Blog by: Ana Landestoy
June 16th, 2024
Curriculum & Instruction
Dr. Patti Davis
Figure #1
Today's classrooms are culturally diverse, and teachers need professional training to have culturally responsive teaching.
Amstar (Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews) reviewed five articles on effective pedagogy for teaching culturally diverse students who were immigrants or the first generation in the family to attend school or college. The most significant factor is the teacher's willingness to be trained to connect with all students, including the culturally diverse ones.
Figure #2
Cultural diversity and inclusivity are crucial in the classroom for immigrant students and for other students and teachers to learn and become globalized. The research has identified disparities and learning needs of three different immigrant groups. Additionally, the study explores various theoretical frameworks that can be used to create an inclusive classroom and effectively teach diverse learners.
Immigrant Students in American Schools
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Immigrant Student |
Haitian
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Chinese |
Indian |
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| Disparities | Racism/ Skin Color | Racism / Skin Color | Racism/ Skin Color |
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| Language Barrier | Language Barrier |
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| Economic Hardship/Farmworkers in their country |
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| Ostracized due to Religion/Voodoo |
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| Non-parental support in school because of language barrier and immigration status |
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| Overcrowded Living Conditions | Overcrowded living conditions |
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| Denial of Nationality |
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| Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere |
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| Psychological Stress Due to all of the above | Psychological Stress to achieve Academically |
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| Cultural Difference and Adaptation | Cultural difference and adaptation | Cultural difference |
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| Standardized Tests |
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Immigrant Student |
Haitian
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Chinese |
Indian | Theory Framework Table | ||
| Learner Needs | Language Acquisition | Language Acquisition |
| Culturally responsive pedagogy (CPR)
Universal Design for Learning (UDL
Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT | |
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| Bilingual Curriculum Content (BCC) | Bilingual Curriculum Content (BCC) |
| Culturally responsive pedagogy (CPR)
Universal Design for Learning (UDL
Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT | |
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| ESL | ESL |
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| Counselors who speak Creole | Counselors who speak Chinese |
| Constructivist Learning Theory (CLT)
Constructivist Learning Theory (CLT) | |
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| Parent Involvement | Parent Involvement |
| Culturally responsive pedagogy (CPR) | |
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| A curriculum that includes diversity while promoting academic success | A curriculum that includes diversity while promoting academic success | A curriculum that includes diversity while promoting academic success | Culturally responsive pedagogy (CPR)
Constructivist Learning Theory (CLT) Universal Design for Learning (UDL | |
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| Teachers that look like them | Teachers that look like them | Teachers that look like them | Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT | |
Culturally responsive pedagogy (CPR) | Universal Design for Learning (UDL | Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT | Constructivist Learning Theory (CLT) |
Cultural Experiences in the Classroom | Teaching approach that meets the needs of all learners | Embraces student's culture and relates them to the classroom learning | Student-Centered Learning |
Figure #3
The research utilized a qualitative research design involving a
diverse group of female and male High School Teachers with over five years of teaching experience who taught various grade levels and subjects. The participants' ages varied from their 30s to 40s and were selected based on their cultural backgrounds and demographics.
Chart: Data Collection Results
Teacher Gender | Female | Male | Male |
Age | 34 | 43 | 35 |
Birth Country & Ethnicity | Born in Algeria Arab & Berber | I am originally from New York, New York. (United States of America) My ethnic family background is of African and Latino culture | American of Italian and Irish descent |
Grades Taught | 9th-12th
| 6th-10th grade | 10th, 11tn, & 12th |
Subjects Taught | Social Studies, Language Arts, Economics& History | Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematics | Entrepreneurship, Anthropology, 9th. Grade World History, AP 9th Grade World History, AP United States History, AP US Government, Grade 10 American History, Grade 11 History of the 20th Century |
How do you make your class inclusive? | To make my class inclusive, I create a safe and welcoming space where I can respond with compassion and give learners an opportunity to share on every occasion possible. I also ask questions directly that help them participate and share their background, culture, experience, and perspectives. | I aim to make my class inclusive by providing different teaching methods whenever I introduce a new topic. I use real-world scenarios to capture their attention and gauge their response. If a particular scenario does not work, I utilize a different entry point to help them better understand the topic. | One of the first things I aim to do in my classroom is to create "an ecosystem of learning." By this, I mean that my room immediately feels different from the hallways. Once the students enter, they feel invited, and their modus operandi switches. I have inspirational quotes (from diverse individuals and sources) posted all over the room. I aim to have many references to make all students feel invited and create the most inclusive environment possible. I also create clear expectations for behavior and establish consistent enforcement of said expectations. I have a beginning-of-the-year "assignment" (which does not count for a grade to make the student feel less pressured and more compelled to be open about their needs and goals). This assignment allows the students to express themselves to me so that I know how to implement strategies to deal with diverse learners and create opportunities for all children to learn. |
How do you integrate technology in your class? | To diversify learning material and expand students' curiosity, I provide reputable sources for them to search directly in or incorporate videos and imagery to provide a diversified visual aid that reinforces the topics being learned. | I integrate technology at least two times a week. This current generation calls for the use of technology, and it also incorporates a tactile approach to help them associate learning a new topic with educational games. I use a wide array of resources linked to technology in the classroom. Professional development is beneficial when seeking new ways to make your classroom environment engaging. | Technology is consistently married to my classroom. It is integral. I employ an array of web—and app-based technologies that allow students to engage with different platforms and technological modalities. I still believe in mixing in some "old-school" methods, such as handwritten notes, but even these works are then submitted virtually via a photo of the notes. |
How do you differentiate your lesson to teach all learning styles? | To accommodate different types of learning styles to my learners, I provide several options in the lessons planned, such as visual aids (visual learners), discussion prompt questions (aural learners), discussion post/writing tasks (verbal learners), simulation activities (tactile learners), critical thinking homework assignments (analytical learners), group activities (interpersonal learners), and journal/reflections writing task (intrapersonal learners).
