Cultural Changes

Cultural Changes

Group 5

Multiculturalism Multiculturalism is a policy that emphasizes the unique characteristics of different cultures, especially as they relate to one another in receiving nations.

Three interrelated but nevertheless distinctive, referents of multiculturalism and its related adjective multicultural are presented below:

The demographic-descriptive usage occurs where the word multicultural refers to the existence linguistically, culturally,and ethnically diverse segment in the population of society of state.

Ideological norm active usage of multiculturalism generates the greatest level of debate since it constitutes a slogan and basis for political action.

Programmatic -political usage of multiculturalism refers to the specific policies developed to respond and manage ethnic diversity.

Multicultural EducationMulticultural education is the an emerging discipline whose aim is to create equal educational opportunities from diverse racial, ethnic social class and cultural group.

Contributions approach- The ethnic heroes and holidays are included in the curriculum.Additive approach A unit or course is incorporated (for example ,a unit on women in history),but no substantial change is made to the curriculum as a whole.Transformation approach The entire Eurocentric nature of the curriculum is changed.Social Action approach- It goes beyond the transformation approach.

Level1: ContributionsHeroes, holidays, and food become a special focus on a particular day, recognizing the contributions of various groups Level 2 : AdditiveSpecial units and topics about various groups are added to, but do not change curriculum.Level 3 : TransformationCurriculum is changed, so that students see the world from the different perspective of various groups.Level 4 :Student make decision about their world and become directly involved in social actions.

Multicultural Education is a progressive approach for transforming education that holistically critiques and addresses current shortcomings, failings and discriminatory practices in education.

Every student must have an equal opportunity to achieve her or his full potential.Every student must be prepared to competently participate in an increasingly intercultural society.Teachers must be prepared to effectively facilitate learning for every individual student no matter how culturally similar or different from themselves.

School must be active participants in ending oppression of all types.Education must become more fully student-centered and inclusive of the voices and experiences of the students.Educators, activists and others must take a more active role in reexamining all educational practices.

Dimensions of Multicultural EducationContent integration. It deals with the extent to which variety of cultures and groups to illustrate key concepts, generalizations and issues within in their subject area of disciplines.Knowledge construction process. It describes how teachers help to understand , investigate, and determine how the biases, frames of reference and perspective within a discipline influence the ways in which a knowledge is constructed within it.

Prejudice reduction. It describes lesson and activities used by teachers to help students to develop positive attitudes toward different racial, ethnic, and cultural groups.Equity pedagogy. It exists when teachers modify their teaching in ways that will facilitate the academic achievement of student from diverse racial, cultural, and social class groups.

Empowering school culture and social structure. This dimension is created when the culture and organization of the school are transformed in ways that enables students from diverse racial, ethic and gender groups to experience equality and equal status.

The Growth of student subcultures

Subcultures refers to cultural pattern that set apart some segment of a societys population. It can be based on age, ethnicity, residence, sexual preference, occupation, and many other factors.A subcultural group can develop around any number of social activities( family, work, education, religion, geographic region and so forth.)

For a subcultural group to exist , people must identify within the subcultural group. The must have opportunities for communicating with one another.Subcultures can be based on variety of factors including religion, race, ethnicity, age, and sexual orientation.A countercultures can exist when a subcultures adopts values and beliefs that are predominantly in opposition to those of larger society

Functions of SubculturesPermitting specialized activity. Because subculture (particularly occupational subcultures) carry the knowledge necessary to perform specialized tasks, they are essential to the divisions of labor which is essential in any society becoming larger and more complex.

Identity in mass society. Subcultures also provide a source of identity in mass society, thus preventing feeling of isolation and anomie.3.Cultural adaptation and change. A subculture is the mechanism through which cultural diffusions occurs.

Cultural Dimensions of Learning, Teaching and Educational ProcessesCultural differences imply the transmission of ideas form generation to generation by significant members of older generations(parents, teachers, religious leaders, etc.)

Culturally Responsive Teaching

Culturally Responsive Instruction covers areas related to:Inclusive content in the curriculum that reflects the diversity of students.Students prior knowledge including their culture and language.The idea that culture is central student learning because there is strong evidences that cultural practices thinking process.

Culturally Responsive teaching encompass element such as:

Communication of high expectations.Active teaching methods that promote student engagement.Teacher as facilitator.Positive perspective on parents and families of culturally and linguistically diverse students.Cultural sensitivity.

Reshaping the curriculum so that it is culturally responsive to the background of students.Culturally mediated to the instruction that is characterized by the use of culturally mediated cognition, culturally appropriate social situations for learning, and culturally valued knowledge in curriculum content.Small group instruction and academically related discourse.

Culturally responsive teaching acknowledges cultural diversity in class rooms and accommodates this diversity in instructions.By recognizing and accepting student diversity.By building on students cultural backgrounds.By being responsive to different student learning styles.

Thank You