The Challenges Faced by Multicultural Children in American Schools

Multicultural children encounter a wide array of challenges in schools in America. These challenges hinder their ability to efficiently grow and be productive. Student’s success depends on whether their social and academic lives satisfy their needs. A close study of multicultural students’ obstacles and opinions of their educational experiences in America indicates the problems and solutions for improving their learning, social and cultural experiences.

Considering the views of students is especially relevant to understanding the difficulties evident in multicultural classrooms. Such students encounter challenges and setbacks adjusting socially and academically to the American atmosphere. The key to solving this problem is not to merely seek the advice and suggestions of teachers and staff, but rather the students themselves. This is crucial as there rests the “danger of unconsciously imposing our own cultural behaviors and expectations on these students, who do not have a working knowledge of our cultural expectations and behaviors” (Turner).

In the last three decades, schools in America, underwent a large growth of international students, but very few reforms to correspond to the problems resulting. Amongst the largest challenges for multicultural students relates to their English language skills, and “consideration of those multicultural students who are non-native speakers of English” (Byrne). There are very few language requirements for students to be accepted into higher education programs. But even if students more than meet this minimal acceptance requirement, they may be unfamiliar with terminology for a specialist subject matter.

Many students who have just accomplished the minimal language requirements struggle when...

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