Cultural Diversity in English Learning

An assessment of the U.S. current educational landscape reveals a distance between the cultural, economic, and linguistic experiences of teachers and students. More specifically, because our nation’s teaching force is predominantly white, female, and middle-class, decisions, values, and perceptions are likely to be derived from lived experiences very different from those of the increasingly diverse student population. The negative impact on the education of diverse populations has been well-documented (Katz, 1999; Rodriguez, 1993). Research also highlights the need to prepare educators to effectively teach in areas across socioeconomic, cultural, linguistic, and gender differences and to deal with the lack of familiarity with the cultures, learning styles, and communication patterns of diverse groups (Bohn & Sleeter, 2000). Building teachers’ capacity to understand the importance of learning about the strengths and resources that exist in home communities involves awareness and reflectiveness (Fairbairn & Jones-Vo, 2016). The purpose of the study is to examine the attitudes of teachers toward their students, families, and communities after engaging in a Child and Community Context Study (CCCS), a modified funds of knowledge assignment.