The purpose of this unit can be describe as important tool in my education. This unit is designed to inform prospective educators that children stems from different diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds and educates me about my own linguistic and cultural background. Linguistic diversity1 can be classified as an increasing phenomenon of growing value for most of all languages that are threatened in their fight for existence (Gorter and Cenoz et al., 2013, pp. 1-10). This diversity in the languages has brought forth changes in the spirit of a language, which according to Gorter and Cenoz et al. (2013, pp. 1-10) comes with important implications for individuals and societies of an language.
However the main purpose of the unit is to understand my own country’s linguistic and cultural background with regards to the African languages2. In this essay classroom literacies will be discussed in terms of linguistic diversity in South African classrooms and an educator’s role in managing and sensitizing learners to cultural and linguistic diversity in a manner of multilingualism. And finally the benefit and the implications of being exposed to the linguistic diversity unit will be discussed in terms of my professional development in becoming a prospective teacher.
In South Africa very few schools use African languages as a medium of instruction (Gorter and Cenoz et al., 2013, pp. 1-10). In most schools the medium of instruction is English or Afrikaans, linguistic diversity according to Evans and Cleghorn (2010, pp. 30--42 is also made complicated with the influx of African refugee and migrant workers’ children (Evans and Cleghorn, 2010, pp. 30--42). South African’s language diversity can be seen as multilingual were most of the ...
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...nline] Avaiable at: http://www.susdiv.org/uploadfiles/RT1.2_PP_Durk.pdf [Accessed: 16 Nov 2013].
Martinez, H. 2013. Linguistic and cultural diversity | Open Websites. [online] Available at: http://ows.edb.utexas.edu/site/hicela-martinez/linguistic-and-cultural-diversity [Accessed: 17 Nov 2013].
Nyaga, S. 2013. Managing linguistic diversity in literacy and language development: an analysis of teachers' attitudes, skills and strategies in multilingual classrooms in kenyan primary schools. Doctor of Philosophy. Stellenbosch University.[ online] Avaiable at: scholar.sun.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10019.../nyaga_managing_2013.pdf? [Accessed: 15 Nov 2013].
Silliman, E. and Wilkinson, L. 2013. Reading Online - Articles: Classroom Language and Literacy Learning. [online] Available at: http://www.readingonline.org/articles/handbook/wilkinson/index.html [Accessed: 13 Nov 2013].
Lisa Delpit’s book, “The Skin We Speak”, talked about language and culture, and how it relates to the classroom. How we speak gives people hits as to where we are from and what culture we are a part of. Unfortunately there are also negative stereotypes that come with certain language variations. There is an “unfounded belief that the language of low income groups in rural or urban industrial areas is somehow structurally “impoverished” or “simpler” than Standard English” (Delpit 71). The United States is made of people from various cultures and speak many different variations of languages. As teachers we must be aware of some of the prejudices we may have about language and culture.
2. Cummins, J. and Schecter, S. (2003). Multilingual Education in Practice: Using diversity as a resource, Ch.3: Valuing Multilingual and multicultural approaches to learning, pp. 32-55.
It is important to maintain children’s home language as it may help them learn and understand a second language. Barratt-Pugh (2000) discusses the benefits of bilingualism and maintaining it through early childhood settings, also mentions the concerns families have for their children maintaining two languages through schooling. Research within the article states that children who speak more than one language will have a higher level of understanding literacy content, form, genre, as well as understand the differences and translating within both languages. This demonstrates a contrast of strengths and experiences with literacy (linguist...
The purpose of this study is to figure out which ways experienced teachers work best with culturally and linguistically diverse students. This study illustrates which strategies experienced teachers have found to work best. The diversity in school in the United States has increased each year. This means that there are an increasing amount of students who are learning English, English language learners (ELLs). This article comes from the perspective that each child should be taught to their specific needs. All students deserve a fair chance to learn. Fair means that every student is treated differently, not equally. Every student learns differently. In order to give every student a fair chance at learning, you must teach them according to their needs. An experienced teacher, Tiffany, describes her experiences working with culturally and linguistically diverse students. This study watches her methods and discusses what works based on data analysis of the success of her students.
