Multiculturalism

CULTURE
A totality of learned behaviors in the context of a
social system (Slonim, 1991)
Includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law,
custom, and any other capacities and habits
acquired by individuals as members of society
The characteristics of that individuals society or
some subgroup within that society
We live it and may cause some distress when
we are out of our culture.
Attributes include familial, linguistic, religious,
spiritual, aesthetic, socioeconomic, educational,
dietary, gender etc.
MULTICULTURALISM
A WORLD VIEW THAT REJECTS THE GLOBAL
CENTRALITY OF ANY SINGLE CULTURE OR
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
A PRINCIPLE, AN APPROACH, OR A SET OF
RULES OF CONDUCT THAT GUIDES THE
INTERACTIONS AND INFLUENCES THE
PERCEPTIONS, BELIEFS, ATTITUDES, AND
BEHAVIORS OF PEOPLE FROM DIVERSE
CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS
 Multiculturalismis a policy
that emphasizes the unique
characteristics of different
cultures, especially as they
relate one another in
receiving nations.
Advantages of Multiculturalism
Lead cultural exchanges

Add variety in the life of all

citizens
Bridges the chasm of
ignorance and arrogance
 Disdvantages of
Multiculturalism
Brings anxiety to stability of
national identity
Creates national disunity

Questionable loyalties

Brings anxiety to stability of

national identit
 Multiculturalism
in the Philippines:
Boon or Bane?
 Referents of
Multiculturalism
1. Demographic Descriptive
the word multicultural refers to
the existence of linguistically,
culturally and ethnically diverse
segments in the population of a
society
2.Ideological-Normative
This usage of multiculturalism
constitutes a specific focus
towards the management and
organization of governmental
responses to ethnic diversity
Exclusion
process of progressive social
rupture, detaching groups and
individuals from social relations
and institutions and preventing
them from full participation in the
normal, normatively prescribed
activities of the society in which
they live.
Apartheid
inhuman acts committed for the
purpose of establishing and
maintaining domination by one
racial group of persons over any
other racial group of persons and
systematically oppressing them
Ethnic Cleansing
the attempt to create ethnically
homogeneous geographic areas
through the deportation or forcible
displacement of persons
belonging to particular ethnic
groups
Genocide

the deliberate and systematic

destruction of a group of people
because of their ethnicity,
nationality, religion , or race.
Acts of Genocide
Killing members of the group;

Causing serious bodily or mental

harm to members of the group;
Deliberately inflicting on the group
conditions of life calculated to
bring about its physical destruction
in whole or in part;.
 Imposing measures intended to
prevent births within the group;
Forcibly transferring children of
the group to another grou
Progmmatic-Political

Usage of multiculturalism refers to

the specific policies developed to
respond and manage ethnic
diversity
Multicultural Education

Field of study and an emerging

discipline whose major aim is to
create equal educational
opportunities from racial, ethnic,
social class and cultural groups
James Banks Goals of ME:

Totransform school so that male

and female students, exceptional
students from diverse cultural,
social-class, racial and ethnic
groups experience an equal
opportunity to learn.
 To help students to acquire
knowledge, attitudes and skills
needed to function effectively in
pluralistic democratic society
To help students to acquire
knowledge and commitments
needed to make reflective
decisions
Multicultural Education-IT IS
An idea
An education reform movement
A process
 To promote democracy and
democratic living
To help students develop more
positive attitudes toward different
racial, ethnic, cultural and religious
groups.
Multicultural Education
A multifaceted, organizational, change-oriented strategy
aimed at seven goals
1. Educational equity
2. Empowerment of students, parents, and teachers
3. Development of society that values cultural pluralism
4. Understanding and harmony in classroom, school and
community
5. Maintenance and expansion of freedom and
democracy
6.knowledge of cultural and ethnic groups
7.develop all staff , parents and students with
multicultural perspective
Cultural Pluralism
The notion that groups should be allowed
and even encouraged to hold on to what
gives them their unique identities while
maintaining their membership in the larger
social framework.
It does not advocate separatism but
promote diversity - not a melting pot but a
salad bowl concept-unity with uniqueness!
Multicultural Education-A little
history
Grew out of the civil rights movement of the
1960s which was grounded in the democratic
ideas of freedom, justice and equality
Extends the values and beliefs inherent in a
democracy- the promotion of human rights and
privileges, the sharing power and equal
participation in all social contexts
Communication and Culture
Playing by the Rules
 Educational Setting
Schools have a culture that has
values, beliefs and norms that
are related to school success
School Culture
Rigid schedules
Analytical reasoning
Individual achievement
Competition
Definition of disability according to laws
Certain learning styles (visual and
auditory)
Possible home cultures
Flexible schedules
Intuitive reasoning
Achievement through cooperation
Definition of disability by physical
characteristics, intuition, other family
members with disability.
Different learning styles
Language and Communication
language and culture are so inextricably
intertwined that it is often difficult to consider one
without the other (Padron & Knight, 1990)
It includes:
Pronunciation
Vocabulary
Phonology (rhythm, tempo pitch)
When to speak and what is left unspoken
Questioning
Dialects, accents
Language and Communication
Students whose spoken and written language
does not match the requirements of mainstream
language experience academic difficulties due to
differences in language capabilities.
May cause overrepresentation of students in
Special Education due to language differences-
especially students who speak English as a
second language .
Nonverbal Communication
65% of all communication is related to nonverbal
communication
Proxemics (interpersonal space)
Kinesics (body language)
Haptics (frequency of touching)
Paralanguage (voice, tone, pitch and rhythm)
Inexperience teachers often overreact to
nonverbal cultural manifestation by imposing
rules and prohibitions
 Teaching Culturally and
Linguistically Diverse (CLD)
Students
Addressing Learning Styles is
affective way of instructing CLD
student
Example:Gardners Multiple
Intelligences
Field dependent learners vs
field independent learners
Field independent learners
Focus on parts instead of whole
Focus on things
Prefer learning by watching and listening
Prefer learning individually
Can learn without the need for hands-on
activities
Field dependent learners

Respond to things in terms of the whole instead of

isolated parts
Prefer learning in groups
Focus on people rather than things
Prefer learning by doing
More proficient in nonverbal communication
Prefer kinesthetic, active, hands-on instructional
activities
Does not focus on competition
 Four Approaches in Achieving
Multicultural Education

1. Contributions Approach

The ethnic heroes and holidays

are included in the curriculum.
2. Additive Approach

A unit or course is incorporated

but no substantial change is made
to the curriculum as a whole
Add name
3. Transformation Approach

Students are taught to view events

and issues from diverse ethnic
and cultural perspectives.
4. Social Action Approach

Students not only learn to view

issues from multiple perspectives
but also become directly involved
in solving related problems
Multicultural Education
is a progressive approach for
transforming education that
holistically critiques and addresses
current shortcomings, failings and
discriminatory practices in
education.
Shared Ideals
Every student must have an equal
opportunity to achieve her or his
full potential
Every student must be prepared to
competently participate in an
increasingly intercultural society
Teachers must be prepared to
effectively facilitate learning for
every individual student
Schools must be active participants
in ending oppression of all types
Education must become more fully
student-center.
Teachers must be prepared to
effectively facilitate learning for
every individual student
Schools must be active participants
in ending oppression of all types
Education must become more fully
student-center.
Educators, activists and others
must take a more active role in
reexamining all educational practice
and how they affect the learning of
all students
All students have an incredible
capacity for developing the ability
to use multiple learning styles in
much the same way that multiple
language competency can be
accomplished (Hillard, 1992)