Week 2- Reflection on Multiculturalism and Diversity

Gloria Gabb

Week 2: Assignment #2

Reflection on Multiculturalism & Diversity

The “Conversation” is an Australian media outlet which published an article entitled “Why Teachers Shouldn’t be Afraid of Other Languages Being Spoken in the Classroom” dated May 21, 2018.  According to this article, more than 360 languages are spoken in British classrooms. However, in mainstream schools in the United Kingdom the home languages of students are either shelved or prohibited, notwithstanding the fact that the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child mandates that children from linguistic minorities should not be “denied the right” to use their own languages.

 There appears to be some level of fear associated with the use of “home” languages especially among the typically white, monolingual demographic of the teaching profession in the UK. In fact, one teacher interviewed in a study entitled “The Inappropriateness of Language” openly confessed her belief that children only use other languages when they want to be rude or exclude others.  The underlying problem seems to be that in integrating home languages teachers feel that they are losing control of aspects of the learning process. This pose challenges for teachers. Additionally, substantial amount of resources (funding and time) are required to facilitate other languages in the classroom.  Some also maintained the view that using home languages in classrooms can delay transition to English due to the mixing of languages known as “code switching”. Still others maintained that the responsibility of maintaining home languages lies with the minority language communities.

Celebrating languages and cultures foster multiculturalism and diversity in schools.  Preserving languages is an extremely important characteristic of the above-mentioned. Essentially, it’s part of people’s culture.  It’s who they are. It’s what they are, and it’s what makes them unique. There are indeed positive outcomes associated with the use of multiple languages in schools.

Schools ought to strive to avoid language loss. Our schools need to incorporate and bolster English as a Second Language programs to encourage diverse linguistic setups in classrooms. It has been proven that children learn best in their home language, so if we are advocating for effective teaching and learning in schools, we need inclusion. Schools need not invest in a comprehensive expensive curriculum programs that affect their budget.  There are numerous online resources for curriculum-based work to provide tailored teaching materials for children in need of them. It can happen and, in a less costly, effective way. All in all, minority children should be able to access the curriculum in the ways others can, so they can experience inclusion.