Multicultural Identities in the Classroom 2008 University of Adelaide

Policy and Multiculturalism

Running Head: Multicultural Identities in an ESL classroom

Integrating Multicultural Identities in

An English Language Classroom

And Managing Alienation and Racism

For public reference only

DeclarationWe declare this submission is our own work and does notinvolve plagiarism or collusion. We give permission for my

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assignment to be scanned for electronic checking ofplagiarism.

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Integrating Multicultural Identities in An English Language

Classroom And Managing Alienation and Racism

Abstract

The paper deals with defining multicultural education and

how it’s understanding and integration are important in a

culturally diverse classroom of students learning English

as a Second Language (EL2). The teacher is the facilitator

in the EL2 learning environment and through the lessons,

works towards providing a common language for expressing of

the students’ mother tongue or first language (L1) culture,

identity, hopes, difficulties and encourage self-

expression. These goals attain varying degrees of success

over space and time. The teacher is at the forefront of

dealing with this diversity of identities and change. As a

result, the teacher desires to build tolerance and mutual

respect in her students through a range of learning

strategies. If students feel a sense of belonging and of

being valued (Claire, 2007), this could allow them the

opportunity to express any cultural exclusivity experienced

at home, in their adopted host-country or even the EL2

classroom. As such, the paper concludes by looking at

strategies that teachers could adopt in dealing with

cultural exclusivity factors like alienation and racism.

Due to the limitations of this essay, the focus is on

school-based practices, experiences and perspectives in a

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multicultural classroom and not the wider structural forces

of human society at large.

Understanding Multiculturalism

Identity thus belongs to the future

as much as the past since it is always in process.

(Clair, H, 2007)

Multiculturalism is a term that has been used to define

‘diversity’. Since it’s debut as a philosophy at the end of

the nineteenth century in Europe, then as a political and

cultural pluralism movement in the 1960s, multiculturalism

is a concept that is changing, being redefined and evolving

in theory and practice. This is very much symbolic of the

way EL2 classrooms evolve and change with new students of

varying cultural, linguistic, social and religious

backgrounds come and go. As such, the teacher would perhaps

tend to shape and reshape her teaching pedagogies to fit

the population and a particular teaching focus and outcome

in the multicultural classroom.

Mitchell and Salsbury (1996), define the term multicultural

education to “include any kind of instruction which helps

students to value cultural pluralism and acquire more

accurate and sophisticated concepts about the various

microcultures which comprise the macroculture of a

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particular country.” (p. xiii) Providing an educational

system that respects individuals implies the need to

improve the “instruction for all racial and ethnic groups

within a country’s school system.” (p.xiii). Finally,

teachers and schools are to help all students achieve

social and academic functionality in spite of their race or

ethnic background. Such a pluralistic education policy aims

to also provide both males and females equal educational

opportunities and experience mobility.

The existence of the highlighted definitions of

multiculturalism and multicultural education policy

indicate a serious social issue plaguing society, that of

discrimination, harassment and inequality based on race,

ethnicity and gender. The title of this essay does imply

that schools can provide the answer to these issues.

Gillborn (1990) rightly states that, alone, the education

system cannot possibly provide all the answers but it has

the opportunity and perhaps, social obligation, to

contribute to a more just society. Lacey (1988) noted that

schools cannot ‘solve’ the problem of racism in our

society. But they should surely not contribute to it,

to the extent that they do. There is no simple or

doctrinaire solution to the problem but the teaching

profession can make a much larger contribution than

they do at present. (cited by Gillborn, 1990, p.1)

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By understanding the dire need to help students in

multicultural schools and societies, as well as students

from monocultures, the education system needs to look at

redefining its goals, curriculum and teaching pedagogies in

some instances.

