Double Entry Journal #5

1. What does the research say about the impact of negative teacher attitudes about students ethnicity and language variations on student learning?

Teacher's attitudes affect every student. Negative teacher attitudes can lead to students being misdiagnosed as having language disorders. Teacher's lack of knowledge in a students' ethnicity and language variation can cause the student to feel "insecure and confused." Teachers need to provide a positive attitude to these children in order for them to feel comfortable in the classroom.

2. What are some assessment pitfalls?

Assessment pitfalls occur because a child's cultural background is being overlooked. Teachers need to take into account where the child came from and incorporate this into the assessment. Without knowing who the child is and where they came from, the child is not being properly assessed.

3. What three approaches can be used to transform students’ dialectal diversity into an asset (funds of knowledge) rather than a liability (cultural deficit).

The three approaches that can be used to transform student's dialectal diversity into an asset rather than liability are the awareness approach, critical pedagogy, and the critical awareness approach. Awareness approach is allowing students to use their native dialect as they complete classwork and homework. In this approach, students should also be able to compare and contrast their native dialect to Standard English. Critical pedagogy is when the teacher gives the students a voice in the classroom. It allows students to compare different cultures and languages. By accepting a language, you are accepting the culture. Finally, the critical awareness approach combines both the awareness approach and critical pedagogy. Students are given the change to use their native language in the classroom, all the while thinking critically about the standard language of today. 

4. How prepared do you feel to teach in a culturally diverse classroom?

Being from a high school where there are many cultural differences, and graduating with over 2700 students, I am familiar with culturally diverse settings. However, after having learned how to provide a culturally diverse classroom in college, I find that my high school did nothing to create this kind of atmosphere. I believe my college classes have made me more aware of how to create this kind of classroom environment. I feel prepared to teach in a culturally diverse classroom because I can take into account the kinds of cultures I experienced having lived outside a large city.