cultural & linguistic diversity creating inclusive reading classrooms

Cultural & Linguistic Diversity

Creating Inclusive Reading Classrooms

CLASS AGENDACLASS AGENDA Blackboard Update & Student Questions Humor Vocabulary Game

Reading: Cultural and Linguistic Diversity

Culturally Responsive Teaching: Deficit vs. Capital

Code-Switching Sheltered Observation Instruction Protocol

(Sheltering & Scaffolding)

Daily Dose of HumorDaily Dose of Humor

1) Create a “Word Wall” via PowerPoint or overhead slides2) Volunteer starts the game by coming forward3) With volunteer turned away or eyes covered, teacher

chooses a word from word wall (the class can see the word)

4) Going student-by-student or the ‘popcorn’ method, each student in class must give a one-word synonym to the chosen word

5) Volunteer looks at word wall to ‘guess’ word from clues/synonyms

6) Last student to have given clue/synonym takes place of first volunteer

Vocabulary Game: Vocabulary Game: SynonymsSynonyms

Warm UpWarm Up Beginning/Warm-up Activity:

Think about—and consider sharing—a situation in which you felt like a cultural‘outsider.’

Think about:- What was the context?

- How did being an ‘outsider’ feel to you?

- What problems, funny situations, embarrassing situations, etc. arose from not knowing the ‘rules’ of the culture in which you found yourself?

- How might you have fared in schools in that setting?

Warm UpWarm Up What “tools” could have helped you NOT feel like an

outsider (especially tools regarding communication)?

These ‘tools’ are what we are trying to teach students who are trying to read and learn in your content area—both native English speakers and those learning English.

Many students feel like ‘outsiders’ in content area classes; they feel as if the content and the way it is expressed (written and described in texts) is foreign and incomprehensible.

“I’m no good at math” “I don’t get poetry” “Science words don’t make sense”

Deficits vs. FundsDeficits vs. Funds There are two major theories regarding cultural difference

in the classroom: Deficit Theory and Funds of Knowledge Theory

Both relate to reading

The theory you have and/or assume will largely determine: a) How much you respect your students and they respect you in return;

b) How much effort you will give to helping them succeed in reading and beyond;

c) The tools and approaches you use to help them understand new vocabulary, syntax, etc.

d) Your overall happiness in your job as a teacher.

Deficit TheoryDeficit TheoryDeficit Theory: The idea that the lower achievement in schools is due to a problem with the student and/or her/his culture rather than considering the role of the school itself, instructional practices, organizational structures, societal inequities, etc. Metaphor: think about what it means to have a deficit in one's bank account.

This model sees diversity (in all of its manifestations) as hindrances to learning

Deficit Theory in the Deficit Theory in the ClassroomClassroom

“Antoine probably won’t understand Romeo and Juliet because it’s so different from his culture. He’s from the inner city; what would he know about Shakespeare, rivalries, impossible love?”

“I’ve got all of these kids [in my 9th grade algebra class] that have no clue about using math to solve problems. All they’re interested in is sports and music.”

Teaching poetry to inner city kids? You’ve gotta be kidding! They don’t even read well. They’ve never been exposed to poetry.

I’m trying to teach 9th grade physical science in _____ high school. Talk about impossible; these kids have no prior knowledge to build on.”

Cultural Capital & Cultural Capital & Funds of Knowledge Funds of Knowledge

The term “capital” is often synonymous with money (capital goods, capital expenditures, etc.). Cultural Capital is the kind of capital one has from being in and knowing about the rules of specific cultural groups.

The term cultural capital refers to non-financial social assets that promote social mobility beyond economic means. Examples can include education, intellect, style of speech, dress, or physical appearance.

QUESTION: What forms of cultural capital work in your favor in your home culture and within our society at large?

Cultural Capital & Cultural Capital & Funds of Knowledge Funds of Knowledge

Funds of Knowledge: The belief that all students come to school with valuable knowledge, abilities, and sets of information not in spite of their cultural backgrounds but because of them!

Cultural &ConstructedKnowledge

“Cultural Capital” is largely synonymous with “Funds of Knowledge” (especially in academic/educational settings).

What are some of your “funds of knowledge” What are some of your “funds of knowledge” that might translate into a) helping you that might translate into a) helping you understand new concepts and b) help understand new concepts and b) help teachers tailor information to your teachers tailor information to your knowledge? knowledge?

Activity: Activity: Ordeal by Ordeal by ChequeCheque

In small groups or with a partner, read the Vanity Fair piece “Ordeal by Cheque” (handout) and come up with a viable interpretation of the story.

While ‘interpreting’ the text, make a literal note of the kinds of prior knowledge (funds of knowledge/cultural capital) a reader needs to make sense of the piece.

- Ask yourself how this reading is analogous to the experiences some students face when trying to understand English (language) and content-specific texts.

Funds of KnowledgeFunds of KnowledgeWhat “funds of knowledge” did you use to under-stand the “Ordeal by Check” activity?

Finding and Using Finding and Using Funds of KnowledgeFunds of Knowledge

Acknowledging students’ differences and recognizing that they bring unique forms of ‘capital’ to our classrooms is good but it is NOT ENOUGH!

Our goal as teachers must be to help students make connections (analogies) to the content.

