Cultural,Linguistic and Languge Influences Upon Classroom Success

School success is dependent on many factors and can be influenced by many observable and non-observable factors.  This paper looks at some of those factors as way to limit their interactions and increase student classroom success. Below I explored three questions that are important to understanding their impact and the role they subsequently play in the totality of classroom student success. 

What influence does culture have on a student's school success?   

Nieto and Bode suggest that we use, affirm, and sustain culture and language rather than erase them in our classroom.  As suggested by Nieto and Bode (2008) a key component of this is that cultural, linguistic connections can play a key role in student’s academic success. Nieto and Bode also suggest that in order to successfully develop academic achievement in the classroom, teachers and schools need to take a look at:

•   A redefinition of education and success
•   Pride and conflict in culture and language
•   The role of activities not related to academics in sustaining school success
•   The important support of family, community, and teachers (p.340).

How does linguistic diversity influence classroom performance?   

Linguistic diversity influences classroom performance in influencing the kinds of teachers themes teachers can consideration when beginning to implement activities in the classroom. Activities such as multicultural stories in the student’s native language as away to affirm student’s self identity, role play activities, mini history lessons in which students learn about various cultures other than their own. Encourage discussions that involve all students, foster feelings of emotional well-being by creating an environment that respects all students’ opinions. Because many of these themes translate outside of the classroom, plan field trips to art museums, as a way of learning about other cultures and their own, these trips can be a great way for students to talk and learn about each other.

What impact do culture and language have on a family's involvement in school and on their child's education?  

 Family influences are vitally important in the overall schema of school and community relationships. Parents need to feel like an integral part of their student’s learning so making sure that all parents feel welcome is first with an invitation of an open door policy and welcome to come to class to see what their child is learning.  In addition, because many students culture is closely tied to family, teachers must invite family members in the classroom and send homework home that involves student and parents working together. The parents can also be used as real-life examples by inviting them into the classroom to talk about their experiences.  In addition, language barriers as suggested by Zirpoli (2008)  involve what is known as  “language switching” or “language mixing” which is common for many minority households and teachers need to be aware of the subtle differences between the English language and minority language in carrying on a conversation within the classroom setting (p.73-4). In addition, he adds that teachers must b e aware of traditional values and belief systems in order to gain an appreciation of how and why student’s behaviors are affected (p.80).

References

Nieto, S., & Bode, P. (2008). Affirming diversity: the sociopolitical context of multicultural   education. 

Boston,  MA: Pearson.

Zirpoili, (2008).  Behavior management applications for teachers. (5th Ed.). Upper Saddle River.

Stop Using Foul Language in The Mathematics Classroom. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School

The association between what words actually mean and its implied meaning is the subject of this article Stop Using Foul Language in The Mathematics Classroom.  Cheryl Hanselman, educator at Ledyard Middle School, gives educators a vital lesson in how we can be more effective in the teaching concepts of mathematics if we began by changing the language that we use in teaching our students.  Language such as; cancels, reduce, and invert and multiply teach students that shortcuts rather than forming their own thought patterns is an acceptable way to learn math. 

Teachers unintentionally use this sort of language in the classroom which can become hurtful and damaging to young mathematical minds.  This sort of language, according to the article does not encourage students to form or develop thought patterns that make sense to them.  It instead makes them dependent on formulas and their attempts to make sense out of numbers without the benefit of real meaning.

Teachers using mathematics in this form, early in a child’s mathematical education, do not allow for the development of number and operation sense.  These procedures of “canceling” for multiplying fractions, “reducing” for giving equivalent an equivalent answer, and “inverting and multiplying” for dividing fractions when these terms introduced should be used only after the ground work and foundation of mathematical concepts are taught.

In light of this information, teaching the short cuts too early will also stunt the students’ mathematical understanding and confidence level of critical thinking, which is vital in solving problems.  Consequently, as the article points out, teachers must make it of great importance in the classroom to seriously consider not teaching shortcuts to our students so that this will not become our students’ first exposure to mathematical concepts. 

As students learn math there should be a conceptual foundation that is continually built upon, too many students, including myself were taught in this fashion to cancel, reduce, invert and multiply.  What happens is that student will base his or her understanding upon a given formula for solving problems with no real or very limited understanding of the true concept of how math principles connect to form connections to each other. 

Now there are instances where some children learn fine this way, because of the diversity of students’ minds and do marvelous in understanding math. 

As educators, let’s give our students every positive opportunity to effectively grasp the meanings and concepts of mathematical problems and not leave another generation of dependent students such as myself, faced with the challenge of relearning math as a second language.