Creating the environment in which learners will be encouraged to develop the necessary abilities and skills is a crucial step toward improving the academic performance of learners and increasing their motivation levels. Therefore, the introduction of essential principles of culturally responsive teaching as the means of determining the unique needs of learners must be viewed as a necessity.
For this purpose, the tools for enhancing the process of multicultural communication should be introduced into the school design. Furthermore, the reconsideration of the leadership strategy and the ethical values on which the decision-making in the context of the institution is made must be viewed as a necessity since it will allow for more active promotion of the suggested improvements. Also, the resistance toward change, which some of the educators may develop, will be handled successfully by introducing powerful tools of boosting the teachersâ motivation levels.
As a result, culturally responsive teaching can be encouraged among educators with the help of the specified tools. Therefore, the lack of cross-cultural communication and understanding of the needs of the ethnic and racial minorities can be managed by redesigning the current approach toward the cross-cultural communication process and transformative leadership (Freeman, 2006).
The identified approach will ostensibly lead to a range of positive outcomes. First and most obvious, the opportunities for meeting the needs of the target population will be created. As a result, the environment in which the learners belonging to other cultures will be able to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills will be built successfully. For instance, the language-related needs of multicultural learners and ESL students will be addressed accordingly. Furthermore, the threat of cross-cultural conflicts and similar confrontations between learners will be reduced to a minimum (New York University, 2008).
Culturally Responsive Teaching: Agenda
The plan described above is bound to help improve the learning outcomes among multicultural students extensively. With a tight focus on culturally responsive teaching, the promotion of diversity-oriented values, and the enhancement of knowledge and skills acquisition by educators, one is likely to build the basis for further progress. The suggested framework will ostensibly help educators develop the responsible attitudes that will help them transform the learnersâ perspective of the academic process and cross-cultural communication.
As a result, a rapid drop in the number of conflicts between English learners and the representatives of the ESL population, as well as other groups of learners, including students from different ethnic backgrounds, special education learners, etc. will be reduced significantly. Furthermore, the ideas of assistance, collaboration, and cooperation will be promoted among students successfully, therefore, creating the premise for the further adoption of peer mentoring strategies guided by the teacher. As a result, an improvement in student outcomes can be expected.
References
Davis, B. G. (1999). Tools for teaching. New York, NY: Jossey-Bass.
Freeman, R. E. (2006). Developing ethical leadership. New York, NY: Routledge.
Kima, Y., Turner, J. D., & Mason, P. A. (2015). Getting into the zone: Cases of student-centered multicultural literacy teacher education. Action in Teacher Education, 37(2), 102-119. Web.
King. K. A., Artiles, A. G., & Kozleski, E. B. (2009). Professional learning for culturally responsive teaching. Tempe, AZ: Arizona State University.
Knight, M. H. (2013). Generational learning style preferences based on computer-based healthcare training. Irvine, CA: Brandman University Press.
New York University. (2008). Culturally responsive differentiated instructional strategies. Web.
South Eastern Regional College. (2010). A role-playing approach to coupled complex natural and human systems. Web.
National Center on Time and Learning. (2010). Use of high time expectations to build a school and mutual culture accountability. Web.
Appendix A: Questions
During the sessions, the participants â ability to manage the needs of diverse learners will be tested with the help of the following questions:
- Based on what values and ethical standards should a teacher make the decisions related to cross-cultural conflicts, misconceptions, and any other types of misunderstandings?
- What do you expect to gain from attending the training sessions in question?
- Do you believe that the promotion of cultural diversity in the academic environment is an important step toward improving the quality of education and the overall ability of learners to cooperate?
- What strategies do you use to encourage ESL students to develop the relevant academic skills faster and more efficiently?
- What approaches do you use to settle the conflicts that occur between the students from culturally diverse backgrounds and the learners belonging to the local community? What tools do you use to manage the conflicts that occur between diverse students and teachers?
Appendix B: Managing Diverse learnersâ Needs (South Eastern Regional College, 2010)
Appendix C: 7 Styles of Learning (Knight, 2013)