Banks (1994) formulated five dimensions of multicultural

education – content integration, the knowledge construct,

prejudice reduction, equity pedagogy and an empowering

school culture and social structure. These dimensions

amplify the fact that a multicultural educational policy

means more than merely changing the content of texts but as

reiterated by Banks, teachers need to examine and master

their teaching methods, how they draw upon their students’

cultural knowledge and their interpretation of school

knowledge.

At present, it seems that teachers and policy makers of

multicultural educational policies are faced with either

subscribing to the philosophy of pluralism, meaning

adhering to the notion that everyone has something to offer

while retaining individual identities. This has been

referred to by social scientists as the “stew theory”.

(Mitchell & Salsbury,1996). The alternative, the philosophy

of assimilation or “melting pot theory” as explained by

Mitchell and Salsbury to mean ridding individual students

of their basic cultural integrities and adopting the

culture of the major or dominant culture. Smolicz (1979)

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has suggested another ideological orientation particular to

Australia, that of a hybrid monism,

in which case individuals are supposed to have evolved

a new breed of personal systems that incorporated

strands from the contributing Anglo- and ethnic

cultural streams. (p. 50)

According to Claire (2007) in the surge towards celebrating

this diversity, there is a tendency that such practices

could “end up by stereotyping people which feeds racism

rather than challenging it.” (p.140) Therefore,

practitioners need to constantly reflect on their actions

and intentions albeit in a monolingual or multicultural

classroom to avoid this predicament.

Thus, the objectives of a multicultural education

curriculum has been summarised by Banks (1994) to include

acquainting students in multiracial classrooms or those

from monocultural classrooms to the unique culture of other

ethnic groups. Secondly, to validate, appreciate and

understand that each ethnic group is meaningful and valid.

The final objective is the provision of cultural and ethnic

alternatives to the students and school at large.

Supporting the Integration of Multicultural Identities

“Multicultural education should assist students as they learn

and explore their changing identities.”

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(Campbell, 2004)

A teacher’s responsibility in the contemporary world is

manifold as people move in greater numbers, while popular

music, media and tourism have lead to a more varied

society. With the goals of a multicultural educational

curriculum in mind, schools and teachers have to work

together to produce an environment that is not only

unprejudiced but one that encourages learning across all

sectors of the school.

In carrying out this seemingly daunting task, teachers need

to understand not only the changes that are necessary

content-wise, but also the need to modify their teaching,

promote interaction across ethnic and racial lines and

focus on realigning students’ attitudes towards race.

(Banks, 1994)

Student’s concept of self

According to Bennett (2003), self-concept or self-image

refers to the set of beliefs that individuals hold about

themselves. In society, the agents that influence and help

mould self-concept are schools, peer groups, the media as

well as the teacher who can create a positive or negative

concept of self. This in turn has an impact on students’

academic and social success. As Bennett states, a poor

concept of self “becomes one of the most challenging

individual differences in how he or she will learn.”

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(p.222). Therefore, the teacher is faced with the challenge

of addressing this range of social and academic needs.

The EL2 student is a multi-faceted one, possessing various

identities – the son, the daughter, the student, the wife,

the husband, a Cambodian, an Indonesia – and with these

numerous identities, they come to live and study in

Singapore, the host country, learning a new language and

it’s culture. Gollnick and Chinn emphasize in their book,

Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society, “Cultural identity is

adapted and changed throughout life in response to

political, economic, educational and social experiences.”

(2002, p.21) The teacher and school have to be aware of

this constantly changing of identities and try to encourage

positive development, eradicate racism and stereotyping.

As such, the EL2 teacher needs to recognise each student as

a unique multi-faceted individual, welcome student

diversity and give voice to his cultural and social

identities. The coming together of students and teachers in

a multicultural classroom calls for the need to create a

common working identity to encourage growth, respect,

tolerance and the acceptance of differences. An example is

including student’s viewpoint in the development of a set

of class rules stipulating students’ responsibilities and

roles. This helps create a communal identity through which

the teacher and students work in, typifying the values of

respect, tolerance and acceptance.

