2. All men are pretty
much alike. It is only
by culture that they
are set apart.
--Confucius
3. Diversity is defined as the differences
between people. These differences
include but are not limited to race,
gender, sexual orientation, religion, and
socioeconomic status. In a diverse
world, people acknowledge the
differences that exist among
individuals.
4. Multiculturalism focuses on being
inclusiveness, understanding,
respecting, and acknowledging
unequal power in society. In a
multicultural world,
people accept and embrace the
differences of others into their lives.
5. Diversity of Learners in Multicultural
Classrooms
• Do you agree that no two students
are the same?
• Do you believe that learners do not
come from the same mold?
6. JAMES BANKS (1975 in Sadker, 1991)
Leading researcher in the are of
students
The major goal of multicultural
education is to transform the school to
experience an equal opportunity to
learn in school
7. Diversity or differences among students have
place greater demands to teachers in today’s
school.
Students differ in race, different ethnics or
groups and different languages.
In most public schools, students come from a
wide range of socio-economic backgrounds
8. Much numbers of children were come
from families that plagued by poverty,
unemployment, frequent relocations,
limited access to high quality
medical and social services and
perhaps crime ridden
neighbourhoods.
9. Haertel (1998)
Students are supposed to be given equal
opportunities to education.
MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION– modification of
curricula and instructions, teaching styles, re-
examination of teachers’ attitude, beliefs, and
perceptions.
It enables teachers and educators to give value to
the differences in prior knowledge, experiences for
learners from diverse background and familiarity with
students’ history of diverse cultures.
11. Culture evolves overtime. One result of
this process is beliefs and practices
helps us adapt persistent and changing
circumstances. These beliefs and
practices are recognized as models or
schema about how things work.
Practices that are proper develop and
help individuals or groups survive in this
ever changing world environment.
12. Accommodating Cultural
Differences and
Commonalities
A teacher does not have to go abroad
to be able to encounter diversity in the
classroom.
The issue of cultural majority-minority
in the classroom has a posed a
challenge to teachers.
13. Sometimes the teachers come from a
culture that is different from where
their students belongs.
The teachers themselves are unaware
of the cultural norms that exist in the
diverse culture, which often times
interfere with teaching and learning.
14. To assist teachers in understanding his/her
multicultural learners, Fraser-Abner (2001) offers the
following suggestion:
1. Learn as much about and become as sensitive to
and aware of racial, ethnic, cultural, and gender
groups other than your own.
2. Never make assumptions about an individual
based on your perception of that individual’s race,
ethnicity, culture, or gender.
3. Avoid stereotyping .
4. Get to know each student as a unique individual.
*Walk in the footsteps of all your students.
15. Other suggestions…
1. Look into your own conscious and subconscious
biases about the people who are different from
yourselves in race, ethnicity, culture, gender, or
economic status.
2. Plan your activities within a multicultural framework
while making your classroom a safe and secure
haven for all the students.
3. Infuse multicultural instructional materials and
strategies in your teaching.
4. Foster collaboration and cooperation among your
learners, parents and teachers.
16. Diversity in the school of the country as well as in
other schools in the world is also an opportunity.
Our country as well as other are enriched by the
ethnic, cultural, and language diversity among
the citizens and among its school.
Whenever this diversity exists, intergroup tension,
stereotyping, and discrimination develop.
This becomes an opportunity for teachers and
schools to help unify individuals and citizens as
contribution to a democratic and pluralistic society.
17. Guiding Principles to Enhance Teacher Development :
1. Pre-service teacher education program
2. Teachers should ensure that all students have equitable
opportunity to learn
3. Teachers should help students acquire skills
4. The school curriculum helps students understand
knowledge is socially constructed
5. Schools should provide all students with opportunities
6. Teachers and students should learn to reduce or
eliminate
7. schools should provide opportunities for students from
different racial, cultural, ethnic, and language groups to
interact
8. Teachers should teach and students should learn
18. Multiculturalism has broadened and deepened our
traditional curriculum into a wider range of
accommodating cultures not of the teachers’ alone.
No two learners are exactly the same.
Children in all classrooms are heterogeneous.
Strategies that work with one learner may not
work with another.
Students background and experiences should
be considered when teaching.
Community members from various ethnic
differences and similarities.
