Example Of Dr. Brent Daigle And Diversity Essay

Dr. Daigle explains cultural diversity as educators need to understand it. He also provides strategies teachers should use to promote cultural diversity in their classrooms. Culturally relevant pedagogy is a necessity in today’s classrooms. Teachers need to value students from all cultural groups. This attitude reflects on the students in the class and promotes a positive learning environment.
Dr. Daigle first explains what cultural capital is: the social assets that an individual acquires for mobility and movement in a society. There are three types of cultural capital: embodied; objectified and institutionalized. Embodied capital are the skills that one slowly acquires over time, both consciously and passively. An excellent example is language. Students from diverse cultures learn our language proactively in school and passively by watching television. Objectified capital are physical artifacts of a culture. Art work, scientific instruments, music and literature are some of these assets. Institutionalized assets are credentials that a person earns. A college degree meets this criteria. Credentials allow for mobility in society and higher economic gains.
When learning a new language, there are two manners in which a culturally diverse population does this. The first is formal learning, C.A.L.P.: Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency. This is the language a child learns in school that is related to content and curriculum. B.I.C., Basic Interpersonal Communication, is informal. This is the social language a student learns in the cafeteria and on the playground. This is generally the first type of language a student learns.
The strategies a teacher can use to promote cultural diversity are acknowledging cultural legitimacy and not belittling a child’s culture. Continuous collaboration between the school and the child’s home. Teachers need to provide instruction that is sensitive to various learning styles. Materials used in the classroom should also be varied and culturally diverse. Teachers need to use praise and encourage students. Teachers also need to be aware of practices that on the surface seem to promote diversity but are not meaningful: food; folklore; fashion and fun.