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Smolicz (1979) highlights the problem that, “when language

proves the core of an ethnic culture, and where the

dominant majority’s ideological system is that of

linguistic monism, the individual’s chances for

constructing a viable personal ethnic linguistic system

becomes somewhat more problematic.” (p. 45). In the

instance of the EL2 classroom, language monism pervades the

students’ identities each day. Consequently, to avoid the

problem of students having to assimilate into the dominant

culture and losing their cultural identities, the teacher

and students have to work together to create a core value

system in which individual students can grow academically

regardless of their ethnic backgrounds.

This is further enhanced by Singapore’s political and

educational policies of maintaining pluralism in society.

English is the dominant language of commerce and

educational instruction in Singapore. At the same time, the

EL2 students are also surrounded by the multiplicity of

languages spoken widely within the school by other

international students and outside of it, by Singaporeans

themselves.

Teacher’s self-awareness and self-identity

Harmer’s interviews (2000) of students of diverse

nationalities indicated that they appreciated teachers

having “their own personality and doesn’t hide it from the

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students so that he is not only a teacher but a person as

well” (p.1). Harmer's interviews further revealed, “A

teacher must love her job. If she really enjoys her job

that’ll make the lessons more interesting.” (Harmer, p.1).

Harmer also found that students wanted a teacher who had an

affinity with the students they were teaching. Thus, a

successful teacher is one who can identify with her

students aspirations, hopes and difficulties.

Subsequently, a teacher who desires to create a positive

learning environment while understanding and appreciating

the classroom’s diversity, is aware of not only her own

identity but that of her students. And in recognising these

identities, she would be equipped emotionally, physically

and socially to integrate the many cultures in her

classroom into a successful learning environment.

This is illustrated by Driver’s research (as cited in

Gillborn, 1990, p.37), in which he questioned a white

teacher’s competence in accurately interpreting ‘West

Indian’ behaviour in a Midlands city school.

Turning the eyes away was observed on many occasions

to be made by a West Indian pupil as a sign of

deference and respect to the teacher, yet it was

received and interpreted by the teacher as an

expression of guilt or bad manners. (Driver, 1979,

p.137).

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The above is a representation a teacher’s interpretation of

a non-White pupil’s action, as a deliberate challenge to

authority, which they felt, typified the Afro-Caribbean

pupils’ behaviour in the school. This way of thinking is

rooted in ethnocentric assumptions by teachers. As Gillborn

(1990) explains, teachers have to be wary of viewing their

students from an ethnocentric point of view, that is,

evaluating ethnic groups from the standpoint of one’s own

ethnic group and experience.

Therefore, before a teacher proceeds to embark on

multicultural education pedagogy, and even while in the

process of teaching, there is a need for reflection to

avoid biasness and ethnocentricity from creeping into the

day-to-day dealings in the classroom.

School Environment:

Creating a classroom culture – inclusiveness

As students from Southeast Asia come to Singapore for EL2

acquisition, they come to a host country that has a

tradition of religious and ethnic pluralism. For some of

these students, their home country is a multi-ethnic and

multi-lingual society. As a result, the host country,

Singapore, can help in the self-perpetuation of their

religion (Buddhism), language (Mandarin) and physical

diversity (Singapore being a multi-ethnic society too). In

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the end, these cultural similarities can help in the

integration and cohesion of these diverse groups of

students. (Smolicz, 1979). On the other hand, this might

not be true for some students from monocultural societies.

At the same time, teachers bring their own social

constructs into the classroom and “must be aware of how

much cultural identity influences the education of

students.” (Jones, 2005, p.1). Jones reiterates the need

for teachers to be cognizant of how their teaching

practices, interactions and ideas can and will influence

the social development of their students.

