Cultural diversity

Cultural

Diversity

•The values, beliefs, attitudes, languages, symbols, rituals, behaviors and customs unique to a particular group of people and that are down from generation to generation

•Often defined as a set of rules, because each culture provides a “blueprint” for its standard of living

That uniqueness is influenced by many things:

Physical characteristics Family life Socioeconomic status Religious beliefs Geographical location Education Occupation Life experiences

4 Basic Characteristics of Culture

Culture is learned It is taught to others Children learn patterns by

imitating adults and developing attitudes accepted by others

Culture is shared• Common practices and beliefs are

shared with others in a cultural group

• Circumcisions are common practice within the Caucasian culture

Culture is in social nature Individuals in the group

understand appropriate behavior based on traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation

Culture is dynamic & constantly changing

New ideas may generate different standards for behavior

What is Cultural Diversity?

The phrase 'Cultural Diversity' means a range of different societies or peoples with different origins, religions and traditions all living and interacting together.

The food we eat, the music we listen to, and the clothes we wear have all been influenced by different cultures coming into one country.Even the language that we speak.

Valuing our Cultural DiversityDiversity is about learning from others who are not the same, about dignity and respect for all, and about creating environments that encourage learning from others

Diversity makes a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what color

Video presentation

““I have a dream that one day will not I have a dream that one day will not be judged by the color of their skin, but be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character”by the content of their character”

Martin Luther KingMartin Luther King

CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN EDUCATION

The Growing Trend• Migration and inter marriages• Demands increase to find the most effective

ways to help all students succeed academically as well as learn to get along with each other.

Problems over Opportunities

• Racial discrimination• Communication barriers• Racial, cultural and economic differences• Loosing their ethnicity

Pro Active Approach

• Structured classroom activities can highlight diversity

• Mutual respect• Building trust

Case StudyAppearance

A person with a different appearance can create fear, curiosity and even hostility amongst other people. In adult education divergence from the "norm" can be a frequent occurrence. This may become a problem in classes especially where adult education co-operates with classes from schools for young students.

Case

In your class, where there are both youngsters and adults, is a young man . Tobias 17 and he has a punk hairstyle. He also has a lot of tattoos on his arms. He shows them off by always wearing a t-shirt with short sleeves. When it is time for group work nobody wants to sit besides him or work with him. It is the same both for the young students and the older ones.Tobias feels excluded from the group and this makes him resistant to participate in group activities. You want the group to prepare a presentation.How can you help Tobias to accepted in the group?

ReflectionsDo you know anything of his special interests?Is it possible to have him to tell the group anything about his outfit and style?Can you talk - in the group - why some kind of outfits frighten other people and why we talk about 'normality'?

END OF PRESENTATION

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