economic status

Religion

Students can face different forms of:

Economic Challenges

Poverty

Wealthy

Students in poverty are:

• More likely to have illness and disease
• Poor diets
• Less likely to get get proper medical care

Even students from wealthy families can struggle in school

Parents typically spend more money on education

This affects a students psychological and emotional growth

Narcissism, failure to develop compassion, entitlement

These students can become unmotivated, bored and have a lower self esteem

This can lead to:

• Higher stress
• Lower skills
• Disproportionate amount of students in special ed. programs
• Puts a greater finicial strain on family

Migrant Students:

• Frequently move around because of their parents work
• Typically farm work- following the seasons
• Often work in the fields with their parents
• Can lead to health related issues
• Poor housing

These students have issues with:

• Adjusting to new:
• Teaching styles
• Graduation requirements

Native American Students:

• Live in remote areas
• Can speak different languages
• Come from families with high unemployment rates

Challenges that Native American students face:

• Language barriers can limit social development
• Limited health care can lead to more health issues

Students who are homeless:

• Don't have a regular place of residence
• Lack chances to bathe
• May have health issues
• Don't have adequate clothing
• Generally don't eat enough food, especially healthy food
• Lack schooling supplies
• Lack transportation to or from school

2% of students will become homeless in a school year

These students will typically:

• Preform poorly in school
• Be picked on by fellow students
• Can't attend after school activities
• Don't connect with their peers

Homeless Students

Native Americans

Migrant students

But how can we as teachers help?

For students struggling finacially:

• Don't require work that makes the family pay lots of money
• Know the warning signs
• Be understanding
• Help the families

Students who are homeless:

• Understand the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
• Homeless education liasions help get students what they need
• Work with the student, try to lower their absentee rate

Migrant students:

• Can be helped by having a welcoming environment in the classroom
• Have engaging activities that require group participation- they can bond with their classmates more
• Have classroom buddies

Native Americans:

• Hold high expectations
• Make lessons diverse, help to end the steroetypical Native American that many students probably think of
• Use demonstrations that require the student to use their hands
• Involve the elders of the students community
• Let the student show they've mastered a skill in different ways

Wealthy:

• Help give these students enough to do or work on
• Have activities that require them to think about others feelings

More

Immigration

New immigrants often go through stages

Immigrants come from all over the world

Many, however, come to escape difficult or even brutal lives in developing or war torn countries

Immigrant students are characterized by:

• The emotions that they show in each stage as they are introduced to a new environment
• The differences that each one of them has
• Everything on the first slide about immigration and many more
• Their unique life experiences

Unfortunately not all unique experiences are good

Immigrant students often struggle with:

• Learning a new language and culture
• Not being able to receive medical services
• Trauma
• Guilt about leaving behind others to suffer
• Racism
• Lack of schooling prior

to immigration

Assimilate

Stage #1

Become anxious and disoriented

Stage #3

Students are curious

Stage #2

Maintain their own culture

As educators there's a lot we can do

Helping immigrant students

• Get to know the student
• Strengths, weaknesses, past experiences
• Let them share their story
• If they're comfortable, let them do projects about past experiences
• Let them read and do work in their native language
• Learn some basic vocab of their native language
• Saying things good morning, or great work
• Offer English classes
• Get them involved in extra-curricular activities
• Playing an instrument or dance
• Find a group that will help welcome them to help them develop socially

But what about language

Bilingual Education

Dual Lingual Bilingual Education

English as a Second Language

• A type of bilingual education- pairs the non-English speaker with English speakers
• This helps all students understand different cultures and learn new languages

• This can work with or instead of a bilingual education plan
• Non-English speakers are pulled from class to work on their English skills
• Lessons only occur in English

• Uses native and English languages
• As English develops- more instruction in English
• Students who only work in English struggle
• This lets them take regular classes with their peers
• Higher levels of self esteem

As a Teacher

Be understanding of each student- learning a new language in a new place can be stressful, help the student to feel comfortable and welcome speaking or writing English be patient and let others in the class help too

Even within each group there can be differences

means more

Diversity

Large increases student population from:

• Asian and Pacific Islanders
• Hispanic
• Native American
• Multiracial

All these groups may have unique:

• Practices
• Religions
• Traditions
• Languages
• Dialects
• Histories

What's the issue?

Stages students learning English go through

Stage 1- Silent Stage

Stage 3- Intermediate Fluency

Stage 5- Enrichment

Students focus on understanding the language, and speak little and communicatie in gestures

Start to use full senteces, can struggle with mixing up phrases

Students learn strategies to assist them in being fluent in English

What can be done?

