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Multicultural vision
- By exploring the interest of teachers and community members in offering language classes. The class will focus on conversational competence and cultural communication norms.
- By promoting school themes related to multiculturalism. Months
or weeks could by dedicated to specific cultures represented by the school community.
Students, parents, and community members could contribute to presentations, displays, ethnic food demonstrations, music,
sports, celebrations, or other events that highlight various cultures.
- By engaging students in research projects on different cultures.
Their presentation and exhibits could be a catalyst for discussion and further investigation.
- By identifying knowledgeable people from each culture within the school community to consult with
the teachers about communication patterns. Their first hand knowledge and experience
will enable the teachers to develop important guidelines for communicating effectively.
The consultants may be but not limited to ESL teachers, translators, church sponsors, business persons or other community
members; or are area college or university professors, instructors, or graduate assistants.
- By introducing family members and parents to the words and feeling of members of the school community
who may come from backgrounds or cultures differ from their own. By inviting
members of these cultures to share their feelings and perceptions through means of interviews, tapes, videos, or face-t-face
discussions etc;
Rationale:
Effective communication positively affects the quality
of our lives by fostering more supportive relationships. It is through communication
that we inform others about who we are and what we value. This is a good communication
tool.
For teachers,
parents, and students unfamiliar languages and cultural patterns can be viewed as significant communication challenges or
as important learning opportunities. Teachers aware of the growing numbers of
non-English speaking parents. In addition to non-English speaking parents, teachers
may lead with a large numbers of students who are not proficient with language. Parents
who have had less than positive school experiences themselves may be intimidated and somewhat threatened by formal communication
from schools.
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