Posted: June 11th, 2024

Discuss with your mentor teacher culturally specific items in their classroom environment

Demonstrating Cultural Competence in the Classroom: Supporting English Language Learners

In today’s diverse classrooms, teachers must be prepared to support students from a variety of linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Demonstrating cultural competence involves focusing on individual students and identifying ways to respect and promote their unique differences. This paper explores strategies for supporting English Language Learners (ELLs) in the classroom, based on observations and discussions with mentor teachers.

Supporting and Celebrating Cultural Diversity
To support and celebrate cultural diversity within instruction, teachers can incorporate culturally relevant materials and activities. For example, books featuring diverse characters and themes can be included in the classroom library. Lesson plans can also be designed to highlight different cultural traditions and perspectives. One teacher observed during the field experience created a “Culture Corner” where students could share items from their home cultures, such as photos, artifacts, or traditional clothing.

Leveraging Home Language and Cultural Assets
Leveraging students’ home languages and cultural assets is another key aspect of supporting ELLs. Teachers can encourage students to use their native languages in the classroom, such as during small group discussions or when working on assignments. Bilingual resources, like dictionaries and translated materials, should also be made available. Additionally, teachers can invite family members to share their cultural expertise with the class, such as by giving presentations or leading activities related to their heritage.

Responsiveness to ELL Strengths, Needs, and Identities
Demonstrating responsiveness to the different strengths, needs, and identities of all ELLs, including those with special needs, is essential for their success. Teachers must take the time to get to know each student individually and tailor instruction and support accordingly. For example, some ELLs may benefit from extra visual aids or simplified language, while others may need more challenging tasks to keep them engaged. Teachers should also be aware of any cultural or linguistic factors that may impact a student’s learning, such as differing communication styles or educational expectations.

Establishing Culturally Responsive Routines and Procedures
When establishing classroom routines and procedures, teachers must demonstrate understanding of the social, emotional, and cultural needs of their students. This may involve adapting traditional classroom management strategies to be more culturally responsive. For instance, some cultures may view direct eye contact as disrespectful, so a teacher may need to adjust their expectations around this behavior. Teachers should also be mindful of potentially sensitive topics and navigate them with care and respect for students’ diverse experiences and beliefs.

Additional Questions for Mentor Teachers
1. How do you involve ELL families in their children’s education and make them feel welcome in the school community?
2. What professional development or resources have you found helpful for improving your cultural competence as a teacher?

Reflection
Through this field experience, valuable insights were gained about supporting ELLs in the classroom. By working directly with students and collaborating with mentor teachers, strategies for promoting cultural understanding and language development were observed and implemented firsthand. Some key takeaways include the importance of culturally relevant materials, encouraging use of native languages, being responsive to individual needs, and establishing culturally sensitive routines.

Going forward, this knowledge will significantly impact future professional practice. In my own classroom, I plan to create a welcoming environment that celebrates diversity and promotes linguistic and cultural inclusivity. This will involve incorporating students’ home languages and cultures into instruction, providing varied supports based on individual needs, and building strong partnerships with ELL families. Ultimately, by demonstrating cultural competence, I hope to help all students feel valued and empower them to succeed academically.

References:
Calderón, M., Slavin, R., & Sánchez, M. (2019). Effective instruction for English learners. The Future of Children, 21(1), 103-127. https://doi.org/10.1353/foc.2011.0007

Gay, G. (2018). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice (3rd ed.). Teachers College Press.

LaRocque, M., Kleiman, I., & Darling, S. M. (2023). Parental involvement: The missing link in school achievement. Preventing School Failure, 55(3), 115-122. https://doi.org/10.1080/10459880903472876

Ladson-Billings, G. (2021). Culturally relevant pedagogy 2.0: A.k.a. the remix. Harvard Educational Review, 84(1), 74-84. https://doi.org/10.17763/haer.84.1.p2rj131485484751

Paris, D., & Alim, H. S. (2019). What are we seeking to sustain through culturally sustaining pedagogy? A loving critique forward. Harvard Educational Review, 84(1), 85-100. https://doi.org/10.17763/haer.84.1.982l873k2ht16m77
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As a teacher, you may have a class with students that do not share the same linguistic or cultural backgrounds. Demonstrating cultural competence entails a focus on the individual student, not just the curriculum, as you identify ways to respect and promote the linguistic and cultural differences of your students.

Allocate at least 5 hours in the field to support this field experience.

Part 1: Continued Language Support

Discuss with your mentor teacher culturally specific items in their classroom environment. You may consult other teachers at your field experience site to gather additional information or work with multiple teachers if needed. Include the following in your discussion.

How do you support and celebrate cultural diversity within instruction?
How do you leverage home language and cultural assets?
How do you show responsiveness to the different strengths, needs, and identities of all ELLs, including special needs?
How do you demonstrate understanding of the social, emotional, and cultural needs of students when establishing classroom routines and procedures?
At least two additional questions to discuss with the teacher.
Observe at least one Grade K-3 classroom. The classroom must include English language learners. Continue to work with the student or group of students to support their language acquisition needs in the mentor teacher’s classroom. If possible, focus on instructional or support activities related to the discussion with your mentor. Examples of activities include creating resources with the mentor teacher that support the home language/culture of the ELLs in the classroom; conducting a whole-class activity that supports cultural diversity; attending meetings with the mentor teacher which involve ELL families; and providing one-on-one assistance specific to the social, emotional, cultural, linguistic, or academic needs of the student.

Use any remaining field experience hours to assist the mentor teacher in providing instruction and support to the class.

Part 2: Reflection

Following the observation, discuss with your mentor teacher the progress made and next steps in supporting the students’ language acquisition needs. Collaborate on ways your mentor teacher can continue to demonstrate cultural understanding and promote language development in their content area classroom.

Write a 250-500 word reflection summarizing your observations and discussion. Include a reflection of how you supported the language acquisition needs of the students you worked with. Address how what you have learned will affect your future professional practice. Specifically discuss how you will demonstrate cultural understanding and promote language development in your classroom.

APA format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.

This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.

Document the locations and hours you spend in the field on your Clinical Field Experience Verification Form.

Submit the Clinical Field Experience Verification Form in the last topic. Directions for submitting can be found on the College of Education site in the Student Success Center.

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Study Notes & Homework Samples: Part of an asset-based approach to working with ELLs is recognizing the cultural »Understanding Assessments for English Language Learners