Troubling statement & Revised statement

Troubling educational statement: Every child can learn. 

Revised statement: Every child has the right to learn. It is up to us to ensure they can learn, in their own way, based on their needs. 

"Every student can learn, just not on the same day, or in the same way"

"If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn"

The effect of culture on learning

The effect of culture on learning

            In today’s globalized world, a classroom will often consist of students from a variety of different cultures. Due to the significant variations between cultures, it is important for us as future teachers, to consider how these cultural differences influence student learning.

            Children from different cultures will often differ in their non-verbal communication. Comprehension and expectations of facial expression, body language, tone of voice, physical touch and so on will be different for students depending on their culture. In some cultures, eye contact, for instance, is considered a sign of disrespect and aggression. If we, as teachers, are not aware of these differences, we can unknowingly hinder a student’s learning.

            Cognitive styles have also been found to differ between children from different cultures. Children from different cultures appear to obtain, process and assess knowledge differently.

If as teachers we do not consider the different cognitive styles of students from different cultures, we can cause students to experience “cognitive and emotional conflict, poor academic performance, and low self-esteem” (Baruth & Manning, 1992).

            It is important to note that although culture can greatly impact a child’s learning, all children from a specific culture cannot be grouped into the same learning style. As teachers, we cannot assume that all children from one culture will have the same cognitive style or same understanding of non-verbal communication. That is to say, there exist intra-cultural differences within cultures that teachers must consider when dealing with individual students with the same culture, as well as those from differing cultures.

            Culture plays a huge role in an individual’s learning skills and learning environment. As such, if not considered, it can interfere with a student’s learning. When teachers consider cultural backgrounds, they are able to create better learning environments for children based on their needs, ultimately setting the conditions for all children to learn.

ReferenceBaruth, L.G. & Manning, M.L. (1992). Multicultural education of children and adolescents. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Rishima Talwar

5 Ways to Bridge Cultural Differences with Learning

1.     Allow students to bring their cultures and knowledge into the classroom

Learning becomes easier and more efficient when students are able to bring in their prior knowledge and make connections between what they already know and the new ideas and concepts that they are learning. As future teachers, we should acknowledge that students come to school with different life experiences, and we should allow children to tap into these experiences to enhance their knowledge base effectively.

2.     Get to know your students

Take the time to get to know your students and where they are coming from. If you know about their family make-up or immigration history, you can help students find connections with the material they are learning in class and their personal lives. When students are able to find relevance in the learning material and connect with it on a personal level, they are more likely to engage with this material and take an active position in their learning.

3.     Appreciate different cultural values and work on being culturally-sensitive

As teachers, we should be aware that not all cultures have the same set of values or beliefs. Different cultures, for instance, have different rules for communication: body language, gestures and facial expressions differ from one culture to another. In this case, we need to be sensitive to the fact that children from different cultures will have different ways of communicating. To prevent segregating and confusing students, we should be sensitive to their cultural differences.

4.     Set high expectations for all students

Studies have shown that teachers often set lower expectations for students who are from different (especially minority) cultural backgrounds, as well as children who have different linguistic abilities. In order to produce the best work from students, we should set high expectations for every learner. Students from different cultures and backgrounds should also be viewed as capable learners, who can reach high performance standards. These standards need to be modified based on the learner and his/her abilities, but they should nonetheless challenge and motivate all students to work hard.

5.     Incorporate more multicultural learning materials within the classroom

Teachers should incorporate books and learning materials that reflect the cultural and linguistic differences within their classroom. There should be books written from different perspectives and about different cultures, artwork from around the world, a welcome sign with different languages. By bringing in a diverse selection of materials into their classroom, teachers can help make their classroom more inclusive and welcoming to students from diverse backgrounds and cultures. If students feel accepted and welcomed, they are more likely to develop a passion and love for school and education.

It is important to note that many of these suggestions will not only help students from different cultures learn, but they will also benefit all students in become more culturally accepting and open-minded. These suggestions will help set the conditions to create a society that is free from discrimination, stereotypes and biases.

ReferenceVillegas, A., & Lucas, T. (2007). The Culturally. Educational Leadership, 28-33.

Rishima Talwar

Internal Factors: The Psychological Aspects of a Classroom

           Making a classroom an inclusive place for learning is the best way to teach children. Many children have exceptionalities when it comes to learning. These learning exceptionalities are at times diagnosed and official, at times they are not. Just because they are not diagnosed does not mean they are not valid.

            When a learning environment is not inclusive, not all students will learn. The students who are stronger academically may be able to learn, but not all of the students will. Many of the students will shut down and stop paying attention. They will not trust the teacher so they will not be willing to come for help. They will not trust efforts that are made to help them especially if they are used to being singled out and isolated.

            As a teacher it is important to take these exceptionalities into consideration when planning a lesson. By planning a lesson that is inclusive to all you’re making a classroom where students feel that they are welcome and a part of.

            When a child believes that they are capable, they will be more willing to learn. Making accommodations in the classroom can be something as simple placing them in the front row where they have a better sight line to the lesson, or allowing for extra time when needed. 

Making small adjustments can help build a relationship of trusts with the children and build a better learning environment.

            When a child believes they have a place within the classroom they are more open to the learning process. This is achieved by building trust in the students and showing the students that as a teacher you trust them. This can be done by giving students choices and allowing them to have a say in classroom procedures.

            The accommodations and trusting relationships that are built in a classroom allow for students to learn. When classrooms do not have the welcoming atmosphere that is comforting and gives students a sense of security, it is less likely that every student can learn in that environment. When the internal environment of a classroom is open and welcoming, the students have a higher chance of success.

Sources

Ames, Carole. "Classrooms: Goals, Structures and Student Motivation." Journal of Educational Psychology (1992): 261-271.

Internal Factors: The Physical Aspects of a Classroom

One of the many obstacles that prohibit a child from learning are the internal factors of the classroom: part of what makes up the internal factors of a classroom are the physical aspects. These factors can have a negative or positive impact on a child’s ability to learn.

            The physical aspects of a classroom are made up of the temperature, lighting and acoustics of a classroom. If these factors are not satisfactory they can prevent every child from learning. For example, if a classroom is too warm or too cold students will find it difficult to concentrate. Or if the lighting is not satisfactory kids can have a harder time concentrating. The background noise of the classroom and it’s surrounding environment also have an impact on the students ability to learn and their mood.

            The physical aspects of the classroom all have an impact on the mood of a child and when these factors have a negative impact on the moods of the students the learning environment is no longer favorable to the students.

            These factors can sometimes be adjusted to help reduce their effects on students, but at times they are out of the teachers control. The temperature can be regulated by the purchase of additional fans or heaters but this would require additional resources that the teacher / school may not have access too. Some of the solutions may be too expensive to fix, but the solution to the problem is to adjust the lesson plan so that the lesson is doable when the environmental factors are unbearable for students. For example: when the room is too warm for students to pay attention a teacher can show an educational video or if a classroom is too noisy allowing students access to noise cancelling headphones or allowing them to listen to their own music can help them regain focus.

            By making small adjustments to the lesson plan and taking into consideration the physical classroom conditions a large difference can be made in the learning environment. Adjusting these conditions will make it easier for the children to learn.

Sources

Marchand , Gwen C, et al. "The Impact of the Classroom Built Environment on Student Perceptions and LEarning ." Journal of Environmental Psychology (2014): 187-197.