We must assist them in connecting prior knowledge—which all students have—to our content

We must find culturally appropriate reference points (analogies) to help them build new knowledge

Finding and Using Finding and Using Funds of KnowledgeFunds of Knowledge

Based upon your content area, brainstorm how you might a) discover students’ respective funds of knowledge and b) tailor/differentiate some of your lessons to help use these funds of knowledge.

Consider the following cultures or groups:

Inner city poor neighborhood

Recent Russian immigrant

Vietnamese immigrant First-generation Mexican

(itinerant)Chinese (2nd generation)Middle class white

studentCuban immigrant (recent)PakistaniSouthern, rural farming Youth culture

Culturally-Culturally-Responsive Responsive

LearningLearningWatch the Following Short Videos. While doing so, think about how each represents specific cultural approaches to learning.*

Try to imagine ways that we, as teachers, can borrow from these examples in our own classes to be more culturally-relevant?

This is not to suggest that we ‘imitate’ or parody other cultures; rather, it is to show that learning and teaching are diverse. To reach our students, we must not rely solely upon the white western model we experienced in schools.

* Some strong, “offensive” language in videos; views expressed in videos do not necessarily represent the views of the College of Education and Human Services, the University of North Florida, or the Professor.


LearningLearningWatch the Following Short Videos. While doing so, think about how each represents specific cultural approaches to learning.

Presidential Address

Gospel Preaching

Highway Safety - Fear!

Lecture from Hell

Catholic Mass

Urban Comedy

Academic Speech


LearningLearningWhich of these approaches is most closely aligned with most classroom content delivery?

Which examples did you most enjoy and why?

Why do educators rely upon one at the expense of all others?

THE POINT: Always try to think of ways to connect content—and the format of the texts you use—to students’ prior knowledge (and realize that their prior knowledge may not be “academic” in nature but that it is still relevant to learning).


LearningLearning

Teaching

ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS

ESOL: ESOL: Steps Steps Teachers Can Teachers Can

TakeTakeHelping English Language Learners Label items in classroom

Simplify language when possible OR repeat what you have said using more simplistic language (or have a student(s) repeat your directions)

Group work/collaborative learning (including in reading)

Sheltered instruction (example to follow)

Use a variety of instructional methods and materials, and assessment practices

Allow some content area readings in native language occasionally or as supplement (if permissible in state/district)

Weigh costs/benefits of content learning vs. English-only

SOIPSOIP

Create and use graphic organizers with whole class, especially those that employ visuals, key vocabulary, etc.

Sheltered Instruction Observation Sheltered Instruction Observation

Protocol Protocol

SIOPSIOP

Link new material to students' background experiences and knowledge

Emphasize key vocabulary terms before reading

Clearly state learning objectives (give students a roadmap to follow)

Activities for students to apply knowledge

Use speech appropriate to students' language abilities

Scaffold learning (labeling, multiple language definitions, etc.)

Questions from various orders (lower to higher)

Conscious use of wait time (more for ELL students)

Review key vocabulary after reading

Frequent student interaction and student-teacher interaction

Grouping students Pacing appropriate to needs and to students' language ability

Please refer to Vacca, Vacca, and Mraz, 2010, p. 75 for more specific information on SIOP

Activity: Reading Activity: Reading PoetryPoetry

If you know Spanish, you should participate (and even help your neighbor) but DO NOT give answers to others in the class.

Read the Following Read the Following PoemPoem

Puedo escribir los versos más tristes esta noche.

Escribir, por ejemplo: "La noche está estrellada,y tiritan, azules, los astros, a lo lejos."

El viento de la noche gira en el cielo y canta.

Puedo escribir los versos más tristes esta noche.Yo la quise, y a veces ella también me quiso.

En las noches como esta la tuve entre mis brazos.La besé tantas veces bajo el cielo infinito.

Ella me quiso, a veces yo también la quería.Cómo no haber amado sus grandes ojos fijos.

Puedo escribir los versos más tristes esta noche.Pensar que no la tengo. Sentir que la he perdido.

Oir la noche inmensa, más inmensa sin ella.Y el verso cae al alma como al pasto el rocío.

Qué importa que mi amor no pudiera guardarla.La noche esta estrellada y ella no está conmigo.

You have two minutes.

QuizQuiz

1) What is the title of the poem (en inglés)?

2) What is the poem about?

3) Who is the speaker?

4) What is the ‘tone’ of the poem?

5) What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?

Neruda: QuizNeruda: QuizWatch the video while listening

to the poem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YFxgEp2O6c

How does the video help “scaffold” meaning for English speakers who are attempting to read the poem?

Sheltered Instruction: Puedo Escribir Sheltered Instruction: Puedo Escribir

los Versos más Tristes Esta Nochelos Versos más Tristes Esta Noche

Supplement the Texts Supplement the Texts You Use (especially You Use (especially

textbooks)textbooks)

Graphic Texts

There is a wealth of supplemental texts for the various content areas that are presented in ways that help English language learners. Graphic texts model effective TESOL strategies!

Multiple Texts: Multiple Texts: Intensive vs. Extensive Intensive vs. Extensive

readingreading

Culture, Reading, Culture, Reading, SuccessSuccess

Why Culturally Relevant Reading is Important

ESOLESOL: : Steps Steps Teachers Can Teachers Can

TakeTakeClassroom Artifacts: Respecting Other

Cultures

cultural & linguistic diversity creating inclusive reading classrooms

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