Multicultural+Education

=  __ **Multicultural Education** __ **:**  = = Megan Reeve**s** = =**__WHAT?__** =  =__WHY ?__ = 1. At every grade level, California History and Social Science standards require students to learn about the varied backgrounds of American citizens as well as the history and traditions of cultures around the world. 2. EL students who may have recently immigrated will also be able to learn more about the individual cultures that make up the unique essence of American society. 3. It's important for students to view each persons culture as relevant and important and learn to treat their peers with respect. 4. It's important for teachers to view students as individuals whose school behavior is influenced by family, community, and ethno-cultural groups. Teachers can also learn about student's home life and how students learn. 5. Creates a "community feeling" which can reduce the anxiety that many EL learners may feel in school.
 * == **Definition:** promoting and utilizing each student’s individuality and culture into their educational environment. ==
 * A.K.A. Multicultural Perspectives or Cultural Affirmation
 * Multicultural Education is a way for teachers to incorporate student's individuality and culture into their daily educational environment through the use of lessons or activities that involve different cultures.
 * Many believe that using multicultural education in the classroom means setting aside one day a year for students to share traditions and food from different cultures- this is not the case.
 * Instead, implementing multicultural education is an everyday, ongoing strategy to inform students about their own cultural identities and the cultural identities of others.
 * == So, why use multicultural education in your classroom and how can it help EL students? ==

Many educators now assert that a growing body of evidence links multicultural education and improved academic learning. For example, Hale (1986) described cognitive gains achieved by children in a pre-school program integrating material on African American culture throughout the curriculum. Zaslavsky (1988) demonstrated how elements of African and other cultural traditions can be used to teach complex mathematics concepts to inner-city students. A study (Fulton-Scott, 1983) using three elementary programs for Hispanic children not English-proficient revealed that the math, reading, and language scores of students in bilingual and multiculturally-integrated English as a Second Language programs were significantly superior to scores of students enrolled in bilingual ESL without the multicultural integration. ([|Achievement Affects on Students])

= = = = = **__HOW?__** =
 * = How do you implement multicultural education into daily curriculum? =
 * 1. Personal Culture Presentations**


 * At the beginning of the school year, students can begin researching about their own personal culture. This would include information about their family history as well as about their own immediate family's traditions. Students can share findings in a presentation. One student can present each week and can be tied into thematic units. Students can also use "Me Bags" to show a few different objects that they use to describe themselves to the class.


 * 2.** **Thematic Units**: Each week the teacher chooses one country or people group to study (can and should be based from social studies standards) and implements aspects of the culture into all subjects.


 * Language Arts: Children's Literature from or about the culture. (Excellent Website! [|Database of Award-Winning Children's Literature] Search for children's literature based on the setting, language, and/ or nationality of the protagonist.)
 * Mathematics: Use aspects of the culture in word problems or scenarios for students to solve.
 * Art: Create replicas of the culture's native art.
 * During these units, it is important to find out if any of the students in the classroom are from this culture and ask them to help explain aspects of the culture to the classroom.

= = Hylton and Dumett (1986) present a list of suggestions for elementary level class activities focusing on multicultural themes: ([|Organization of Multicultural Programs)]
 * 3. Other Activities**:
 * collect articles from newspapers and magazines that deal with one or more groups.
 * collect relevant pictures, books, records, and poems.

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 * perform plays about various groups.
 * keep a journal based on one or more themes, such as money around the world, or holidays around the world.
 * develop a multicultural calendar.
 * learn songs in different languages.
 * make maps showing the origin of various groups.

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References:
[|Mount Vernon SDAIE Strategies] : Under "Teacher Resources", click on SDAIE Strategies [|Cal State University Sacramento SDAIE Strategies]: See 6. Cultural Affirmation/ Multicultural Perspectives [|Multicultural Education in Elementary School]

Other Resources:
[|World Culture Lesson Plans] [|World Cultures/ Geography Lessons] [|Database of Award-Winning Children's Literature]