As teachers

• Encourage communication, don't critize grammar
• Be patiet
• Work in pairs
• Limit standardized tests- find alternatives they can show their skill on
• These tests can often be the reason new English learners end up in special educatin
• Acknowledge their differences and understand their culture
• These can highlight if the student actually has a disability or not
• Use all the data
• Schooling history, attendance, background, health, family

Understanding these four can figure out where the student is struggling and how to help

Without special education

Multidisciplinary planning team:

• Invovle the parents and community
• Those fluent in the native language of the student

As a teacher rememeber learning a new language is difficult and very complex, work with the team and be understanding, have a student centered apprroach

This is crucial because

Language Proficiency: how well is the language spoken and understood

Language Dominance: which language is the student better at, what is the gap between the second langauge?

English vs. Native Language

• Does the student preform better in their native language?
• Through testing, questionnares etc., monitor how the student does in both languages
• You can start to understand the student more

Language Preference: which language does the student prefer

Code switching: mixing words, phrases or sayings across langauges

Why?

Stage 2- Telegraphic

Stage 4- Expansion

Stage 6- Independent Learning

Students can do work on their own and in different groups

Students start to use short phrases, benefit from naming objects

Stucdents start to use synonyms, more complex sentences and few comprehension mistakes

In a special education setting, these students ability is further hindered and they struggle more

Students show

• Comprehension difficulties
• Leads to social and emotional struggles
• Attention and behavioral issues

All issues that are seen in students with learning disabilities and new english learners

Students who are struggling with English are often recommended for special education,

normally unnecessarily so

Discrimination can take many forms

Students can face prejudice based on: Race, Culture, Religion, any other form of culture, or even something in the students life

Gender Equity

LGBT

Students who are abused

Come from families rich in culture

Gender Stereotypes

• Boys talk more and take more risks
• Girls are taught to put more emphasis on looks
• Boys should excel at sports
• Girls are less likely to be placed in special education

To help these students:

Students feel like they need to choose one race/ethnicity over the other

Obesity and Eating disorders

As a teacher:

• Teach students about the dangers of stereotypes
• Don't group students by gender
• Encourage all to participate in sports
• Have males and females do class jobs on a rotating basis

Growing number of students with these issues

This can lead to an achievement gap and misplaced students in special education

These student are:

• Exploring who they are
• Deciding their sexual orientation and preference

These students can have issues with feeling like outsiders, being questioned by peers "what are you"

• Make them feel welcome
• Don't make them feel like they have to be one race/ethnicity over the other

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

These students face:

• Teasing
• Stigmatization
• Medical problems

This leads to other mental health issues

These students still have a right to an education as long as no other students are in danger

However many are feared because of the disease

is passed between people by exchange of bodily fluids and causes

These students face:

• Extreme homophobia
• Discrimination

Disordered Eating- general name for

individuals trying to gain or lose weight

Binge Eating- eating lots at once, then

feeling guilty about it

Bulimia- binge eating followed by purging

the system taking laxatives or throwing up

Anorexia- refusing to eat

This leads to:

• Poor preformance in school
• Difficulties socially
• Substance abuse
• Even suicide

As a teacher:

• Use gender neutral language
• Learn about LGBT issues and include them in your class
• Know the districts plan for handling and preventing homophobia
• Help students and families with resources and services
• LGBT Alliance, does the school have one, if not start one!

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)

As a teacher:

• Promote acceptance
• Encourage healthy lifestyles
• Work with medical and psychological professionals
• Work for a plan to help the student

Substance abuse leads to:

• Drop in grades
• Loss of interest
• Lack of sleep
• Aggression, potential loss of friends

Students how are abused

• Are more frequently female or have disabilities
• Have bruises or other marks

These students:

• Our emotionally upset
• Can be abused more if the family is talked to

As a teacher work with the multidiscplinary team to find the best possible education for their social and emotional development and:

• Learn more about HIVE/AIDS
• Educate your students
• Take precautions
• Know the side effects of their medication

As a teacher:

• Know the warning signs
• Know who and how report potential abuse
• Give the students chance to have control

As a teacher:

• Know the warning signs and effects
• Educate yourself and your class on the dangers of substance abuse
• Encourage extra curricular activities
• Have resources for the family about treatment and prevention strategies

Obesity

Students with HIV/AIDS

Multi-racial/Ethnic

Students who abused substances

As you can see there's lots of ways students can struggle

Multicultural Education:

• Using teaching practices that will help each student
• Have an inclusive environment
• Strive for equity

Follow how you teach:

• Student-centered
• Reflect
• Are you doing enough for each student
• Do you hold biases?
• Do you know your class well enough?
• If not, what can be done?

Pros:

• Great for communication
• So many great teachers if an issue were to arise, there's alway someone to help
• Easy to use for curriculum and learning

Use of technology

Cons:

• Digital divide
• Not all students have access to tech
• Teah students how to use technology
• Then, apply for grants, or set up a lending library so that everyone has equal access to tech

Promote diversity:

• Don't let differences be divisive
• Let each student learn from their peers

Always praise effort:

• Resiliency- ability to bounce back
• Grit- pushing through
• These students can be put through a lot building self-esteem and motivating them can make allthe difference

But there's a lot teachers can do