Posted: September 19th, 2023

Clinical Field Experience C: Cultural Competence

Clinical Field Experience C: Cultural Competence

Paper instructions:
Assessment Description
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.

Cultural Competence in the Classroom
Part 1: Continued Language Support
When working to support cultural diversity and celebrate students’ home languages and cultures, it is important for teachers to get to know each student as an individual and leverage their unique strengths. Some strategies mentor teachers at my field site use include:
Displaying classroom signs, schedules, and other materials in students’ home languages as well as English to foster a welcoming environment and aid comprehension.
Incorporating multicultural books, images and topics into lessons to reflect students’ backgrounds and promote representation.
Communicating regularly with families in their preferred language and respecting cultural norms, such as through translated notes, phone calls via interpretation apps, and face-to-face meetings if an interpreter is needed.
Providing opportunities for students to share aspects of their cultures with classmates, such as presenting on holidays, foods, music or traditions. This helps build understanding among all students.
When I observed one first grade classroom, the teacher was working with an English learner on a math worksheet involving counting coins. She paused to ask the student to explain how coins are used in his home country, then related the values to U.S. currency in a way that validated his experience while reinforcing the lesson. She also worked with teacher assistants who spoke students’ languages to provide clarification when needed during instruction.
In another meeting, a special education teacher discussed strategies for differentiating lessons to engage diverse learners based on their abilities as well as cultural and linguistic backgrounds. She stressed getting to know each student as an individual to understand their strengths and challenges.
Part 2: Reflection
During my time in the classrooms, I supported English learners by reading instructions and questions aloud in their home languages to ensure comprehension, as well as working one-on-one to break down tasks into smaller steps. I observed how mentor teachers fostered inclusion and leveraged students’ full linguistic repertoires, which will inform my own practice.
Moving forward, I plan to celebrate the diversity of experiences in my future classroom by learning key phrases in my students’ languages and displaying their work bilingually. I will also communicate regularly with families in culturally-sensitive ways and encourage students to teach one another about their varied backgrounds. Overall, taking a strengths-based, differentiated approach and viewing multilingualism as an asset will help me demonstrate cultural understanding and support all students’ language development.
Works Cited
Baker, C. (2011). Foundations of bilingual education and bilingualism (Vol. 79). Multilingual matters.
de Jong, E. J., & Harper, C. A. (2005). Preparing mainstream teachers for English-language learners: Is being a good teacher good enough?. Teacher Education Quarterly, 32(2), 101-124.
Lucas, T., & Villegas, A. M. (2013). Preparing linguistically responsive teachers: Laying the foundation in preservice teacher education. Theory into practice, 52(2), 98-109. research paper writing service.
Santos, M., Darling-Hammond, L., & Cheuk, T. (2012). Teacher development to support English language learners in the context of common core state standards. Understanding Language. Palo Alto: Stanford University.

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Study Notes & Homework Samples: Working With Parents »Cultural Competence in the Classroom