Dr. Shelley K. Taylor - ucc.dk · Canadian population: 35 million (Statistics Canada, 2011) 200,000...
Transcript of Dr. Shelley K. Taylor - ucc.dk · Canadian population: 35 million (Statistics Canada, 2011) 200,000...
Background—numbers, mismatches &
culturally/linguistically responsive pedagogy; educator beliefs & needs
Needs analysis for teaching in multicultural schools
o micro (school-based) needs
o macro (societal level) needs
Discussion
Recommendations
Canadian population: 35 million (Statistics Canada, 2011)
200,000 immigrants/year & majority settle in Ontario
16.3% of new immigrants in 2011 students under age 14 (69.1% between 15-64)
In Toronto District School Board (2013), over 50% of students speak L1 other than English
Diverse student body, but homogenous teachers; mismatch
Immigrant & refugee children encounter English (or Danish!) for 1st time in classroom
Challenges:
learn L2
study content via L2 (CBI) with discipline-specific discourses
possible clash of knowledges → multicultural students & ‘national curriculum’ (Holmen, 2011)
culturally responsive pedagogy = curricular changes so students receive appropriate instruction
“curriculum” changes (Cummins, 2001 & 2011) →
classroom & school policies; pedagogy; assessment; community involvement, etc.
responsive to linguistic, cultural, racial & religious diversity
“… these children (and their families) contain ample resources... that can form the bases for an education that far exceeds what working-class students usually receive” (Moll,
1992, p. 21)
culturally/linguistically responsive pedagogy informed by funds of knowledge involves including the resources L2 children into the (Danish, Canadian, etc.) classroom with them
Includes plurilingualism…
“the ability to use languages for the purposes of
communication & to take part in intercultural
interaction, where a person, viewed as a social actor
has proficiency, of varying degrees, in several
languages & experience of several cultures” (Coste et al.,
2009, p. 11)
complex competence on which the social actor may
draw (Coste et al., 2009, p. 17)
1. “TL-only”: instruction should be in the TL &
there is no place for students’ L1s in FL or
FSL teaching (neither heritage nor dominant
Ls)
2. No translation between the L1 & TL
3. Languages should be kept separate
(Cummins, 2007)
Pedagogy that enables /
provides space for
plurilinguals to draw on
diverse linguistic
competences, heightened
multilingual awareness,
discursive & pragmatic
knowledge of other Ls, &
overall “funds of knowledge”
- the knowledge base & life strategies that children learn at home & in their local community
(Moll & González, 1997)
Examples:
multimodal, dual / multi-language ‘texts’
language portfolios
linguistic history interviews
code-meshing in written texts (Identity Texts; digital storytelling)
translanguaging / polylanguaging in readers’ theatre . . .
1. LANGUAGE ‘USE’ → task-based approach to
communicative language teaching (CoE, 1991)
2. LITERACY ENGAGEMENT FRAMEWORK → prioritize identities to maximize cognitive
engagement in learning; with heightened
investment comes greater academic achievement (Cummins, 2001)
3. TRANSFORMATIVE MULTILITERACIES
PEDAGOGY → language not the only factor in
educational achievement, but can address diverse
learners’ needs when respect & support for L1
linked to respect & incorporation of identities in
curriculum (Cummins, 2009)
Research Focus:
1. Educator constructions of ‘legitimate knowledge’ &
views on providing space for alternative knowledges
(e.g., plurilingualism)
2. Affordances provided to educators
Methodology:
teacher interviews
document analysis (pedagogical & curricular materials)
Educators
– teachers of Nepali-Bhutannese refugee children with have limited prior schooling
- teachers providing ELD programming (vs. ESL)
- ELD = requiring literacy & numeracy development due to interrupted schooling
Educational structures: ELD projekt – teaching literacy, numeracy & skills (how to ‘do school’)
- cultural support worker in the school for families
- parents taking ESL
Educator’s struggles:
Understanding that the children were not all speaking ‘Nepali’
Recognizing L1 from last name
Acceptance of translanguaging
Need to improvise
Children’s struggles
Wanting ‘normalcy’ back → speaking ‘Nepali’ to the teacher
“N” on report card – behavioural norms N = needs
improvement
S = satisfactory
G = good
E = excellent
Board level electronic “Students” → “Elementary resources” “Databases” →
Supports
Ex. Photo Gallery
Photos | Videos | Slideshows | Interviews | Famous People | Recipes | Flags | Graphs and Tables
Access to appropriate materials increases teachers’ sense of preparedness & self-efficacy
→ ramifications for teacher motivation & student achievement)
Pearson Canada (2014),
“Big ideas” series
Pearson Canada (2014), “Big ideas” series
Kirwans & Little (2014)
“managing” diversity in education
administrative support
whole-school language policies - cum - culturally responsive pedagogy
‘language awareness’ to raise awareness of linguistic diversity as plurilingual teaching strategy (International Linguistics Olympiad http://www.ioling.org/ & L across the curriculum)
upsetting the apple cart (unsettling identities) — who is a learner? who is proficient?)
— from linguistic to cultural awareness
— the importance of children’s agency
Macro
Necessary affordances—1. teacher education – gain knowledge of diversity; 2. materials (to facilitate culturally responsive pedagogy); 3. broader enabling structures (school board, Ministry)
Micro
Role of educator beliefs & belief in self
Onus for change—broader than all up to the individual teacher
Need:
knowledge base in cultural diversity
& culturally relevant curricula
It takes a community to raise a child.