Identifying Promising Practices in Teaching Ethnically Diverse Children in the Elementary School.
Author(s):
King, Edith W.; Milan, Marjorie
Format:
Report
Publisher:
1981.
Language:
English
Abstract:
A study was made of techniques used by teachers of children from widely diverse ethnic backgrounds. Thirty-two classrooms with children from ages four to eight years were observed and the teachers were interviewed. Most of the children were non-English speaking Vietnamese, Hmong (Laos), and Mexican Americans. Observers assessed the broad areas of classroom organization, social interactions in the classroom, rules and routines, cultural continuity in the classroom, and innovative strategies used by the teacher. Few innovative strategies were observed. Classrooms, for the most part, were conducted much as any other kindergarten through second grade classrooms. From the observations, a profile was drawn of the type of teacher who would be most effective in an ethnically diverse classroom. This model teacher individualizes the entire curriculum for each child and interacts in a positive and supportive manner with each. Much praise and encouragement characterizes this teaching style. The classroom decorations reflect the ethnic background and heritage of all the children, and the teacher refers to aspects of the childrens' culture during learning activities. This teacher maintains close contact with parents, and attempts to learn a few words of the languages the children speak. The classroom of the model teacher is arranged so that children work face to face, and children are not stereotyped by ethnic or racial identity or academic ability. Of the teachers observed in this study, at least seven displayed all or nearly all of these characteristics and behaviors. The Multicultural Classroom Checklist used for observation is included in this report as well as a copy of the questionnaire used in the interviews. (JD)