Cultural issues and schools

Culture is dynamic, active, changing, always on the move. Even within their native contexts, cultures are always changing as a result of political, social and other modifications in the immediate environment.

(Nieto, 1999)

Regarding bilingual learners. However, it was decided to look at cultural issues and bilingualism separately, because, although they are interlinked in daily working terms, it is felt that due to busy working environments it is all too easy to ‘forget’ the importance of really understanding the diverse backgrounds that many learners in our schools now present.

It is first of all important to recognize that the majority of schools and hence educators have traditionally functioned in a way that reflects society’s main cultural group’s social values and ideologies. An example of this is reported by Wright et al. (2000) who wrote that one teacher felt that black children were so different from her that she didn’t know how to deal with them.

Such antiquated views are probably not unusual. They are part of a cultural and historical legacy which continues not only because many of the teachers in our schools have had very little contact with ethnic difference in both their upbringing and training, but also because they continue to have little if any knowledge of their students’ lives outside of school. (Wright et al., 2000, in Blair, 2001: 7)

It is perhaps time to recognize that many of the practices schools have traditionally relied upon are no longer the best or most appropriate because of the number of learners who are now linguistically and culturally outside this main cultural group. Consequently it is important to look again at many of the ‘traditional’ aspects of schooling so that educators can be properly informed, enabling appropriate responses to be achieved for all their learners within their community. It is hoped that the information presented here will initiate discussion and ideas so that daily practices can be re-examined to ensure that the needs of all the learners, whatever their cultural background in whatever educational setting, are met.

Discussion

Before reading further briefly write down what you think the term culture means to you. Do you feel that your own understanding of culture may influence your practice within the educational setting in which you work?