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What is a curriculum
design, writing, analysis,
development, localization,
contextualization and
adaptation?
I can think of no more valuable asset to our country
than the friendship of future world leaders who have
been educated here. At the same time, it is important
for American students to learn other languages,
experience foreign cultures, and develop a broad
understanding of global issues.
- Colin L. Powell
August 7, 2001
What is a Curriculum?
A curriculum is a set of instructional techniques, learning
experiences, and student performance evaluations that
are designed to effectively convey and evaluate the
intended learning objectives of a course.
A well-planned curriculum map can have a significant
impact on student progress and the quality of teachers.
A high-quality curriculum leads to teacher retention also,
as it provides significant support to daily classroom
instruction and reduces the amount of time spent
lesson planning.
Cultures
Types of Cultural Diversity
Every student is unique. In order to properly understand
and promote cultural awareness, teachers need to
understand all the different types of diversity they may
encounter in their classrooms, including:
Race
A person’s skin color can have a great impact on their
experience in society. It can also impact how they view
themselves and others when engaging in classroom
activities.
Ethnicity
Ethnicity relates to a person’s culture and nationality.
Ethnicity is sometimes confused with race, but it is
important to recognize that while some people may have
the same skin color, they may come from different places
and have vastly different cultural beliefs and views of the
world.
Religion
It is important to understand that people have different
religious belief or no religious beliefs, and it may impact
their participation in the classroom. Students may react
differently to lessons based on their religion or may
not be able to be present on certain religious holidays.
Language
While English is commonly used in American classrooms,
for some students, it is not the language they speak at
home. Accommodations should be made to help students
for whom English is a second language.
Socioeconomic Status
A student’s socioeconomic status can affect their
ability to participate in the classroom without some type
of accommodation. For instance, access to a computer
at home or reliable internet access is not a given for
some children. Teachers should be aware of this and
the stress it may cause students who may struggle
due to a lack of resources.
Sexual Orientation
A student’s sexual orientation can have a great impact
on how they are experiencing the world. Teachers
should understand the struggles that exist and ensure
that the lessons taught in their classroom are inclusive.
Gender Identity
Similar to sexual orientation, it is important to understand
each student’s gender identity and how they would prefer
to be recognized. Teachers should respect their
student’s identity and use preferred pronouns when
interacting with their students.
Promote Diversity and
Multiculturalism in the Classroom.
There are several ways teachers and
administrators, such as principals and coaches,
can ensure that both the classroom environment
and curriculum are responsive to the increasing
cultural diversity of our society.
These strategies will encourage all students’
cultural awareness, enhancing each student’s
sense of identity, and foster inclusion in the
classroom community.
Get to Know Your Students
Ensuring that cultural awareness is promoted
in the classroom starts with the teacher
understanding each individual student. Take
the time to learn about each student’s cultural
background, hobbies, learning styles, and what
makes them unique. Demonstrating a genuine
interest in learning about each student and their
culture will help establish trust and allow you
to form a bond with them so they feel valued.
If students feel
appreciated by and
comfortable with the teacher, there’s
a better
chance they’ll feel comfortable talking with
and respect their peers in the class – and
communication is the core to a culturally
aware and inclusive classroom.
Acknowledge and Respect
Every Student
It’s also important for students to celebrate and
respect their own diverse backgrounds, as well
as each other’s. When appropriate, teachers
should encourage students to research and
learn about their own ethnic and cultural
backgrounds. This allows them to better
understand their own culture as well as the
differences and nuances with
their peers.
As a bonus, this can be a great ice breaker
assignment, allowing students to give
presentations about their family traditions and
culture to help expose the class to concepts
outside of their own familiar comfort zone.
Acknowledging these differences and creating
a safe space for discussion helps promote
understanding in the classroom and beyond.
Also, as you encourage students to learn about
their diverse backgrounds, remember to take
the time to highlight what’s offensive and the
distinction between cultural celebration and
appropriation. Learning how to talk about other
cultures in a respectful, mature way is essential
for success in life outside the classroom.
Practice Cultural Sensitivity
While it’s important to keep an open dialogue
amongst students, it’s equally as important to
make sure you’re being sensitive to everyone’s
culture, beliefs, and language concerns. Take
the time to understand each student’s cultural
nuances – from learning styles to the language
they use – and use these insights to design
your lesson plans. For example, provide English
language learners with appropriate and relevant
resources that help them improve their English
comprehension skills.
Rather than teach with a traditional lecture style,
create learning experiences that are more
interactive and require collaboration. These
considerations will help ensure that every
student feels included, is given the space to
learn in their own way and is given a chance
to succeed.
Incorporate
Diversity in the
Lesson Plan
The classroom environment is important for
fostering cultural awareness, but you also should
ensure diversity is represented in your actual
lesson plan. For example, broaden history lessons
so that they encompass the world beyond United
States history and culture.
Or, use references and analogies to other cultures
in your lessons and assignments to help students
with diverse backgrounds personally connect.
Another great strategy is bringing in diverse
speakers to add varying points of view and real-life
context to different subjects.
There are several ways you can ingrain cultural
awareness and diversity into your lesson plan,
and it will vary depending on the cultures
represented in your classroom and the course
you’re teaching. Regardless of the subject, always
try to present and connect lessons to real-world
issues. It’s easier to promote cultural awareness
within your lessons when there’s a real example
for students to relate to.
Give Students Freedom and
Flexibility
Teachers often feel like they need to take on a
strict, authoritative approach when it comes to
managing their classroom. The most valuable
lessons are often learned through a student’s
own experiences, so giving them some freedom
in the course encourages more connection to the
curriculum.
Allow students to read and present
their own materials that relate to the fundamental
lesson so they can approach the topic from their
own perspective. As a teacher, you can act as a
facilitator and encourage conversation and
healthy debate between diverse opinions.
Group assignments are also a great way to
expose students to diverse perspectives,
allowing them to work together to explore and
solve a problem.
This will also help prepare them for a diverse
workforce where they’ll have to partner with a
range of people to accomplish their professional
goals.
