Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students
- Acculturation and assimilation are the two methods which are used to allow culturally and Linguistically Students (CLD), to be able to embrace the new culture (Collier, 2011). Even though both methods have their own advantages and disadvantages, acculturation is the best method which can be used by teachers in order to embrace the new culture (Chapter 1, part 1). Acculturation is the best method simply because, CLD students can be able to adapt to the new type of life at ease, even though sometimes it becomes stressing, but they can slowly be able to understand how to adapt and carry on with their school lives (Haynes, 2012). Moreover, they can also be able to learn new ways on how to deal with their counterparts, and thus being able to avoid being stressed.
Acculturation has four stages, which a person passes through in order to fully understand and adapt to the new type of life (Berry, 2011). The first stage which is honey, is the stage whereby the student thinks positively about moving to the US, and thus his or her mind is filled with all sorts of positive ideas (Chapter 1, part 2). The second stage is hostility, this is the stage whereby the student gets what he or she did not expect, and this therefore makes the student to be stressed. The third stage is home, this is where the students starts adapting to the new culture and thus being able to embrace it. The final stage in humour, this is the stage whereby the student accepts the new culture, and the new culture also accepts the student, and life becomes enjoyable (Haynes, 2012). Unlike assimilation, acculturation enables the student to be able to slowly adapt to the new culture without any pressure at all. Moreover, the student is not supposed to forget about his past culture through acculturation, but assimilation requires one to the previous culture, in order to embrace the new culture.
- English Learners (ELs) acquire the new language through different ways, and this depends with the way their minds adapt to the new environment. Through communicative ways, an EL can be able to acquire language skills, first by getting the new word, and then translating it into the language that he or she better understands, before coming up with an answer. Moreover, the person can also be able to understand the patterns of the new language, even though it might be hard for the person to be able to pronounce the words, the person may therefore understand the way the new language forms through understanding the language patterns (Haynes, 2012).
On the other hand, according to the second language approach, the student first and foremost uses the second language as a means of communication in most cases (Chapter 3). This is one of the way that the learner can be able to familiar with the new language, through making his or her mind to understand the new language and thus being able to easily understand the new language. In addition, the human mind first grasps whatever information it has hard, and then it internalizes it, then comes up with a reason or a meaning of the word, before the person can be able to reply or answer the question being asked. Understanding this, therefore enables teachers to be able to understand the way students can easily be able to understand the new language, and thus being of help to them (Collier, 2011).
- Understanding the cultural values which are essential for understanding the behaviours of students’, and the services which cultural competent persons might require (Berry, 2011). This is one of the possible ways through which one can be able to fully understand how he or she can be able to relate with a cultural competent family (Chapter 6, part 1). The person therefore needs to develop characteristics which can help in creating a good relationship between the persons from a cultural competent family. This therefore means, that the person can be able to provide assistance to the family, and thus being of positive impact to the family. Moreover, the person should be able to work according to the way the family behaves. Thus making them to feel freely with the person around (Haynes, 2012). Hence sharing different ideas with the person, and hence making it easy for the person to be able to understand the weaknesses of the family.
Secondly, understand the values of that the family shares, and thus be able to work according to the dictates of those values (Collier, 2011). This is one of the ways of making sure that you get to fully understand the type of people you are working with, and thus being able to deal with each one’s problems (Chapter 6, part 2). Furthermore, communicate with the family in the language that each and every member fully understands, in order to fit in such a family, and thus being able to slowly change and teach each member the new language. In addition, use the native language of the family and translate it into English, in order to make sure that it sticks in their minds (Haynes, 2012).
Reference
Chapter 1. (part 1&2). Multidimensional Foundation of Methods for CLD Students.
Chapter 3. Linguistic Dimension of Methods for CLD Students.
Chapter 6. (part 1&2). Planning and Grounding Instructional Methodology.
Haynes, Jerri. (2012). Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Children. Xlibris Corp.
Berry, A. L. (2011). Effecting change intervention for culturally and linguistically diverse learners.
Collier, C. (2011). Seven steps to separating difference from disability.
