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.

The Importance of Successful IEP's

The key to a successful inclusion into the general education classroom is a well developed IEP Individualized Education Program.  An IEP is the development of an individualized program of instruction done by team consisting of teacher, student, and parental support to design the most effective plan of instruction for student with disabilities. The IEP also takes into consideration student outcomes and goals that need to be reached at each level of the IEP. Each IEP is based on a student’s “evaluation and is outcome oriented” (Turnbull, Turnbull, and Wehmeyer 2010, p.16). The IEP process consists of these processes:

• Pre-referral
• Referral
• Identification
• Eligibility
• Development of the IEP
• Implementation of the IEP
• Evaluation and reviews

The importance of an IEP to the education of a student with disability is that at each level of the process, teachers are able to identify and assess the best method of instruction for the student based on the identification of needs, evaluation and reviews teacher is able to design effective lessons and assessments to meet the needs of student.

In addition, as relayed by Turnbull, Turnbull, and Wehmeyer (2010) team members must also consider child’s strengths, child’s parents and their concerns, the results of initial and subsequent nondiscriminatory evaluations, and the child’s academic, developmental and functional needs. Also, within the scope of the IEP plan family involvement is crucial in planning. Family involvement is important because students with disabilities need the support of parental support and parents need to know what their student is learning so that they can continue the reinforcement of skills at home.

Because student success is important, many schools are involving older students in the planning of their own IEP’s. One way this is achieved is that teachers encourage students through class discussions, individual seatwork, one-on- one conference with the teacher or para-educator, and even with homework and parental support. Through various creative formats students are given an opportunity to take an active part in their educational goals. In addition, IEP’s can also help to develop student’s skills, such as self-determination, awareness, and advocacy (www.cec.sped.org).

Council of Exceptional Children  (2010).  Retrieved  from http://www.cec.sped.org

Turnbull, A. Turnbull, R. & Wehmeyer, M. (2010). Exceptional lives: Special education in

today’s schools. (6th ed.). Pearson Education, Inc. ISBN: 9780558847012

Preventing School Violence

 The last couple of years many incidents of violence have shaken the core of most schools. The threat of violence is no longer just a threat, but schools are now seeing students acting on these threats with a very real chance of doing great harm to themselves and others. These concerns have led many schools to begin the process of designing an intervention/prevention program that would help to prevent many of these acts of violence to be neutralized and provide students with a positive way of dealing with any problems that they may encounter. Preventing school violence is a challenge with youths that are considered at risk and in middle school and high schools across the country.  Providing positive solutions in the design of a comprehensive intervention/preventing program is a viable option. 

According to the Indiana Education Policy Center, national data has suggested that middle and high schools, are at risk for more serious violence, and students in urban schools where there is a low socioeconomic ratio of minority students to be victims of a violent crime and an “an effective technology of school safety begins with knowledge and understanding” (http://www.indiana.edu/~safeschl/psv.pdf).

The importance of providing such a program is to reduce acts of student disruptions in the beginning stages to further reduce any escalating violence in student behavior. Early intervention would also provide to student mentoring when needed as well as counseling. According to Zirpoli (2008) an educator’s purpose in initiating interventions in an adolescent’s life is to improve their lives and decrease potential risky behaviors and promote their social skills (p.148). Many of these risky behaviors and negative disruptions commonly begin with student bullying, anger management issues, negative social skills and communication problems.

In addition, students in middle school and high school experience the greatest amount of peer pressure and social problems which tend to lead to behavior management problems and acts of violence (p.146). For example, according to the Centers for Disease Control, risk factors such as a history of violence or aggression, low IQ, learning disabilities involvement with drugs, alcohol and tobacco prevention put students at a higher greater risk for committing or being a victim of violence (http://www.ehow.com_7957358_violence-middle-schools.html).  

An intervention/prevention program that focuses on decreasing these kinds of problems are beneficial to student and school. In the hopes of creating a safe and responsive school climate the design of a comprehensive intervention/prevention program would focus on and include four effective intervention programs, such as bullying prevention aimed at preventing and reducing it’s occurrences and helping students and parents understand it’s awareness and attitudes, anger and management skills, mentoring and counseling programs and conflict resolution skills all are important if schools are to begin the process of helping students at risk for violence.  This program would also include supportive components such as peer mediation, cooperative learning, and school wide behavior management (http://www.indiana.edu/~safeschl/psv.pdf).

According to Furlong, Felix, Sharkey, and Larson (2005) the design of an intervention program requires purposeful planning and organization to build a solid foundation by which these intervention programs can be successful and provide strategies at the building, classroom level, and considers individual student needs (p.11).  Keeping this in mind to ensure maximum student learning and provide a positive outcome for students in high risk situations for violence, this program would be careful to avoid using the intervention strategies as a form of punishment or labeling or stereotyping student. Instead, the intent of the design of the program is to provide early intervention for students that are at a high risk for committing violence, disruptive or violent behavior. In addition, teachers and support staff would be trained in how a child’s emotional and physical development plays a major part in overall emotional triggers and interactions among their peers. So it would be important that teachers avoid any type of overreactions to any single incident or behavior (http://www.indiana.edu/~safeschl/psv.pdf).  

Furthermore, the intervention programs would give careful consideration to making sure teachers and support staff was adequately trained in how to implement these programs and strategies into the daily activities of the students. Because each student is an individual careful attention will also be giving to how to make the program fit student’s individual needs and not take for granted that each student is the same.

In the hopes of changing the school climate by making these changes in student’s attitudes and interactions among their peers is the first step in helping students and teachers have other options by which they can help deter violent acts of disruptions before they become fully escalated. Our schools can make positive progress in the design of intervention/prevention violence programs. In the planning schools must keep in mind that the plan begins with planning and preparation and includes all schools staff coming together with the sole purpose of providing support and to students that are at risk for violence. 

As a first resort in the face of violence, and the threat of deadly violence that threatens the fabric of our schools, schools have viable choices in making sure to put their resources into programs that will keep our students safe and help our student make sound decisions.  Especially since students in middle school are at a greater risk for experiencing increased peer pressure, behavioral problems and be involved in negative social situations such as bullying it is worth putting in the extra effort by schools to be involved in making those needed changes and preventing school violence.

References

Carpenter, Michael, E.  (2011).  Violence at middle schools.  Retrieved March 28, 2011, from 

http://www.ehow.com_7957358_violence-middle-schools.html

Furlong, M., Felix, E. Sharkey, J., & Larson, J.  (2005). Preventing school violence: a plan for

safe and engaging schools.  Retrieved March 28, 2011, from

http://www.nasponline.org/resources/principals/Student%20Counseling%20Violence%20Prevention.pdf

Indiana Education Policy Center. (1999). Preventing school violence: a practical guide to

comprehensive planning. Retrieved March 28, 2011, from

http://www.indiana.edu/~safeschl/psv.pdf.  Bloomington, IN: Author.

Zirpoli, T.J. (2008). Behavior management: Applications for teachers (5th ed.). Upper Saddle

River, NJ: Pearson Education