UNIT III BULLET III
Language Diversity in the Classroom
Diversity means a combination of different social backgrounds, races,
cultures, ethnicity, gender, religion, and different languages. Diversity is seen in
the classroom too. Diversity in the classroom may even be related to the varying
intellectual abilities and social skills of the students. Having diversity in the
classroom helps students understand each other’s culture, language, ethnicity,
religion, etc. Through diversity, a new perspective will be brought into the
classroom. Linguistic diversity refers to the difference between languages and
cultural diversity refers to the difference in cultures. In a classroom, learners
belonging to different cultures who speak different languages may be present.
Characteristics of Linguistic Diversity
1. Linguistic diversity encompasses different types of qualities such as a
person’s language, grammar, and vocabulary.
2. One country may have more than a thousand languages all on its own.
3. The tribal groups, specifically those who are more isolated from the world,
are more likely to speak a different language.
4. Linguistic diversity aids in measuring the concentration or density of a
particular language in different areas.
5. The sharing of linguistic traits of certain groups or communities amongst
one another leads to the development of a language family.
6. A language family is composed of languages that comprise the common
elements.
7. Linguistic diversity is one of the main features of diversity that form an
integral part.
Importance of Linguistic Diversity
By fostering education for understanding diversity and different cultures of India in
the classroom:
Understanding of Different Cultures: Students will have an understanding of
their classmate’s cultures. They will learn about each other’s cultural backgrounds
and have compassion for it.
Promotes Equality: Students will not feel left out or being treated unequally.
They will feel a sense of belongingness in the classroom and school.
Understanding of Diversity: It helps in giving students a deeper understanding of
diversity. This will help the students in broadening their knowledge about cultural
differences.
Observance of Holidays: Students will understand the holiday traditions of each
culture and why it is celebrated. They will be encouraged to celebrate the different
cultures represented in the classroom.
Fosters Comfort: Students will feel comfortable and safe inside as well as outside
the classroom.
Fosters Confidence: Students will feel more confident in themselves as well
while interacting with their peers.
Develops Mutual Respect: Students will grow up to be open-minded, treat
everyone equally, and have empathy for others irrespective of race, religion,
culture, etc.
Educational Implications of Linguistic Diversity in Education
Here are the educational implications of linguistic diversity in education:
Get to Know your Students
Cultural awareness can be bought in the classroom only when the teacher
understands each student. Every student is unique and the teacher should try to
understand each student’s cultural background. This will help students learn about
each other’s culture and have compassion for it.
Respect Every Student
The teacher should treat all the students equally. There should be no prejudice
inside the classroom. A kid may feel that because of his/her cultural background,
the teacher treats him/her differently from others. Looking at the teacher, many
students may follow the same behavior as the kid. Hence, a teacher also must treat
every student equally without any discrimination.
Give Assignments Related to Cultural Diversity
Assignments related to their cultural background should be given to the students to
present in the classroom. Students will do proper research on it and share their
cultural knowledge with their classmates. This way every student will have an
understanding of their classmates’ culture. The students themselves will also have
a better understanding of their own culture.
Examine your Teaching Materials
As a teacher, try to expand your cultural knowledge and share the information
acquired with your students. This is a very effective way of making students
understand the importance of cultural diversity. It helps in giving students a deeper
understanding of diversity. This will not only be helpful for the students but the
teacher too in broadening the knowledge of cultural differences.
Observe the Holidays of Every Culture
Celebrate the holidays of every culture so that students feel a sense of belonging in
the classroom and school. This way the students will understand the holiday
traditions of each culture and why it is celebrated. Encourage all students to
celebrate the different cultures represented in the classroom.
Linguistic Diversity in the classroom will help students learn from each
other as well as help the students in their personal development. For a teacher to
teach effectively and for students to work as a team, understanding each other in
every aspect is essential. This will lead to healthy relationships among the
classmates and a good atmosphere in the classroom.
Role of the teacher
Use fairness and balance in dealing with students. Students should never
have any justification for believing that "people like me [whites, African
Americans, Latinos, Vietnamese] don't get a fair chance".
Choose texts and instructional materials that show all ethnic groups in
equally positive and non stereotypical roles.
Make sure underrepresented groups are not misrepresented.
Themes should be non-biased, and individuals from under-represented
groups should appear in non stereotypical high-status roles.
Supplement textbooks with authentic material from different cultures taken
from newspapers, magazines, and other media of the culture.
Reach out to children's parents and families with information and activities
appropriate to their language and culture
Avoid communicating bias, but discuss racial or ethnic relations with
empathy and openly, rather than trying to pretend there are no differences
Avoid stereotyping and emphasize the diversity of individuals, not groups
Let students know that racial or ethnic bias, including slurs, taunts, and jokes,
will not be tolerated in the classroom or in the school.
Help all students to value their own and others' cultural heritages and
contributions to history and civilization. At the same time, avoid trivializing
or stereotyping cultures merely in terms of ethnic foods and holidays.
Decorate classrooms, hallways, and the library/media center with murals,
bulletin boards, posters, artifacts, and other materials that are representative
of the students in the class or school or of the other cultures being studied.
Use cooperative learning, which has been shown to improve relations across
racial and ethnic lines
The positive effects of cooperative learning experiences often outlast the
teams or groups themselves and may extend to relationships outside of
school. Cooperative learning contributes to both achievement and social
harmony and can increase the participation of children from under-
represented groups
Never publicly embarrass children by correcting their English. Instead,
praise their correct answer and restate it correctly. To encourage students to
use their English, establish a class wide norm of never teasing or laughing at
English errors
Conclusion
Linguistic Diversity in the classroom will help students learn from each
other as well as help the students in their personal development. For a teacher to
teach effectively and for students to work as a team, understanding each other in
every aspect is essential. This will lead to healthy relationships among the
classmates and a good atmosphere in the classroom.