Thus, the classroom must be both physically and socially

ready to welcome students and teachers allowing inter-

cultural and racial interactions and growth. Jones (2005)

recommended writing projects through which students focus

on their cultural heritage. From personal experience, oral

presentations of students’ culture – food, national

costumes, traditions, folklore, social and business

etiquette, are good triggers, though not limited to, to

engage learning and exchange of cultural identities. Having

students involved in a group project whereby English is the

common language of communication has proven rather

successful as students learn to work in a social situation

while discovering about their classmates. Cushner,

McClelland, and Safford (as cited in Jones, 2005, p.1)

identified 12 attributes of cultural identity:

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ethnicity/nationality, social class, sex/gender, health,

age, geographic region, sexuality, religion, social status,

language, ability/disability, and race, through which other

students may learn by socialising and classroom activities.

Culturally-bond EL2 texts:

Incorporating multicultural world views

As quoted by Gillborn (1990) from the Assistant Masters and

Mistresses Association (AMMA),

No subject should be excused the need for self-

examination…There is no such thing as a neutral

subject. No matter how little a subject refers to

culture and society it cannot be taught in a cultural

or social vacuum. In chemistry, for example, black

children receive an important subliminal message if

the illustrations always show test tubes in white

hands…If we take a world view of scientific and other

research it quickly becomes apparent that the original

papers appearing in learned journals are produced by

people of all races from universities in every

country. (p.150)

Thus, As Cortazzi and Jin noted, (as cited in Hinkel, 1999,

p. 197) culture can be interpreted not only as cultural

products (e.g. academic findings) but that of background

information (e.g. history and facts) and behaviour and

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attitude, the social knowledge that we use to interpret

experience. And in this way, culture is a framework.

However, in using texts that are culturally bound to

English-speaking countries, one denies the existence of

other cultures.

Consequently, with EL2 acquisition, the cultural framework

does not have to only include that of English-speaking

countries. With this in mind, teachers need to use texts,

passages and examples with various worldviews including

non-English speaking cultures, stressing an international

use of the English language. EL2 classrooms could also

include listening components by both learners of English as

well as speakers from predominantly English-speaking

countries. This gives a more realistic representation of

accents found in English speakers the world over.

According to Kramsch (as cited in Hinkel, 1999, p. 5-6),

the issue that arises from EL2 acquisition is the

difficulty in not linking “the teaching of language to that

of culture”. Kramsch states that in her view, EL2 learners

become learners of the second culture because of this

difficulty in divorcing language from its culture. As a

result, cultural variations between students and teachers

could lead to each judging the other from an ethnocentric

point of view creating misunderstandings or as a challenge

to authority.

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There are many viewpoints to the inclusion or exclusion of

second language culture into the learning of a new

language. Byram and Morgan (as cited in Hinkel, 1999, p.

7) state, “ [l]earners cannot simply shake off their own

culture and step into another…their culture is part of

themselves and created them as social beings…Learners are

‘committed’ to their culture and to deny any part of it is

to deny something within their own being.” While Hymes (as

cited in Hinkel, 1999, p.7) believes that language plays an

important role in the social life of the community, and the

absence of cultural understanding among members of several

communities often leads to social inequality that has yet

to be recognised. Byram and Morgan (as cited in Hinkel,

1999) call for further development of a theory that brings

the learning of culture into the research that deals with

second and foreign language learning and teaching.

Albeit the theories will come later, the teacher in the

classroom today, has to face the challenges of integrating

the various facets of the multicultural classroom. In the

end, as Smolicz ‘s (1979, p. 49) research has shown,

“a person’s identity is best viewed not as a single

personal ideological system but as a dual (or

multiple) system drawn from the core values of the

different groups with whom he identifies. Like the

bilingual person, he would then activate the two

systems in different domains.”

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This seems an ideal conclusion to follow as with the advent

of globalisation, people are moving in greater numbers over

wider areas more frequently. As individuals, these

migrants, temporary or permanent leave their homes to

adapt, take on or become a part of the cultural system in

their host countries. There’s the aspiration that students

leave the EL2 classroom as multicultural global citizens

(Smolicz, 1998, p. 125) to contribute to the further

progress of globalisation in the international arena while

fitted with the values of respect, understanding and

appreciation of their culture and those of whom they meet.

