Understanding the role of culture and how it affects both English language learners (ELLs) and teachers is important in creating a cohesive class community. Awareness of and reflection on one’s own cultural influences can help a teacher build stronger relationships with students and their families. These stronger relationships lead to more effective teaching and learning.
Part 1: Building Cultural Self-Awareness
In 200-250 words, summarize your own cultural identity to build self-awareness as a teacher of diverse students. Include the following in your summary:
How your cultural identity has been informed by social constructs such as customs, traditions, values, beliefs, norms, communication style, language, etiquette, spirituality, and habits. Include at least two experiences and/or beliefs that have shaped your cultural identity.
How your cultural identity affects your understanding of the ELLs in your classroom and their families and influences home-school relationships.
Part 2: Building Cultural Knowledge
In 200-250 words, describe a classroom activity designed to build cultural knowledge and learn about the cultural background of the ELLs in your classroom. Include the following in your description:
Which teaching contexts of the classroom activity would be appropriate (e.g., grade levels, ESL/bilingual setting) and how you would determine its success.
How the classroom activity allows you to better understand students’ cultures, build cultural knowledge, and identify gaps in your personal knowledge of culture.
Part 3: Reflection
In 250-500 words, reflect on your own cultural competency as a teacher. Include the following in your reflection:
Describe at least one area of strength and one area for growth in your cultural competence as a teacher. Include an explanation of how understanding your own culture helped you plan the classroom activity to understand the culture of your students.
Explain how you plan to handle incidences in the classroom when cultural differences lead to misunderstandings, miscommunication, or resistance.
Describe how a Christian worldview that embraces justice and concern for the common good can affect a teacher’s approach to addressing inequities and the marginalization of students based on cultural and linguistic differences. Include how you personally plan to address issues of inequity and marginalization both institutionally and within your classroom.
Support your deliverable with a minimum of three scholarly resources.