Literacy is a fundamental life skill; all children should have. As Australia is an increasingly multicultural country, migration has directly affected teachers whose classrooms nowadays have an array of linguistically diverse students. As a result, the definition of literacy is no longer considered the ability to read and write. Theory suggests that language acquisition is enhanced by social interaction with peers and more knowledgeable others, combined with explicit instruction and a supportive learning surrounding. Therefore, teachers are required to consider the linguistic backgrounds of students, whilst valuing this diversity to build proficiency in Standard Australian English, using culturally relevant content within a knowledgeable and stimulating learning environment.
America’s workforce is continuously changing. Businesses today hire and retain culturally diverse employees to compete in the globalize market. Companies are developing ways to tap into and capitalize upon the talents of their workforces. They are discovering how to value the diversity of their workforces and the potential that diversity brings in flexibility, ingenuity and problem solving are helping them achieve their goals.
Howard, Elizabeth R., and Kathryn J. Lindholm-Leary. Guiding Principles for Dual Language Education. Washington, D.C.: Center for Applied Linguistics, 2007. Print.
Blain, Sue. “Multilingualism`masks deficient teachiong of reading`.” Business Day (south Africa). 26 Jun. 2007. 22 Sep. 2008
Language is a means of communication and it varies from one community to another. Everyone has a mother tongue which depended on the family’s upbringing. A second language can be learned along the way. There are also instances where a person is born in a community that speaks two languages and therefore, had to learn both languages. The quality of the languages learned will be affected by how well the community speaks both languages. This can later develop into a new form of language. The essay describes the frustration of the author who felt rejected by different groups for speaking a different form of language. Her essay aims to gain sympathy from readers by seeing the issue from her point of view. Anzaldua attempts to achieve this in her essay by raising issues on identity and discrimination. She wanted to highlight that language is not determined by a country’s physical borders.
In today’s society, especially in the United States, most people are monolingual English speakers. As a result, these monolingual speakers are at a significant disadvantage compared to those who speak more than one language fluently. This disadvantage is crucial to realize since it is important to learn how individuals and the nation can be enhanced. Multilingual speakers have an advantage in global affairs that involve countries that speak different languages. Speaking multiple languages makes it easier to communicate with people when involved in foreign affairs. Those who speak multiple languages are also more aware of other cultures in society. Monolingual speakers are not as exposed to other cultures and have difficulty understanding or even recognizing them. Furthermore, being multilingual increases your
...s Bilingual Education seem impressive on the surface, but in reality, there are many prevalent issues that policymakers have conveniently overlooked which affects other monolingual children who are ‘underrepresented’ and forced into a Bilingual Education. Jill critiqued that the current ‘drip-feed’ system; in which students are exposed to Mother Tongue for only two periods a day is clearly insufficient and students should be offered more languages that are of interest to them. As Jill sips her coffee, she contemplates the future of her children. Will they go through the same experience? Which Mother Tongue must she choose for them? Will this experience be a vicious cycle? Jill vowed to provide the best for her children but as for herself, her adamant refusal to acknowledge Malay as a second language has successfully reverted her back to be the striving monolingual.
Becoming a Language Teacher is a valuable tool, which provides a practical guide to the skills and knowledge needed by teachers to address the diverse needs of language learners. Today, mainstream classroom teachers work with learners with a diverse range of backgrounds and therefore teachers face multiple challenges; they need to teach content-area curriculum while at the same time supporting students ' language development. Thus, what makes the second edition of the book stands out is that it addresses both the academic and language needs of language learners, and it supports novice language teachers at the beginning of their teaching careers. Its goal is to help teachers become creative, competent, supportive and up-to date language teachers
Being multilingual has great importance. As previously presented, it keeps cultural diversity alive and creates better communication with the rest of the ...
In conducting her research, the author understood that she needed to describe key issues of culturally diverse students, recommend a curriculum approach to address the issues, and discuss the challenges and benefits expected. In reading Cultural and Linguistic Diversity: Issues in Education (2010), s...
As time goes by and as the global community develops, the world grows more and more international, making second or third language acquisition become necessary to the majority. With the growing importance of multiple language ability, more and more parents think of bilingual or multilingual education, which means acquisitions of two or more languages, for their kids. In fact, we do have many reasons showing why multilingual education is important and beneficial, such as aspects of interpersonal relationship, employment, brain health, and so on.