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Managing Alienation and Racism

Diversity is as natural in human society as variety is in nature.

Variety in nature is basically harmonious, but diversity in human society is not

always harmonious.

(IIE , Chap2)

As teachers and schools attempt to find their way in the

multicultural curriculum, they make choices from their

experiences, points of views and reflection of what is

needed in the classroom. The main purpose of the

multicultural curriculum is to avoid racism and alienation,

to ensure that each student that walks through the door is

not taught differently due to their country of origin, skin

colour, first language, political, religious or economic

standing. As a consequence, there is a need to know how to

identify racism and alienation, the forms they might take

and how to prevent as well as manage their occurrence.

It can be safely stated that race is a social construct for

there is no such thing as a separate human race. Though the

concept of ‘racism’ is highly contested with various

connotations what is fundamental is that its “a belief in

the existence of discrete human races that the idea that

those ‘races’ are hierarchically ordered.” (Gillborn, 2008,

p.3). Albeit there are contentious definitions, it is

widespread and according to Gillborn (2008), has manifested

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itself as ‘institutional racism’ in which society is

“saturated with assumptions and practices that have the

routine effect of privileging…one group over another.”

(p.3) In most case studies read, the reference is to White

people over minorities (Clair, 2007; Gillborn, 2008; 2007).

As a result, as a concept, ‘race’ is unstable with complex

social underpinnings.

As for the concept of alienation, According to Schacht,

(1986) it occurs when there is the “absence of some

attainable unity.” (p. 45). Despite the numerousness and

diversity of social forms or units in society, alienation

occurs where there is “non-attainment of the measure of

identification and involvement” even though there is an

“array of social formations.” (p.45) Classical alienation

theories discussed by Marx and Hegel rose out of historical

situations; the oppressed classes were the workers,

peasants, women and minorities who had lost control over

the products of their lives. In today’s modern world, a

substantial group that has emerged as alienated or facing

alienation are the immigrant and indigenous communities,

such as the Blacks and West Indians in the UK and

Aborigines and Asians in Australia.

Despite the diverse definitions of racism and alienation,

the shared negative trait is that individuals and certain

communities may be barred or hindered institutionally in

every aspect of their lives. Arnold (1998) showed how

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social workers had denied much needed help to Blacks or

disadvantaged immigrants based solely on their ethnicity

and instances when Black or Asian social workers were

turned away by White clients. Yet another case referred to

by Donald and Rattansi (1992) of parents withdrawing their

children from a school in the Yorkshire town of Dewsbury as

the majority of pupils were of South Asian origin and one

parent stated that it was not being racist but the clash of

cultures. This ‘new racism’ referred to by Donald and

Rattansi (1992) looked at the incompatibility of cultural

tradition. Alas, in this new millennium, the clash of

cultures is becoming more evident. Judy Katz (1978) pointed

out (cited by Arnold, 1998) that power in addition to the

prejudice against other races constitutes racism. And in

differentiating people based on their colour, ethnicity or

stereotypical characteristics, we would be preventing their

feeling, inclusion and involvement as part of the whole.

Individual countries where multicultural education is being

advocated has their brand or take on handling racism.

However, it does seem almost impossible to deal with every

facet of the different types of anti-racism, which has

developed. While Brandt (as cited by Gillborn, 1990) argues

that multicultural education is itself racist

Multicultural education can be seen as the Trojan

horse of institutional racism. Within it resides an

attempt to renew the structure and processes of racism

in education. (p. 154)

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However, he does argue for putting the ethnic minority in

an active and central role in terms of their experience.

