6 Tips for Teaching in a Diverse Classroom

CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN THE CLASSROOM

1.Learn about your own culture

Become aware of how the influence of your own culture, language, social interests, goals, cognitions,
and values could prevent you from learning how you could best teach your students of culturally and
linguistically diverse backgrounds.Also, understanding and respecting your own cultural roots can help
you respect your students’ cultural roots.

2.Learn about your students’ culture

Understand how your students’ cultures affect their perceptions, self-esteem, values, classroom
behavior, and learning. Use that understanding to help your students feel welcomed, affirmed,
respected, and valued.

3.Understand your students’ linguistic traits

Learn how students’ patterns of communication and various dialects affect their classroom learning and
how second-language learning affects their acquisition of literacy.

4.Use this knowledge to inform your teaching

Let your knowledge of your students’ diverse cultures inform your teaching. This, along with a sincerely
caring attitude, increases student participation and engagement.

5.Use multicultural books and materials to foster cross-cultural understanding

Sensitively use multicultural literature, especially children’s literature, to honor students’ culture and
foster cross-cultural understanding.

Be open to a variety of instructional strategies as students’ cultures may make certain strategies (such as
competitive games or getting students to volunteer information) uncomfortable for them.

6.Know about your students’ home and school relationships

Collaborate with parents and caregivers on children’s literacy development and don’t rely on
preconceived notions of the importance of literacy within your students’ families.

DIMENSION OF TEACHING LEARNING

Dimension 1: Attitudes and Perceptions

Attitudes and perceptions affect students' abilities to learn.

Dimension 2: Acquire and Integrate Knowledge

Helping students acquire and integrate new knowledge is another important aspect of learning. When
students are learning new information, they must be guided in relating the new knowledge to what they
already know, organizing that information, and then making it part of their long-term memory. When
students are acquiring new skills and processes, they must learn a model (or set of steps), then shape
the skill or process to make it efficient and effective for them, and, finally, internalize or practice the skill
or process so they can perform it easily.

Dimension 3: Extend and Refine Knowledge

Learning does not stop with acquiring and integrating knowledge. Learners develop in-depth
understanding through the process of extending and refining their knowledge (e.g., by making new
distinctions, clearing up misconceptions, and reaching conclusions). They rigorously analyze what they
have learned by applying reasoning processes that will help them extend and refine the information.

Dimension 4: Use Knowledge Meaningfully

The most effective learning occurs when we use knowledge to perform meaningful tasks.

Dimension 5: Habits of Mind

The most effective learners have developed powerful habits of mind that enable them to think critically,
think creatively, and regulate their behavior.

There are ten dimensions of teaching that inform the process of peer observation of teaching.

The dimensions of teaching are not independent; inevitably there is overlap across different dimensions.
The dimensions of teaching are provided as a broad guide only. The strategies outlined are an attempt
to illustrate the types of teaching behaviours judged to relate to, and enhance, the respective
dimensions of teaching observed. They do not represent a list of required practices.

Dimensions of Teaching to Be Observed

Dimension 1: Students are actively engaged in learning

Dimension 2: Students’ prior knowledge and experience is built upon

Dimension 3: Teaching caters for student diversity

Dimension 4: Students are encouraged to develop/expand their conceptual understanding

Dimension 5: Students are made aware of key learning outcomes

Dimension 6: Actively uses links between disciplinary and/or inter-disciplinary theory and practice

Dimension 7: Uses learning environments, education resources and techniques effectively

Dimension 8: Presents material in an appropriately structured manner

Dimension 9: Seeks feedback on students’ understanding and acts on this accordingly

Dimension 10: Provides timely feedback on student work and/or progress

5 dimension for teaching and learning,,....

Purpose, student engagement, curriculum and pedagogy, assessment for student learning, classroom
environment and culture