Students Diversity

The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. It means understanding that each individual is unique, and recognizing our individual differences.  These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies. 

What strategies can be used in diverse classrooms?

 The following techniques could be used students with diverse classrooms.

1) DEMONSTRATION OF HIGH EXPECTATIONS

Expectations are internal processes that arise from our belief systems and values. The research on working with diverse students cites low teacher expectations as a major contributor to the achievement gap. Educators must be willing to explore our beliefs, attitudes, and assumptions that lead to low expectations and accept responsibility for the influence they have on student learning. Examples include:

• Teachers provide specific and timely feedback to students about their work.
• Teachers demonstrate persistence in their efforts to help students meet standards by changing instructional approaches to meet the needs of each student.
• Students are taught challenging, rigorous curriculum in ways that capitalize on the strengths of their learning style.

2) IMPLEMENTATION OF CULTURALLY RELEVANT INSTRUCTION

Shade, Kelly, and Oberg (1997) suggest that culturally responsive instruction is not just the educational soup du jour and cannot be dismissed as “just good teaching.” References to culturally relevant instruction are a mainstay in the research on strategies for closing the existing achievement gaps by race/ethnicity. Culturally relevant instruction includes:

(a)   Cooperative learning

Research has consistently endorsed the use of structured cooperative learning as a major strategy for teaching in diverse learning environments. Cooperative learning provides learners with essential opportunities to use language in meaningful, purposeful, and interesting ways, build self-esteem and self-confidence, and develop academic, communication, and social skills.

(b)   Instructional conversations

Instructional conversations are extended dialogues between teachers and students for the purpose of developing students’ language and thinking skills and to guide the learning process. These interactive discussions provide teachers with essential opportunities to know students, assess their learning, and to contextualize instruction to meet students’ academic needs and base of experience.

(c)    Cognitively guided instruction

In effective classrooms students’ sense of autonomy and efficacy are developed through explicit instruction on cognitive strategies. Teaching cognitive strategies scaffolds instruction for students and enables them to self-monitor learning and to know how to navigate successfully through difficult learning situations.

(d)   Technology-enriched instruction

In technology -enriched instruction teachers use multimedia and other technology to facilitate student learning through active engagement. Multimedia facilitates auditory skill development of English language learners by integrating visual and auditory input.

 

3) ESTABLISHMENT OF CARING RELATIONSHIPS

James P. Comer said, “No significant learning can occur without a significant relationship.” Caring relationships between teachers and students are not a frill, but integral to academic success. In effective classrooms the strengths of every student are recognized, respected, and valued as students and teachers share the roles of expert, researcher, teacher, and learner. How could we do this?

• New immigrant students are carefully paired with a “buddy” who can help them navigate their new school environment.

• Share leadership among students through collaborative learning activities.
• Encourage students to participate in extra- and co-curricular activities in the school.

4) PARENT AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Parent and community involvement in schools has long been linked as having a positive effect on student achievement. Recent studies indicate that effective home-school partnerships increase grades, test scores, attendance, graduation rates, post-secondary enrollments, and homework completion. How could we do this?

• Provide frequent feedbacks about their children’s progress through counseling.
• Schools can work through community centers and key community members to help parents understand the education process.
• Teachers can make one-on-one connections with parents to develop personalized relationships with families.

 

This was a summary of a research review taken from www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/.../diversity/diversity_article.pdf