Brandt (as cited by Gillborn, 1990, p.155) used a table to

compare the language used in multiculturalism and anti-

racism education policies. Multiculturalism was

characterised in terms of monoculturalism/ethnicism,

culture, equality, misunderstanding, ignorance, and

prejudice. While the latter was characterised with terms

like conflict, power, oppression, exploitation, struggle

and fragmentation. Gillborn went on to explain that the

differences in these terms highlighted the political nature

of anti-racist approaches and addressed questions of power

in society. While, the oppositional language of anti-racism

may have it’s strengths and weaknesses, as it pointed

teachers in the direction of playing active roles in

confronting racism, it also “offers ammunition to those who

criticize it as ‘indoctrination’ and, perhaps, more

importantly, frighten off teachers who might otherwise make

valuable contributions within their schools.” (p. 155)

Teachers may thus, shy away from discussing issues of

alienation and racism outside of the texts or lesson if

they are not professionally prepared for it. Managing

instances of alienation and racism can be a daunting task

for teachers not trained in conflict mediation or

counselling. Therefore, it does seem that it’s the

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educational board and institutions’ responsibility to

prepare teachers for a culturally diverse classroom and

school. Teachers need to know what to expect, how students

may behave, verbally and non-verbally, and the need for

sensitivity as shown earlier through Driver’s research.

Institutional Reprogramming

On a macro level, institutional policy development is vital

in promoting equality in the classroom. Schools need to

define what are exceptional behaviours by both staff and

students alike. Racism is a social phenomenon that needs to

be curbed before it manifests itself in uglier ways in the

classroom or school environment. Before we can rein it in,

there is a need to understand that “racism is to be found

not only in crude jokes…but also in the basic assumption

which underlie curriculum structure and content,

pedagogical styles and disciplinary codes.” (Gillborn,

1990, p.198)

Dr Donna Cross (2002) of Curtin University, has developed

an anti-bullying policy, “Friendly Schools and Families

Programme” which is a whole-school intervention programme

aimed at reducing bullying while incorporating staff,

parents and students in this programme. This programme has

taken into account verbal as well as physical bullying due

to not only racism. And in this programme, there are six

principles for success in its framework – policy

development, school ethos, student management and support,

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physical environment, family links and classroom practice.

This well structured programme looks at early intervention

as one method of managing bullying in schools. Similarly,

schools could have their teachers trained to spot racist

behaviours and respond appropriately with negotiating

resolutions, counselling about more appropriate behaviour

and provision of support to students involved.

Schools should not breed hopelessness in their students by

categorically suppressing their students’ abilities based

on colour, ethnicity or first language. Schools are vital

warriors of meritocracy, equal opportunities and are not to

have “attempts made to route them [Asian and Afro-

Caribbean] into low-level manual work regardless of ability

or level of motivation for further education and

discrimination in entry to training schemes [which] acts as

a further block to employment and careers.” (Wench,

1987;1990; cited by Rattansi, 1992, p.23).

Creating an educational philosophy that cuts across colour,

creed and race seems highly complex and impossible. On the

other hand, the International Baccalaureate Organisation

(IBO) has been promoting such a philosophy since the 1960s,

evident in their mission statement

The International Baccalaureate Organisation aims to

develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young

people who help to create a better and more peaceful

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world through intercultural understanding and

respect….

These programmes encourage students across the world

to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners

who understand that other people, with their

differences can also be right. (IBO, 2005)

The overall philosophy of the IBO programme runs from its

primary school years to university, covering three

fundamental concepts of intercultural awareness, holistic

learning and communication. As students go through the IBO,

they are prepared and equipped for “effective participation

in the modern world” (IBO, 2005) in which schools are

involved in reflection and analysis of their teaching

strategies and activities so that students are

“internationally minded” (IBO, 2006). The IB programme is

true to its word and provides teaching in three main

languages, English, Spanish and French and have recently

launched a German pilot project enabling Diploma Programme

to be provided to students in German schools abroad in a

language other than the three mentioned. The success of the

IB programme indicates that there does exist an educational

philosophy that does not have an ethnocentric view of the

world.

