Making School Teaching Relevant for Culturally Diverse Students: A Move From Research to Productive Practice

• In Event: 51.065 - Cultivating Culturally Responsive Schools and Teaching

Abstract

In an era of large scale migration and growing multiculturalism, providing appropriately differentiated forms of teaching that build on students’ life experiences and languages while introducing them to the expectations of successful participation in school learning poses a pedagogical challenge to teachers. There is no way of making a difference without heeding this summons to change. My presentation responds to this challenge by marking a move from research on multicultural instruction to the analysis of an actual class to illustrate what form the inferences from research can take in actual practice to promote learning that is personally relevant to all students. I use this example to discuss its implications for teacher education that seeks to promote a multiculturally sensitive pedagogy.

Author

• Tara Ratnam, Independent Teacher Educator