As immigration picks up and people from diverse cultures and backgrounds move to “safer” places, the host countries are increasingly exposed to new cultures and lifestyles. Suddenly, the neighborhood is alive with the colour and aromas of different cuisines and our ears pick up foreign accents. Since the vast majority are young families with small children, schools are usually the melting pot for the amalgamation of these cultures.
What is cultural diversity anyway?
Cultural diversity can loosely be described as the coexistence and recognition of various people of varying cultures, ethnic groups, races, and religious beliefs living together. It follows that society acknowledges the different beliefs and practices and people treat each other with respect. While culture refers to values, practices, and traditions unique to a group of people, diversity might include race, ethnicity, gender, age, abilities, and beliefs.
How is cultural diversity important?
Perhaps the biggest advantage of cultural diversity is that it can broaden perspectives, promote creativity and innovation, and encourage empathy and respect for others.
So, what can teachers do to create more inclusive classrooms?
Some ways are listed below:
Know your students
It’s important for teachers to take the time to learn about their students’ cultural backgrounds, hobbies, and learning styles. By showing interest, teachers can establish trust and help to create a safe place to exchange experiences.
Keep communication open
While classrooms are a safe place to communicate, it’s a good idea to keep the communication on after hours as well. This does not have to eat into your leisure or family time though. The idea is to let the students know that you are available and that you care. Simply checking on the student’s progress or reason for absence will help to make the student feel cared for. Students can also be asked how well they are adjusting to the classroom environment every once in a while. Such probing questions can raise red flags enabling teachers to use suitable intervention.
Respect your students
While it’s important to ensure an open dialogue, it is equally important to be sensitive to students’ culture, beliefs, and language concerns. Subject materials touching on topics which may be offensive to some groups need to be approached with sensitivity and respect. Secondly, understanding learning styles and teaching through lived experience rather than the lecture method is more motivating. Engage them in pair or group work tasks which involve using the target language. In addition, a well-resourced library with books about different cultures will encourage the love for reading and stimulate the imagination.
Include diversity in the lesson plan
Students can get a taste of other cultures by watching YouTube clips on the life and culture of different countries, like Japanese customs or Indian cuisine, for example. Such awareness fosters respect and tolerance for other cultures and people. Students can be introduced to other languages by including a translation activity and letting their friends guess what was said through gestures or mime. One school I attended had a large colourful display of “Hello” in different languages in one of its corridors next to the stairs. It never failed to catch our attention as we made our way to our classrooms!
Be flexible
Healthy debates on world issues (chosen with care and consideration of your students’ backgrounds) might be encouraged as they help to develop empathy and understanding. One way of doing this is to let students present their own materials with their unique perspective on the subject. Problem solving activities help students find solutions to existing issues. A flexible approach goes a long way in creating a more inclusive classroom.
Concluding thoughts
Generally speaking, multicultural education fosters empathy and prevents biased or prejudiced views about different cultural communities. Not only does it promote a better understanding of people, but it also exposes students to a diverse range of opinions making them more accepting of different perspectives. Indeed, multicultural education helps students become better prepared for the workplace where they can feel comfortable working alongside a variety of people.
Further Reading
The Importance of Diversity & Multicultural Awareness in Education, Drexel University School of Education
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