On a micro level, teachers need to translate institutional

and educational policies into working strategies in their

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classrooms. Thus, teachers need to be aware of not only

open racism like name calling or snide remarks but how the

individual student is affected by unconscious remarks as

well as non-verbal body language. Take for example during a

classroom session when a comment is made unwittingly by a

student that might be hurtful to another, the teacher

should mark that language or comment and state the

unpleasantness of that comment. Students need to be

reminded that it is not the intent but the outcome of any

remark that is important. Thus, “issues of racial and

cultural differences…should be explored and exploited for

their learning potential.” (Arnold, 1998, p.80). Arnold

expresses her understanding that talking about racial

issues may be “difficult work but it is essential if a good

working relationship is to be built and if learning at a

deep level is to occur.” (p. 80). In addition, teachers can

incorporate fiction, drama, poetry, music and movies that

will “help children recognise commonalities as well as

acknowledge differences.” (Claire, 2007, p. 148)

According to Thompson who was referring to teachers of

social workers (cited by Lawson, 1998, p.67), “good

practice is anti-discriminatory practice” and that “social

work practice which does not take account of opposition and

discrimination cannot be seen as good practice, no matter

how high its standards may be in other respects.” Though it

refers to teachers in social work programmes, unbiased

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practices are principles applicable to all teachers in all

schools across the globe.

When teachers and institutions start defining people as

minorities or Asians or West Indians, there is a tendency

to generalise and treat them from those groups as a

homogeneous mass rather than relating to them as

individuals and try to meet their particular needs. Arnold

(1998) points out that the teacher in the classroom is the

role model as modelling facilitates learning behaviours and

skills and students look to the teacher before developing

their own styles and sets of behaviours.

Students in the EL2 classroom may come with feelings of

inferiority, as they may have no or limited knowledge of

English. The teacher needs to understand their

powerlessness and inadequacy in social interaction and

lifestyle in a predominantly English-speaking community.

Students need to be empowered to learn, develop social

skills and confidence. The teacher can invite them to

participate in decision-making processes. For some

students, it may be setting up study groups made up of

other students from the same class; for others, getting on

a train to explore parts of the host country armed with

knowledge of requesting in English. In not feeling

excluded, students can learn to appreciate their

surroundings, diversity in the classroom and be challenged

by these variants.

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Another method of managing racism and alienation could

involve student bodies like sports clubs, student unions

and culture-specific organisations where students get to

work together with their peers as well as the institution.

In the EL2 classroom, students can learn more about a

different community through social interaction like festive

celebrations, inter school community projects and

correspondence. Claire (2007) asked teachers to reflect on

the bigger picture when it comes to community projects

Not only should pupils be asked to examine taken-for-

granted attitudes about Western values but linking

should be within an economic and political context

which focuses on the causes of inequality and

recognises, that unlike short-term charity, raising

awareness and taking action against it can contribute

much more in the long term. (p. 149)

As such, this prevents the assumption that the one

particular school they have linked with or the students

they have worked with is a representation of all others and

not to reinforce stereotypes about a certain community.

Yet another method of managing alienation and racism is to

be aware of cultural variations in student behaviour and

attitudes or teachers might end up stereotyping. Scollon’s

research was that of contrasting traditions of Confucian

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discourse found in a tertiary classroom in Hong Kong and

that of a Western lecturer who was used to a Socratic form

of dialogue. She showed that Chinese students preferred

two formats of learning, that of having a lecture without

Socratic dialogue but privatised communication and the

other, small-group discussions instead of large-group ones

as they were reluctant to put themselves forward. In

understanding these cultural preferences, Western teachers

would not feel “…that their words are going to waste…fall

into a downward spiral of lowering [their] expectations and

simplifying [their] language …and decrease the possibility

of dialogue exchange.” (p. 27) In such instances, both

teachers and students would have benefited from

understanding their expectations of the other, thus not

alienating teacher from student nor vice-versa.

