RES 5535: Race, Class, and Gender in Literacy Research (summer 2009)

Noll/ Henry

In a recent study of students ages 12-13 all girls were placed in groups of multicultural backgrounds. They were to listen to others tell stories about their cultural backgrounds listening for likenesses and differences. This study enhanced young writers to become more avid thinkers in the world that surrounds them today. Students often feel left out or just not in the realm of society due to our subject material being biased in a way that only certain criteria are not met due to cultural differences. Of course, our standard way of teaching is to eliminate any topics that we are not familiar with leaving only “our” culture the one we all know and expect others to succumb to. This is problematic due to lack of knowledge where other cultures are concerned. In the past, I have taught ELL learners in the classroom, mainly Hispanic descent. I often wondered in my beginning years of teaching why these students never spoke out or answered questions I knew that they had knowledge of due to materials that were covered in class. I quickly found that these students felt intimidated to write their feelings much less answer a question in class worrying about language differences and culture differences. After a year of studying why and what could be done to enhance ELL learners in the classroom, I found that comparing background knowledge with other students would and does help creative thinking and writing. When students are young they are very impressionable and with this article putting thoughts and ideas into perspective students can become great writers and independent thinkers. By the way, one of my ELL students was documented as making the most progress from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. She had no discrepancies except her way of life was not the same as our southern culture. The materials we use in class needed expansion to incorporate all learning styles and learning criteria needed exposure so these students could feel a part of the culture they have become to know as an intimidator.
Whether Indian or Creole descent, the teacher is responsible for expanding the SCOS into something creative and interesting that students can relate to in life. I love learning about different cultures and lifestyles and when this is opened and discussed in the classroom then students are more engaged and feel a part of a safe and happy environment. When children feel less threatened or less pressured to know what is expected of them then their creativity will transpire into wonderful prose and vocabulary will expand giving students the knowledge to communicate verbally and production will increase in essays and writing tests.
I thought that including Chinese New Year was a big step in integrating different culture backgrounds in the classroom. After reading these articles, I feel that every week should be devoted to other cultures and everyone should be subjected to learning new material about descendants from other countries.
Robin Hand