Of course, depending on the number of learners, the topic being learned, time constraints, and the curriculum schedule, providing all options for each class is not always feasible. However, I accommodate by consistently being flexible, allowing learners to choose their preferred option for the same activity as their peers, and assessing accordingly.
| I differentiate my lesson by including learning styles favored by my classroom audience. I integrate audial, visual, and kinesthetic/tactile approaches during my lesson. These approaches have helped me tremendously in my teaching career.
| For large summative assignments, I create a "menu" where students can select different assignments, such as a presentation, essay, PowerPoint, etc. I also aim to create various formative assignments so that different types of learners can excel in areas that suit them best. The same is true for my exams. They are not one large essay, nor are they all multiple-choice. They are mixed-format exams so as to give every student a chance to succeed.
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Figure # 4
Integrated Curriculum for
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners
Video from Assignment #6
Identify strategies that will be most beneficial to each diverse learner group. Using the ADDIE Model will ensure that the lesson planning and curriculum you prepare will impact all of your students' learning.
A Universal Design for Learning ensures that the lesson plan has two or more multimodal strategies that utilize numerous student-centered activities in a single lesson to engage all learners. (American College of Education-Module 4)
Figure #5
An integrated curriculum that combines two or more curricula from different subject areas. Combine research-based lesson plan of Economics to my Module 3 literacy IBBM lesson plan.
TEACHING AND LEARNING THROUGH INQUIRY Content/skills/concepts—essential understanding Combining Economics with IBBM in the Lesson Plan | Learning process |
Students will develop their ability to:
Students will grasp the following concepts: The nature of business activity includes inputs needed and how businesses add value.
| Learning experiences and strategies/planning for learning: |
Activities: Separate businesses by sector Pricing strategies in business Students create a business plan for a hypothetical product Business plan true or false game | |
Formative assessment: Show objects move throughout the business sectors. Bomb review of sectors | |
Summative assessment: case study regarding companies outside of the USA. Prepare an Oral Presentation |
Figure #6
The Infographic depicts successful and unsuccessful management strategies for students from diverse learner groups, learning activities an instructor should avoid or reduce in a difficult-to-manage class group, whole-group teacher-directed versus student-group activities, Class management techniques, Demographic make-up considerations, Teacher self-awareness, and administrative support level.
Teachers need to know their students' demographics to better understand their backgrounds, gain their trust, and have empathy with students who do not have the teacher's same cultural background.
Figure#7
Best-Practice Guide for A Novice Teacher
The Best-Practice Guide is written to assist you in becoming an effective teacher. t offers a wealth of resources on best practices, technology in the classroom to enrich your teaching, and classroom management techniques to ensure a robust and suitable curriculum for all students. Additionally, the guide includes an appendix featuring an interview with an experienced teacher with over 15 years of teaching experience. His interview covers best practices, how to manage diversity in the classroom, student-centered learning, classroom management, and insights into building trust and fostering communication within and beyond the classroom.
Reflection: Novice Teachers will quickly adapt to this new pedagogy and student learning style. Veteran teachers find adjusting to this student-centered style and some learning strategies challenging because it is not Teacher-centered.
Interview of Veteran Teacher
Infographic on Best Practices in the Classroom according to UNESCO and the Veteran Teacher interview.
Figure #8
Video on Multimedia Qualitative Action Research on Differentiated Instruction (DI)
This research aims to explore and identify the most effective teaching modalities that can cater to the diversity of the students in the classroom. By doing so, we strive to enhance their learning experience, encourage active participation, and facilitate academic excellence among students. Differentiated instruction is a teaching approach that tailors instruction to students' different learning needs. t lets students show what they know in different ways. What is differentiated instruction?," 2023)
REFLECTION
The primary objective is to develop a comprehensive lesson plan firmly rooted in evidence-based pedagogy to elevate the education of our culturally diverse students. This approach will empower these students and help our teachers navigate the inclusive educational system more effectively. I also recommend that schools provide professional development for Teachers to equip them with the necessary skills to create an inclusive lesson plan from the curriculum to differentiate for those students with diverse backgrounds. T achers understanding and catering to their student's learning styles and diversity will enhance learning, engage students more and boost their confidence in participating, ensure equal learning opportunities for all, and motivate their interest in the content they are learning. Teachers must receive professional development to prepare and implement lesson plans using at least two multimodal strategies.
Student-centered learning is beneficial for both the student and the teacher to take ownership, allowing the student to explore and become responsible for their education, fostering curiosity and proactivity on the part of the student. It's important for teachers to be aware of any biases they may have, especially when working with students from different cultures or languages. Th diversity of the teacher population is also highlighted as a beneficial factor, as it exposes students to teachers who may share their backgrounds.
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