Yet another problem highlighted by Gillborn was how

linguistic diversity between EL2 speakers and their

teachers can be a cause of conflict and misunderstanding.

“…many people assume that language issues relate

solely to pupils of South Asian ethnic origin. Yet

evidence suggests that Afro-Caribbean pupils’ use of

Creole – an important symbol of ethnicity and shared

identity – often leads to conflict with white teachers

who view such linguistic forms as slang or even as a

challenge to their authority.” (p. 205)

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Thus, this calls for professional training of teachers to

be better prepared to handle a multicultural classroom,

manage potential conflicts and racism before they arise. As

such, schools and teachers have to be mindful of their

attitudes, language and behaviours. Instead of challenging

the system, teachers could perhaps challenge the students

by having them develop respect, empathy, understanding, and

appreciation of each other as human beings rather than

culturally different individuals. Spearheading such a

repositioning could be to move beyond the

multicultural/anti-racist impasse and create ‘education for

all’ as shown with the IBO programme; and the provision of

education for all students for life in the twenty-first

century with the appreciation of ethnic diversity as a

central focus.

Mitchell and Salisbury (1996) maintain the hope that,

“educators everywhere [of] multicultural education programs

will be able to help solve the problems of racial and

ethnic minorities and majority cultures alike.” (p. xii)

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Reference List

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the Practice Teacher for the Task in Lawson, H. (ed) Practice

Teaching – Changing Social Work. London: Jessica Kingsley

Publishers.

Banks, J. A. (1994). Multiethnic Education: Theory and

Practice. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Bennett C.I. (1990). Comprehensive Multicultural Education:

Theory and Practice. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Campbell, D.E. (2004). Choosing democracy: A practical

guide to multicultural education. New Jersey: Merrill

Claire, H. (2007). Diversity, in Hicks, D & Holden, C

(Eds.), Teaching the Global Dimension Key: Principles and Effective Practice.

(pp 140-149). London: Routledge

Cortazzi, M. & Lixian J. (1999) in Hinkel, E. (Ed.) (1999).

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United Kingdom: Cambridge.

Cross, D. (2002) Friendly Schools and Families Programme.

http://www.friendlyschools.com.au/teachers.php Retrieved on

29/09/08

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http://www.friendlyschools.com.au/teachers.php


Gillborn, D. (1990). ‘Race’, Ethnicity and Education :

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Unwin Hyman.

Gillborn, D. (2008). Racism and Education. London:

Routledge.

Gollnick D.M. & P.C. Chinn (2002) Multicultural Education

in a Pluralistic Society. New Jersey: Merrill

International Baccalaureate Organisation (2005).

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Lecture Notes.

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Lecture Notes

International Institute for Educational Planning (2003).

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l=http://unesco.unesco.org Retrieved on 05/09/2008

Jones, L. (2005). The Cultural Identity of Students: What

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15353 Retrieved on 05/09/2008

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http://findarticle.com/p/articles/mi_qa4009/is_200507/ai_nt15353

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http://www.unesco.org/iiep




Mitchell B.M & Salsbury R.E. (1996). Multicultural

Education: An International Guide to Research, Policies and

Programs. London: Greenwood Press.

Rattansi, A. (1992). Changing the Subject? Racism, Culture

and Education in Donald, J & Rattansi, A (Eds) ‘Race’, Culture &

Difference. Pp. 11-48. Great Britain: SAGE Publication.

Scollon, S., (1994). Not to Waste Words or Students in Eli

Hinkel (Ed.) (1990). Culture in Second Language Teaching and

Learning (pp. 13-27). United Kingdom: Cambridge

Smolicz J.J. (1979). Personal Cultural Systems in a Plural

Society. Media Asia, 6:1. pp 43-52.

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Multicultural Identities in the Classroom 2008 University of Adelaide

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